The blockchain is a technology that allows to secure and frame the transmission of information. It is based on a peer-to-peer system, where each user participates in the security of the information and its routing. In short, if you put a document on the blockchain, it will be copied, then cut into many parts that will be shared among thousands of computers. When you call on this document (which can be an electronic signature, a transmission of banking information or a property deed), all the computers will participate and reconstitute the document. An attempt at falsification would therefore automatically fail… In short, we decentralize the information, the validation processes and the resources needed to do this work. We trust the collective.

1. BLOCKCHAIN IN REAL ESTATE TO MAKE ONLINE ESTIMATES EASIER THANKS TO BETTER USE OF DATA 

Before presenting this first use, Brice Cardi starts from a premise: “in agencies, we hold a lot of data, but we don’t exploit it enough.” Blockchain can help innovate in this sense.

As we explained earlier, peer-to-peer technology takes the form of a huge database. In fact, it can considerably help to collect and enhance all the information essential to an estimate: government data (DVF), national and local price per m2, history of the last sales in a locality…

Based on this tool, real estate agencies will then be able to offer online estimates from their website. All of this will be more qualitative for prospects, and therefore with high added value for real estate professionals. Because the president of the Adresse insists on one point: “the blockchain will not replace a real estate agent to make estimates. The confirmation or denial of an expert will still be essential to the process.”

The blockchain will allow for greater transparency and traceability for real estate professionals. Everyone will be able to know how much a particular property has sold for, under how long, etc. Real estate professionals could therefore finally have the same data as notaries, and therefore offer finer analysis than today.

2. CREATE A SECURE SPACE BETWEEN THE REAL ESTATE LEAD AND THE AGENT

This usage can be seen as the second phase after the estimation. Based on the upcoming services of the L’Adresse network, Brice Cardi explains that the online estimate will automatically generate a contact. This is where the blockchain comes in, he continues, before detailing the steps that will follow this contact generation.

The blockchain will activate a link to a private space, thanks to a first token that will serve as an identification tool. From there, a client space secured by the blockchain will be created. A space dedicated to the prospect, where he can store all the information essential to the transaction. Once this data is recorded, a second space will be created, this time for the real estate agent. This will allow him to know more and better about his prospect.

What we can see in the vision of the Address is the notion of “token” as an identifier. A token is unique, and can therefore fulfill this role of access control. And this can be pushed far beyond the question of estimation. We can imagine scenarios where a token allows exclusive access to an autonomous visit (these visits where prospects are alone and access the property via a connected lock) or to the agency’s off-market section. And this is just the beginning…

3. QUALIFY YOUR PROSPECT’S PROJECT, SECURE AND ACCELERATE THE TRANSACTION

Brice Cardi presents another service: a secure digital portfolio. Via this medium, real estate data and data relating to the owner prospect will be aggregated. As a result, the real estate agent responsible for the prospect will be able to better prepare the first meeting. “During the R1, the prospect’s project will be defined,” he assures.

In this digital book, an owner will be able to find a system in which he or she will have access to a wide range of information: real estate data, agency expertise, customer reviews, information and performance on the agency, reformulation of his or her real estate project. In concrete terms, all the questions that a prospect may have will be found in this space. For example, we can highlight the virtual visits made, the agency’s tools, services or partners.

For a few years now, the subject of the digital building book has been coming up in the real estate market. This document, soon to be mandatory, will indeed benefit from the contributions of blockchain. Even if it is not precisely what Brice Cardi talks about in his conference, we come back to the idea of an unfalsifiable document capable of recording all interventions related to the life of the building. Imagine a situation where agents, owners and buyers have free access to all this information.

4. OFFER HIGH VALUE-ADDED SERVICES AND SECURE THE ENTIRE TRANSACTION

According to the president of l’Adresse, blockchain will allow the development of the real estate agency’s service offer globally. So yes, blockchain will indeed make the transaction more fluid and secure. At a glance, we will be able to see if the client has the necessary funds as well as the source of the funds. The transfer of funds between sellers and buyers will be instantaneous and with them, the title deeds will be automatically transmitted. But the blockchain allows us to go beyond this promise.

Smart contracts will allow real estate agencies to access more easily the data of institutions and thus to verify automatically that the cadastral parcels are the right ones, that there are no proceedings against the owner or the buyer. The use of insurers as well, with maintenance contracts that fill themselves and a follow-up of the actions carried out… In short, the blockchain could respond present each time a real estate professional cannot act because he lacks an information or a validation