System for simply and directly providing local information based solely on zip code information

• US 20080162166A1
• Filed: 12/30/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gregory K. Afarian, James A. Shiner, Sandra Naroian
• Original Assignee: Gregory K. Afarian, James A. Shiner, Sandra Naroian
• Inventors: Naroian, Sandra, Afarian, Gregory K., Shiner, James A.
• Application Number:
  US11/648,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162166A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate

Abstract

A web-based user interface and method for providing home and community information, move-in and move-out information, as well as vendor information in a simple and easy-to-access format for real estate professionals, future homeowners, and current homeowners. The user interface accepts only a zip code or town and city location information on a first web page, and then displays home and community information, move-in and move-out information, and/or vendor information in response to the location information submitted. A very simple user interface thereby provides a large collection of locally targeted information without the tedium and frustrations of previous methods. Such targeted information can facilitate a home sale, or a ease a move-in or move-out. The vendor information includes ratings and reviews of local vendors submitted by actual customers that may help a homeowner in making a more informed and therefore better decision about which vendor to select for products and/or services.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating access to local move-in information and move-out information by real estate professionals and homeowners, the method comprising:

providing an internet-accessible website having a home webpage and a second webpage;

requesting only location information on the home webpage; and

displaying on the second webpage move-in and move-out information which is specific to the location information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is a zip code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is a town and a state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the move-in and move-out information includes at least one of a phone number and a website address of a local utility.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the move-in and move-out information includes at least one of a phone number and a website address of each of a plurality of local utilities.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the move-in and move-out information of the plurality of local utilities is grouped together on a first portion of the second webpage.

7. The method of claim 1, further including:

displaying on the second webpage helpful contact information which is specific to the location information, the helpful contact information including contact information for at least one of;

Fire, Police, Board of Health, Building Inspector, Registry of Deeds, Assessors Office.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the helpful contact information is grouped together on a second portion of the second webpage.

9. The method of claim 1, further including:

displaying on the second webpage a list of vendor categories, each vendor category being associated with a link to at least one vendor in the vendor category, the at least one vendor being associated with the location information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one vendor is assigned a rating.

11. A web-based user interface for facilitating access to move-in and move-out information by real estate professionals and homeowners, the user interface including:

a location input module on a home page of a website, the location input module allowing a user to submit only location information on the home page; and

a move-in and move-out information display module on a second page of the website, the information display module displaying move-in information and move-out information which is associated with the location information.

12. The web-based user interface of claim 11, wherein the location information is a zip code.

13. The web-based user interface of claim 11, wherein the location information is a town and a state.

14. The web-based user interface of claim 11, further including:

a vendor information display module on the second page of the website, the vendor information display module displaying a list of vendor categories, each vendor category being associated with a link to at least one vendor in the vendor category, the at least one vendor being associated with the location information.

15. A web-based user,interface for facilitating access to vendor information by real estate professionals and homeowners, the user interface including:

a location input module on a home page of a website, the location input module allowing a user to submit only location information on the home page; and

a vendor information display module on a second page of the website, the information display module displaying vendor information which is associated with the location information.

16. The web-based user interface of claim 15, further including:

home and community information specific to the location information.

17. A method for facilitating access to local vendor information by real estate professionals and homeowners, the method comprising:

providing an internet-accessible website having a home webpage and a second webpage;

requesting only location information on the home webpage; and

displaying on the second webpage links to vendor information which is specific to the location information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the links to vendor information are grouped together on a first portion of the second webpage.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein each link to vendor information is associated with a vendor category.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the links to vendor information includes links to vendor rating information.