When it comes to the budding online currency Bitcoin serving as payment for real estate deals, BOND New York co-founder Noah Freedman and superbroker Dolly Lenz, who runs a namesake brokerage, are on opposite sides on the coin.
Freedman and other brokers at BOND accept Bitcoin for commissions on transactions. The exchange is “fast, easy and it’s cheap,” Freedman told CNBC, adding that there is no transfer fee or volatility risk. The broker sends an invoice to the seller at the point of closing or lease signing, and the seller pays the commission in the Bitcoin equivalence.
“If you buy Bitcoin on exchanges or deposit your money, you do pay a percentage,” Freedman said. “When you transfer money to me, there’s no charge.”
Lenz is hesitant to accept Bitcoin because she said she senses it has a dark side. If her sellers begin to accept it and the currency comes “into some vogue,” she said she would be willing to allow it. [CNBC] — Mark Maurer