An Interview with Jackson Koehler: Platform Development & Strategy Lead at Real Estate Chain

This week in the Real Estate Chain Interview Series I interview Jackson Koehler, Platform Development & Strategy Lead. A surfer at heart with a passion for nature, blockchain, and analytical problem solving, Jackson is a key player for REC in their quest to revolutionize the real estate industry using distributed ledger technology.

Jackson, we would love to hear a little about you, could you tell us about your upbringing & educational background?

I grew up in central Massachusetts, the youngest in a family of 5. I am an avid Boston sports fan, and played sports throughout my childhood, focusing mostly on hockey. I stayed in Massachusetts for college, studying Mechanical Engineering at University of Massachusetts Amherst. I especially enjoyed the math and operations curriculum in my engineering studies. After school I worked in computer vision and machine vision as a field engineer. This was a great application for my ME background. The position involved designing systems to solve specific QC/QA inspection problems using computer vision software, automation, and a range of mechanical components. I developed a number of troubleshooting skills for software programs and electrical components. I wanted to improve my computer programming skills specifically for analytics because I saw where the field of computer vision was heading. I went back to school at Northeastern for a Data Science and Data Analytics program.

How about hobbies and career interests?

My other hobbies are centered around the ocean and the mountains. I grew up living on Block Island seasonally where I developed a love for the ocean. I worked seasonally at both harbors on the island for the Harbors Department, driving and docking boats. Additionally, I spend my free time fishing and surfing. Surfing has led me around the world to some amazing locations, in an endless pursuit of good waves. My family has always loved to ski, and I have travelled to many beautiful mountains as well.

I would say my career interests are centered around blockchain, data analytics, data science, and computer vision/image processing. I see Real Estate Chain (REC) having major applications for all three of these topics. My lessons learned from my career so far is that I enjoy constantly learning new things and problem solving, so I try to focus my efforts around new development projects and problems.

How did you first become involved with Real Estate Chain?

While I don’t have a formal background in the real estate industry before REC besides general contracting work, I can say that I have always been fascinated by buildings and homes with interesting architecture. I always wanted to be an architect before I settled on engineering. I knew Mike (CEO of REC) personally and had always kept in touch about his business endeavors. I was very interested in the prototype he was working on with Wayfair. When he met Jack Liao (founder of Bitcoin Gold), he reached out to me about joining the team based on my interest in blockchain and my technical background. I decided to join Mike at REC at the tail end of the data science program with Northeastern.

Where do you think REC can make the biggest impact in the real estate industry and why?

Personally, I think the biggest difference can be made in the analytics of property data on a grand scale. We can gain insight to make more efficient buildings that serve certain needs and to create a more accurately and fairly priced real estate market. In almost every economic sector, we are capturing vast amounts of data and using advances in computing power and storage to analyze this data for insights that bring about major efficiencies. Property data has never been afforded insight based on this degree of analysis, because many different groups control specific information, and data is really only captured during small snapshots when properties are for sale. Real Estate Chain will provide the mechanism and incentives for all the actors who interact with a property to cooperate and connect data in one medium. This will enable analyses baring massive impacts.

Where do you see Real Estate Chain in 5–10 years down the road?

I envision digital information associated with properties connected to 3D models in amazing interactive mediums. I think homeowners will take more interest in improving their homes in creative and meaningful ways when they trust the reputation of vendors and the process is easy, fun, frictionless, and transparent. I could see an amazing social aspect coming from this where users love sharing home projects and design using Real Estate Chain digital data to their family and friends.

Why do you think real estate is such a great fit for blockchain technology?

For one, I see lots of sensitive private data involving real estate where different contributors would be concerned to upload and trust a central organization to use that data. By utilizing blockchain these contributors can easily prove their data is uploaded and accurate on an immutable ledger, but keep the details of the data secure until the owner wishes to allow access. Furthermore, blockchain allows all these contributors to work together to build a property data commons that works for everyone, with specific incentives to align the behaviors of actors who have traditionally had divergent self-interests.

With VR being a part of the REC strategy to simplify home buying, what do you feel VR brings to the table personally?

In my opinion, VR and AR will be commonplace when making decisions about new properties, renovations, interior design, and almost all other visual projects. REC will provide the infrastructure to store and share access to this sensitive 3D data.

What do you feel will be the greatest technical obstacles for REC in the coming months?

We will struggle with the same technical obstacles other blockchain projects are going through as the field matures. These include the balance between decentralization, transaction throughput, cost, and usability.

Do you feel the team has a good balance of blockchain knowledge and real estate expertise to deliver the overall strategy?

Yes, I am amazed with how knowledgeable and innovative the team is that has been drawn to this vision. Everyone is very excited to deliver solutions that improve real estate business processes worldwide.

What excites you about blockchain in this time period?

The introduction of blockchain technology into our modern society seems almost magical. I think many people like me were concerned for the future based on the degree to which major corporations are capturing personal data for profit. The power and responsibility with this degree of knowledge should not lie with any one person or entity, as it is very possible to use computer algorithms to sway segments of the population into certain products, beliefs, or actions. Also, the population must put their financial trust in the hands of major central banks who have made major mistakes. Blockchain was dropped in as this magical technical elixir as a means for the individual to gain back some degree of sovereignty and personal security. I am excited to see many of our most brilliant technical minds embracing blockchain technology, motivated less by greed and more by providing solutions for the greater good. Blockchain seems vital to our future, and I can’t wait to see and be a part of the disruption and cultural innovation that may follow.

This concludes the third interview of the Real Estate Chain Interview Series! Follow us on Medium and other social media channels to find out when the rest of the team interviews will be posted, in addition to upcoming news and more exciting content!

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