Online marketplace for real estate transactions

• US 9,105,061 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redfin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Redfin Corporation
• Inventors: Eraker, David, Dougherty, Adam Michael, Smith, Edward M., Eraker, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Sittner, Matthew T
• Application Number:
  US11/154,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,708 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/167 Closing

Abstract

Under an embodiment of the invention, a web site system maintains a real estate web page. The web page has an aerial image map of a geographic region that can be navigated by a user. The web site system facilitates online collaboration for real estate transactions. When the user registers, the system creates a user account for real estate information. Real estate agents and/or other real estate service providers selected by the user are granted shared access to the user'"'"'s account by the web site system.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computer system communicating with at least one client computer across a network, the method comprising:

creating a database of information related to at least one real estate property, the database created from selectively aggregating information from multiple sources, including at least a satellite map image of the geographic region from a satellite map, and real estate data for the at least one real estate property;

providing data displayable as a client interface to the client computer across a network;

receiving from the client computer a request for mapped display data including the real estate data overlaid on the satellite map image of the at least one real estate property;

creating the mapped display data by visually defining the at least one real estate property on the satellite map image and layering the real estate data thereupon;

sending the mapped display data to the client interface requesting the mapped display;

sending data displayable to the client computer on the client interface, the data displayable on the client interface being interactive to initiate one or more specific transactions related to the at least one real estate property;

receiving from the client interface a request to be provided a physical tour of the at least one real estate property;

enabling a real estate agent to respond to the request to provide the physical tour based at least on a comparison of a transaction history of the real estate agent to the geographic area of the at least one real estate property; and

storing information associated with the request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request, via the client interface to initiate at least one of a purchase, sale, or negotiation inquiry for the at least one real estate property.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the real estate agent with the request; and

permitting the real estate agent to access the stored information for the one or more specific transactions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing data displayable as a log-in interface to the client interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request via the interface to initiate a purchase of the at least one real estate property.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the real estate data comprises multiple listing service information corresponding to the at least one real estate property.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising effecting the request to be provided a physical tour of the at least one real estate property.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending data displayable as a ratings interface to the client interface that is interactive to input ratings for the one or more specific tranactions.

9. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more software modules stored on the memory and executable by the one or more processors to;

provide data displayable as a client interface to a client computer across the network;

create a data set of information related to at least one real estate property by selectively aggregating information from multiple sources, including at least a satellite map image of the at least one real estate property and real estate data for the at least one real estate property;

selectively update the data set as new data is added to the multiple sources;

create a mapped display data by visually defining the at least one real estate property on the satellite map image and layering the real estate data over the at least one visually defined real estate property; and

send data displayable on an interface on the client computer, the interface interactive to initiate one or more specific transactions related to the at least one real estate property, including to be provided with a physical tour of the at least one real estate property;

identify a user associated with the client computer and store information associated with the request to initiate the one or more specific transactions,

compare transaction histories of a plurality of real estate agents to a real estate market of the at least one real estate property, and

enable a particular real estate agent of the plurality of real estate agents to contact the user to provide the physical tour of the at least one real estate property based at least on determining, from the comparing the transaction histories to the real estate market, that one or more transactions in the particular real estate agent'"'"'s transaction history are in the real estate market.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more software modules stored on the memory are further executable by the one or more processors to send data displayable as a ratings interface to the client computer, the ratings interface interactive to input ratings for the one or more specific transactions.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more software modules stored on the memory are further executable by the one or more processors to create an account for the user.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more software modules stored on the memory are further executable by the one or more processors to send a scheduling interface to the client computer, the scheduling interface interactive to schedule real estate related activities.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the account comprises a watch list for tracking real estate market activity in a geographic region and an index for tracking property value trends in the geographic region.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more software modules stored on the memory are further executable by the one or more processors to send a showing tool to the client computer, the showing tool interactive to collect feedback from real estate property showings.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more software modules stored on the memory are further executable by the one or more processors to enable display, on the client computer, of a folder, associated with the account, the folder including information related to real estate properties suggested to the user by the particular real estate agent.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the account comprises information identifying service providers associated with one or more of the plurality of real estate agents.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more specific transactions related to the at least one real estate property include at least one of a purchase, sale, or negotiation inquiry.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the transaction engine further effects the initiated one or more specific transactions for the at least one real estate property.

19. A computing system communicating with at least one client computer across a network, the computing system comprising:

means for providing data displayable as a client interface to the at least one client computer across the network;

means for storing a data set of information related to at least one real estate property, the data set created from selectively aggregating information from multiple sources, including at least a satellite map image of the at least one real estate property and real estate data for the at least one real estate property;

means for updating the data set as new data is added to the multiple sources;

means for creating mapped display data by visually defining the at least one real estate property on the satellite map image and layering the real estate data over the visually defined at least one real estate property;

means for facilitating a requested transaction received from the client computer, the transaction related to the at least one real estate property;

means for sending to the client computer data displayable on the client computer as an interface the data being interactive to initiate one or more specific transactions related to the at least one real estate property;

means for receiving, from the client computer, a request to be contacted by a real estate agent to provide a tour of the at least one real estate property;

means for enabling a particular real estate agent to contact a user associated with the client computer, the enabling based at least on matching a transaction history of the particular real estate agent to a geographic area of the at least one real estate property; and

means for receiving, from the the client computer, a request to initiate a specific transaction related to the at least one real estate property,

wherein the means for facilitating the requested transaction further identifies the user and stores information associated with the requested transaction.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for facilitating the requested transaction further effects the requested transaction.