With her talk “I represented 4 buyers who Bitcoined their home purchase,” Piper Moretti appears at Inman Connect New York on Wednesday, January 24 at 11:15 a.m. in the General Session.
We’re really excited to have you joining us as a speaker for Inman Connect New York, but tell us a little more about yourself. How did you arrive in your current role?
I received an internet lead about a year ago — a family from the East Coast who were exploring houses in Manhattan Beach. After a few showings, they let me know they wanted to buy with Bitcoin. Of course, I said “Not a problem!” not knowing a thing about it, only what I had heard a few years ago. I didn’t even know it was still a thing.
After a few calls and emails to lenders, exchanges and colleagues, I realized this had only been accomplished a couple of times in the past and they went right under the radar. We basically had to figure it out from scratch, which we did. Cut to three more purchases as well as my own investing in cryptocurrency over the past few months, I have found myself in the unique position of becoming a blockchain/crypto evangelist in the real estate industry.
Tell us a little more about your session, what kinds of things will you be talking about in January?
Because of the surge in price, there has been a Bitcoin feeding frenzy. Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are here to stay, and I’m hoping to educate a little on its use and legalities. You also can’t discuss cryptocurrency without blockchain technology. Like it or not, blockchain will be disrupting the industry in the next few years as it has already with healthcare and law. It’s been said before that real estate professionals will not be going away, but our roles will definitely be changing.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Right now it’s talking to all kinds of real estate professionals whether it be title, escrow, tech or other Realtors, particularly on the East Coast, about what it takes to complete a transaction and figuring out how to integrate blockchain technology within the industry. The other parts of my day include education (never enough!), lead gen and networking — the core fundamentals of being a Realtor.
What do you think the biggest challenges facing the real estate industry are at the moment?
Bridging the gap between new technology and the “old school” way of doing business. Real estate is very slow to adapt new ways of thinking and implementing technology. I’m not talking about the latest CRM or marketing tools. I’m of course referring to blockchain and how it will revolutionize all aspects of how deals get done. Those who are on board will no doubt benefit from the change, those who can’t adapt might find themselves left behind.
2018’s shaping up to be a really exciting year, and as we look ahead, what are your hopes for the next 12 months, and what will you be working on?
I’ve been asked to come on board as an advisor at CPROP, a blockchain-powered real estate platform. I’m thrilled to be on the forefront and bring it to the west coast. I’m also working with crypto buyers and sellers — my goal for 2018 is to streamline the transaction process with my team of blockchain title, escrow and crypto lenders.
There are so many cryptocurrency investors who started early and would like to buy a home or commercial property, and I’m excited to be able to help them do just that. I will also be working closely with LA Blockchain Lab to help launch their real estate vertical.
Want to connect with Piper? You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.