Method, medium, and system for sending notifications to property managers regarding vacancies

• US 8,239,278 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rentalvalet, LLC, Rentvalet, LLC
• Original Assignee: Rentvalet, LLC
• Inventors: Pohl, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/633,472
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/35, 705/307, 705/313, 705/314
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted

Abstract

Consumers who are interested in various rental properties can create a list of those properties, and notifications of that interest can be sent to the property managers associated with those properties. A system could be implemented to send multiple notifications (e.g., to each manager of a property on the list) with a single request by the consumer. Such notifications can be used to provide property managers with information used to screen applicants, and/or can allow property managers to seek to access additional information about the consumer. Whether any additional information has been accessed can be tracked to verify that access is only provided in compliance with relevant regulation. This type of functionality can be integrated with a system that allows regulatory investigations to be allocated to, and performed by, compliance representatives using mobile devices, and can also be integrated with functionality that allows consumers to present themselves as pre-qualified applicants.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a) at least one computer processor configured to;

i) automatically generate a first set of notifications for a first set of property managers based on a first set of vacancies identified by a consumer;

1) wherein the first set of notifications comprises a notification for each property manager, from the first set of property managers, associated with a vacancy from the first set of vacancies; and

2) wherein each notification from the first set of notifications indicates an interest of the consumer in becoming a tenant at a vacancy from the first set of vacancies and is associated with information on the consumer;

ii) charge a first fee to the consumer for the first set of notifications;

iii) after payment of the first fee by the consumer, send the first set of notifications to the first set of property managers;

iv) determine, after sending the first set of notifications, that the consumer is in becoming a tenant at an additional vacancy not included in the first set of vacancies;

v) determine whether any property manager from the first set of property managers viewed the information on the consumer;

vi) if at least one property manager from the first set of property managers viewed the information on the consumer, then send a notification to a property manager associated with the additional vacancy of the interest of the consumer in becoming a tenant at the additional vacancy only after charging a second fee; and

vii) if no property manager from the first set of property managers viewed the information on the consumer, then send a notification to the property manager associated with the additional vacancy of the interest of the consumer in becoming a tenant at the additional vacancy without charging the second fee.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of vacancies comprises vacancies identified by the consumer using a shopping cart on an internet listing service.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the information on the consumer comprises a set of background information for the consumer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:

a) receive a request to view the set of background information from a property manager associated with a vacancy from the first set of vacancies; and

b) in response to receiving the request to view the set of background information;

i) determine if the set of background information is accessible;

ii) if the set of background information is accessible, provide the set of background information to the property manager; and

iii) if the set of background information is not accessible, present an interface operable to allow the property manager to invite the consumer to release the set of background information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:

a) automatically generate a second set of notifications based on a second set of vacancies identified by the consumer;

ii) wherein the second set of notifications comprises a notification for each property manager associated with a vacancy from the second set of vacancies;

iii) wherein each notification from the second set of notifications comprises an invitation to view the set of background information;

b) send the second set of notifications to the property managers associated with the vacancies from the second set of vacancies.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database, wherein the one or more computer processors is configured to:

a) receive a tenancy rejection from a property manager associated with a vacancy identified by the consumer;

b) based on receiving the tenancy rejection, generate a lead message indicating compatibility between the consumer and a vacancy associated with an additional property manager; and

c) send the lead message to the additional property manager.

7. A method comprising:

a) using a computer comprising a processor and a memory, automatically generating a first set of notifications for a first set of property managers based on a first set of vacancies identified by a consumer;

i) wherein the first set of notifications comprises a notification for each property manager, from the first set of property managers, associated with a vacancy from the first set of vacancies; and

ii) wherein each notification from the first set of notifications indicates an interest of the consumer in becoming a tenant at a vacancy from the first set of vacancies and is associated with information on the consumer;

b) charging a first fee to the consumer for the set of notifications;

c) after payment of the first fee, using the computer, sending the first set of notifications to the first set of property managers;

d) determining, after sending the first set of notifications, that the consumer is interested in becoming a tenant at an additional vacancy not included in the first set of vacancies;

e) determining whether any property manager from the first set of property managers viewed the information on the consumer;

