Method and system for registering potential acquirers of assets that are not currently on the market

Abstract

A register interest system receives from a potential acquirer of assets an indication that the potential acquirer is interested in acquiring rights in a specific asset that is not currently on the market. The register interest system stores indications that the potential acquirers are interested in specific assets. When a notification criterion has been satisfied, then the register interest system notifies the owner of the specific asset that one or more potential acquirers are interested in acquiring rights to that asset. The owner and a potential acquirer can then negotiate the purchase of the rights.

1 . A method in a computer system for matching potential buyers of assets that are not currently for sale with the owners of the assets, the method comprising: 
 receiving from a potential buyer an indication that the potential buyer is interested in buying an asset that is not currently for sale;    notifying an owner of the asset that the potential buyer is interested in buying the asset; and    providing to the owner of the asset the identity of the potential buyer of the asset.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the asset is real estate property.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  including providing a web site through which a potential buyer can indicate their interest in buying the real estate property.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the web site provides a map from which the potential buyer can identify the real estate property.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the indication further includes position information of the asset.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the position information includes GPS coordinates.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the position information is input by speaking the address.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the position information is input via a cellular phone.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  including determining whether the potential buyer has the financial capability to buy the asset in which the potential buyer has indicated an interest.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  including notifying the owner that the potential buyer has the financial capability to buy the asset.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the asset is selected from the group consisting of fine art, antiques, yachts, cars, horses, show dogs and similar assets that are unique and valuable.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the providing of the identity of the potential buyer of the asset is performed after receiving an indication that the owner of the asset agrees to terms under which the identity of the potential buyer will be provided.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the terms include that the owner will keep information about the buyer confidential.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the terms include that the owner will provide compensation in exchange for information about the potential buyer.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  including providing a list of assets that are comparable to the asset in which the potential buyer has indicated an interest.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein an asset is comparable based at least in part on another potential buyer indicating an interest in both the asset and the comparable asset.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the owner is notified of potential buyers in an order based on a preference assigned to the potential buyers.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the preferences are assigned based on fees paid by the potential buyers.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the preferences are assigned based on order in which the potential buyers indicated an interest in the asset.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  including providing a predicted sale price for the asset.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  including providing information about the asset obtained from various data sources.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  including when the asset is real estate property, a data source is selected from the group consisting of property tax records, maps, multiple listing service records, permits, and previous sales relating to the real estate property.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1  including providing a list of top assets based on potential buyers who have indicated an interest in the assets.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1  wherein when the assets are, real estate property, providing a list of top real estate properties based on potential buyers who have indicated an interest in the real estate properties.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1  wherein when the assets are real estate properties, providing a list of top areas based on potential buyers who have indicated an interest in the real estate properties in those areas.  
     
     
         26 . A method in a computer system for generating interest in a transaction between a potential buyer of a real estate property that is not currently for sale and the owner of the real estate property, the method comprising: 
 providing a web site through which potential buyers of real estate can register their interest in a specific real estate property that is not currently for sale;    directing that a notification be sent to an owner of a real estate property in which a potential buyer has registered an interest, the notification indicating that a potential buyer has registered an interest in the owner's real estate property;    providing a web site through which an owner who has been notified can register an interest in offering the owner's real estate property for sale; and    after the owner registers an interest in offering the owner's real estate property for sale, directing that the potential buyer and the owner be put in contact.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the potential buyer and the owner are put in contact only after they agree to terms of contact.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the web site provides a map from which the potential buyer can identify real estate property.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the potential buyer can identify the real estate property using GPS coordinates.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the potential buyer can identify the real estate property using a cellular phone.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26  including determining whether the potential buyer has the financial capability to buy the real estate property.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  including notifying the owner that the potential buyer has the financial capability to buy the real estate property.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26  including providing a list of real estate properties that are comparable to the real estate property in which the potential buyer has registered an interest.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein real estate property is comparable based at least in part on another potential buyer registering an interest in both the real estate property and the comparable real estate property.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the owner is notified of potential buyers in an order based on a preference assigned to the potential buyers.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26  including providing a predicted sale price for the real estate property.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 26  including collecting information from a data source that is selected from the group consisting of property tax records, maps, multiple listing service record, permits, and previous sales relating to the real estate property.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 26  including providing a list of top real estate properties based on potential buyers who have indicated an interest in the real estate properties.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 26  including providing a list of top areas based on potential buyers who have indicated an interest in the real estate properties in those areas.  
     
     
         40 . A method for registering potential acquirers who have expressed an interest in acquiring rights in assets that are not currently on the market with the owners of the assets, the method comprising: 
 receiving from potential acquirers of assets indications that the potential acquirers are interested in acquiring rights in specific assets that are not currently on the market;    storing indications that the potential acquirers are interested in the specific assets; and    upon a notification criterion being satisfied, notifying the owner of a specific asset that a potential acquirer is interested in acquiring rights in the specific asset.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the notification criterion is satisfied when the owner places the rights in the specific asset on the market.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the notification criterion is satisfied when a certain number of potential acquirers indicate an interest in acquiring rights in the specific asset.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the rights in the specific asset are ownership rights.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the rights in the specific asset are lease rights.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the rights in the specific asset are breeding rights.  
     
     
         46 . A method of facilitating a sale of real estate property, implemented in a computer system, comprising: 
 receiving, from a potential buyer, an indication of interest in buying a real estate property;    incrementing a counter associated with the real estate property; and    providing information to an owner of the real estate property when the counter reaches a predetermined threshold;    wherein the real estate property is not publicly offered for sale when the indication of interest is received.    
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising making a determination of the potential buyer's financial capability to buy the real estate property.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46  when the determination indicates that the buyer has the financial capability to buy the real estate property, providing the potential buyer with preferred access to the owner of the real estate property.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the information includes an identifier associated with the potential buyer.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the identifier is selected from the group consisting of name, address, phone number, electronic mail address, login name, and user identifier.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the indication of interest includes location information.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50  wherein the location information includes GPS coordinates.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the real estate property is a residential property.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the information comprises home mortgage loan prequalification status of the potential buyer.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 45  including providing the potential buyer with a list of other real estate property in which other potential buyers, who have indicated an interest in buying the same real estate property, have indicated an interest in buying.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 45  including providing the potential buyer with an estimated price of the real estate property, the estimated price based at least in part on sales of comparable real estate property and on indications of interest from other potential buyers.