Blockchain Could Shrink Differences in How Public, Private Real Estate Returns Are Measured

Brad Case, Nareit senior vice president for research and industry information, was a guest on the latest episode of Nareit’s REIT Report podcast and discussed the impact of emerging blockchain technology on the real estate industry.Developed in connection with cryptocurrencies, blockchain is “essentially a set of practices that make it possible to keep records of who owns assets,” Case explaied. He noted that although blockchain is not the same as distributed ledger, for the purposes of considering the effect on real estate, the two terms can be treated as synonyms.Blockchain can establish ownership of an asset much more efficiently than at present, Case said. In addition, the technology makes it possible for governments to keep property records used for tax purposes at a reduced cost and lower probability of fraud.