Heads up: The links below go to the providers' official sites — not affiliate links; CyberGrokr earns nothing when you click or apply. This page is educational, not real-estate, legal, tax, or financial advice. Talk to a tax pro before moving coins.
₿ THE FIVE REAL PATHS
Almost nobody "pays BTC for a house" the way you'd pay cash. In practice, Bitcoin buys property through one of these five working models — pick the one that fits how much BTC you want to keep.
Propy ↗
Title & escrow built for crypto. Your BTC is held in escrow (Coinbase Prime custody) and converted to USD at closing — the seller receives dollars, deeds recorded on-chain. A 2026 partnership with Milo covers the full workflow end-to-end.
Milo Crypto Mortgage ↗
A 30-year mortgage where you pledge BTC or ETH as collateral for up to 100% financing — no cash down, no W-2 required. Your coins are pledged, not sold, so there's no taxable disposition. Custody via Coinbase/BitGo or self-custody.
Better + Coinbase ↗
Two loans at closing: a standard conforming mortgage plus a second loan funding your down payment, secured by BTC (250% collateral ratio). Your BTC moves to Coinbase Prime custody at closing.
Ledn ↗
12-month renewable USD loans against your BTC (50% starting LTV, no credit check, no monthly payments) — "buy real estate / down payment" is a top advertised use. Borrow dollars, buy the house normally, keep your BTC.
BitPay Real-Estate Directory ↗
Lists title and escrow companies that accept BTC via BitPay (Burnet Title, Clear Title Group, Cornerstone Title, and more). You pay a BitPay invoice in BTC → it's converted to USD → USD wires into escrow → standard closing.
Example: Brooklyn townhouse ↗
Some sellers — mostly luxury — accept wallet-to-wallet BTC directly (a $5.99M Brooklyn townhouse and The Rider Miami condos are documented examples). The purchase agreement usually puts FX and volatility risk on the buyer.
⚖️ THE TAX FACTS (READ THIS FIRST)
- The IRS treats Bitcoin as property, not currency. Spending BTC on a house — or converting it to USD — is a taxable disposition: capital gain or loss = fair market value when spent minus your cost basis. Over a year of holding = long-term rates.
- Pledging BTC as loan collateral is NOT a sale. No disposition happens — this is the core tax advantage of the Milo, Better, and Ledn models over selling BTC for a down payment.
- Moving BTC between your own wallets (or into escrow custody without sale) isn't taxable by itself — the tax hits when you sell, convert, or spend.
- The regulatory direction is favorable: a June 2025 FHFA directive told Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to develop crypto-as-asset underwriting guidelines — the foundation for conforming crypto-backed products.
Not tax advice. Run your numbers with a crypto-savvy CPA before you move coins.
⚠️ KEEP IT REAL
- Volatility is the hidden fee. If your BTC drops 20% between escrow and closing, your purchasing power drops with it — the Milo-style pledge models avoid this, the conversion models don't.
- Overcollateralization is steep. 100–250% of the property value in BTC locked up is normal in these products. Only do this with coins you can afford to have illiquid.
- Margin calls are real. BTC-backed loans liquidate if the market falls hard — know your liquidation price before you sign.
- Verify everything independently. Terms, rates, licensed states, and custody arrangements change — confirm on the provider's own site. Nothing here is legal, tax, or investment advice.
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Buying cheap first, BTC later?
Land banks and foreclosure auctions are where the deals hide — then bring your Bitcoin to the closing table.