Closing system for closing real-estate transactions between a plurality of parties

• US 7,596,511 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2003
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iclosings.com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Iclosings.com Incorporated
• Inventors: Coulter, Chendal P., Hall, Adam, Miller, Ken S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen; William J.
• Application Number:
  US10/696,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20050096996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,162 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705 26- 27, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate

Abstract

The present invention is a method and system for closing a real estate sale over a computerized network. More particularly, the present invention enables the parties to a pending real estate sale to enter closing instructions into the system via the Internet and provides the means for electronically processing the closing of such sale in accordance with such closing instructions without the need for a human closing agent.

Claims

1. A closing system for closing a real estate transaction between a plurality of parties and transferring ownership of property via a real estate deed, the system comprising:

a closing server adaptable to internet communications, wherein the closing server comprises;

a closing database, wherein the closing database comprises;

a closing module executed on the closing server, wherein the closing module presents;

at least one pre-defined closing condition, wherein the at least one pre-defined closing condition comprises;

at least one first deadline for approving or disapproving the pre-defined closing condition;

at least one first identity of the plurality of parties authorized to approve or disapprove the at least one pre-defined closing condition before the at least one first deadline expires;

a first active classifier, wherein the at least one pre-defined closing condition is deemed to have failed if not approved before the at least one first deadline expires;

a first passive classifier, wherein the at least one pre-defined closing condition is deemed satisfied if not disapproved before the at least one first deadline expires; and

at least one custom closing condition, wherein the at least one custom closing condition comprises;

at least one second deadline for approving or disapproving the at least one custom closing condition;

at least one second identity of the plurality of parties authorized to approve or disapprove the at least one custom closing condition before the at least one second deadline expires;

a second active classifier, wherein the at least one custom closing condition is deemed to have failed if not approved before the at least one second deadline expires;

a second passive classifier, wherein the at least one custom closing condition is deemed satisfied if not disapproved before the at least one second deadline expires;

a title insurance module correlated with the closing database, wherein the title insurance module executed on the closing server presents;

a plurality of title insurance company identifying information;

a plurality of title insurance policies associated with the plurality of title insurance identifying information, wherein the plurality of title insurance policies each comprise a plurality of terms; and

at least one computer processor having identity verifier logic and resources for verifying the identities of the plurality of parties.

2. The closing system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor having identity-verifier logic and resources for verifying the identities of the plurality of parties further comprises encryption logic and resources for verifying the identities of the plurality of parties.

3. The closing system as in claim 2, wherein the identity-verifier logic and resources for verifying the identities of the plurality of parties further comprises logic and resources for associating an electronic signature of each of the plurality of parties with closing the real estate transaction.

4. The closing system as in claim 1 further comprising at least one internet browser client, wherein the at least one internet browser client is adaptable to internet connecting with the closing server, wherein the at least one browser client comprises means for selecting at least one of the at least one pre-defined closing conditions.

5. The closing system as in claim 1 further comprising at least one internet browser client, wherein the at least one internet browser client is adaptable to Internet connecting with the closing server, wherein the at least one browser client comprises means for selecting at least one of the at least one predefined closing conditions.

6. The closing system as in claim 1 further comprising an internet connection with at least one title insurance company associated with at least one of the plurality of title insurance company identifying information.

7. The closing system as in claim 1, wherein the closing database further comprises a lender financial module, wherein the lender financial module comprises:

at least one financial lender identifier; and

a plurality of standard lender conditions associated with the at least one financial lender identifier and further associated with closing the real estate transaction.

8. The closing system as in claim 7 wherein the plurality of standard lender conditions comprises:

transfer of ownership of the property to a borrower;

execution and recordation of a mortgage or deed of trust associated with the property; and

issuance of a policy of title insurance associated with the property.

9. The closing system as in claim 8 further comprising an internet connection with at least one financial lender associated with the at least one financial lender identifier.

10. The closing system as in claim 1 wherein the predefined closing conditions comprise at least one title insurance condition.

11. The closing system as in claim 10 wherein the at least one title insurance condition comprises:

a receiving deadline for receiving a title commitment; and

an approval deadline for approving or disapproving the title commitment.

12. The closing system as in claim 11 wherein the title commitment comprises a plurality of title exceptions wherein each title exception comprises a plurality of title exception fields in the closing database.

13. The closing system as in claim 12 wherein the plurality of title exception fields comprises at least one approval field for party approval or disapproval.

14. The closing system as in claim 1, wherein the closing database further comprises an authorized agent module, wherein the authorized agent module comprises at least one authorized agent identifier.

15. The closing system as in claim 14 further comprising an internet connection with at least one authorized agent associated with the at least one authorized agent identifier.

16. The closing system as in claim 1, wherein the closing database further comprises a property module, wherein the property module comprises at least one geographic property description, wherein the at least one geographic property description comprises:

property location; and

property type.