f) if at least one property manager from the first set of property managers viewed the information on the consumer, then sending a notification to a property manager associated with the additional vacancy of the interest of the consumer in becoming a tenant at the additional vacancy and charging a second fee; and

g) if no property manager from the first set of property managers viewed the information on the consumer, then sending a notification to the property manager associated with the additional vacancy of the interest of the consumer in becoming a tenant at the additional vacancy without charging the second fee.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first set of vacancies comprises vacancies identified by the consumer using a shopping cart on an internet listing service.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the information on the consumer comprises a set of background information for the consumer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

a) receiving a request to view the set of background information from a property manager associated with a vacancy from the first set of vacancies; and

b) in response to receiving the request to view the set of background information, using the computer to;

i) determine if the set of background information is accessible;

ii) if the set of background information is accessible, provide the set of background information to the property manager; and

iii) if the set of background information is not accessible, present an interface operable to allow the property manager to invite the consumer to release the set of background information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the method comprises, after sending the first set of notifications:

a) automatically generating a second set of notifications based on a second set of vacancies identified by the consumer;

ii) wherein the second set of notifications comprises a notification for each property manager associated with a vacancy from the second set of vacancies;

iii) wherein each notification from the second set of notifications comprises an invitation to view the set of background information;

b) sending the second set of notifications to the property managers associated with the vacancies from the second set of vacancies.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

a) receiving a tenancy rejection from a property manager associated with a vacancy identified by the consumer;

b) based on receiving the tenancy rejection, generating a lead message indicating compatibility between the consumer and a vacancy associated with an additional property manager; and

c) sending the lead message to the additional property manager.

13. A tangible computer readable medium having stored thereon data operable to configure a computer to perform a plurality of tasks, the plurality of tasks comprising:

a) automatically generating a first set of notifications for a first set of property managers based on a first set of vacancies identified by a consumer;

i) wherein the first set of notifications comprises a notification for each property manager, from the first set of property managers, associated with a vacancy from the first set of vacancies and is associated with information on the consumer; and

ii) wherein each notification from the first set of notifications indicates an interest of the consumer in becoming a tenant at a vacancy from the first set of vacancies;

b) charging a first fee to the consumer for the set of notifications;

c) after payment of the first fee, sending the first set of notifications to the first set of property managers;

d) determining, after sending the first set of notifications, that the consumer is interested in becoming a tenant at an additional vacancy not included in the first set of vacancies;

e) determining whether any property manager from the first set of property managers viewed the information on the consumer;

f) if at least one property manager from the first set of property managers viewed the information on the consumer, then sending a notification to a property manager associated with the additional vacancy of the interest of the consumer in becoming a tenant at the additional vacancy only after charging a second fee; and

g) if no property manager from the first set of property managers viewed the information on the consumer, then sending a notification to the property manager associated with the additional vacancy of the interest of the consumer in becoming a tenant at the additional vacancy without charging the second fee.

14. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first set of vacancies comprises vacancies identified by the consumer using a shopping cart on an internet listing service.

15. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the information on the consumer comprises a set of background information for the consumer.

16. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of tasks comprises:

a) receiving a request to view the set of background information from a property manager associated with a vacancy from the first set of vacancies; and

b) in response to receiving the request to view the set of background information;

i) determining if the set of background information is accessible;

ii) if the set of background information is accessible, providing the set of background information to the property manager; and

iii) if the set of background information is not accessible, presenting an interface operable to allow the property manager to invite the consumer to release the set of background information.

17. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the plurality of tasks comprises, after sending the first set of notifications:

a) automatically generating a second set of notifications based on a second set of vacancies identified by the consumer;

ii) wherein the second set of notifications comprises a notification for each property manager associated with a vacancy from the second set of vacancies;

iii) wherein each notification from the second set of notifications comprises an invitation to view the set of background information;

b) sending the second set of notifications to the property managers associated with the vacancies from the second set of vacancies.

18. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the plurality of tasks comprises:

a) receiving a tenancy rejection from a property manager associated with a vacancy identified by the consumer;

b) based on receiving the tenancy rejection, generating a lead message indicating compatibility between the consumer and a vacancy associated with an additional property manager; and

c) sending the lead message to the additional property manager.