Would you be willing to sell your Charleston property to a
buyer who is offering virtual currency?
In recent news, there has been an influx of people who are
putting their homes up for sale in Bitcoins. It may be actually worthwhile to
consider the upsides, because doing so opens up your Charleston area property
to a vast new market (not to mention potentially garnering the attention of
your local media and scads more traditional buyers who are in their audience).
You may have read last December’s reports about the man who
tried to sell his ranch-style home in New York for $799,000 worth of bitcoins.
Another seller, a 22-year-old Canadian man, put up his advertisement in March.
He had the distinction of being the first one in his town to advertise a home
in exchange for the popular digital currency.
Now in case you’ve been putting off trying to figure out
what Bitcoin actually is, perhaps I can save you some trouble. It’s an open
source and decentralized peer-to-peer payment system that allows its users to
buy and sell in virtual cash.
In case that sounds like gobbledygook, in the simplest
terms, it’s a system where you don’t need to have real, government-minted cash
to close a transaction—all you need is an online “bank account” with enough
Bitcoin to pay for its dollar equivalent. Bitcoin’s primary attraction is to
those who feel queasy about the stability of traditional currency, especially
those who fear inflation. Their fears are quelled by Bitcoin’s creators, who
guarantee that only a certain amount of Bitcoin will ever be allowed to
circulate. Apparently, many people believe them.
Bitcoin might be new (introduced in 2009), but it is
gaining more and more popularity. Even businesses like Overstock.com, Virgin
Atlantic, the Sacramento Kings, TigerDirect, Atomic Mall, Clearly Canadian, and
Zynga now accept bitcoins. As more credible parties accept them, the more
credible the phenomenon becomes.
How could it help you sell your Charleston, SC property?
Many people who are using the services of online advertisers are
technologically savvy, and usually aware of how Bitcoin is fast becoming a
popular payment system for online transactions. Compared with credit cards
which generally charge 2 to 3% in transaction fees, Bitcoin fees are much lower—practically
negligible. Because it currently resides in such a small market niche, that
target audience is especially attentive to Bitcoin-traded products. There is
also the likelihood that at least some traditional buyers who stumble across such
a unique offering will find themselves intrigued enough to investigate your
property further. You may even make the news. Talk about free advertising!
Whether or not you’re a Bitcoin believer—if you’re ready
to sell your property in Charleston, SC this summer and want state-of-the-art
marketing input—I’m your agent. Call me today to discuss a marketing plan that,
Bitcoin or not, is designed to bring in the buyers!
Interested in selling your Charleston area home? Visit: www.jeffcookrealestate.com
Interested in buying a Charleston area home? Visit: www.discovercharlestonareahomes.com
-Jeff Cook
Jeff Cook
Real Estate
Charleston,
SC
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