REAL PROPERTY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, RETENTION AND TRANSFERAL SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR USING SAME
The present invention is in the field of computer systems and processes for managing real and personal property. One aspect of the invention is directed to capturing history of a (real) property, which may include a description of the property, the personal property located on the real property, the projects and maintenance performed or to be performed on the property and their impact on the owner's tax basis in the property. Another aspect of invention allows for sharing of this history with an online community and for transferring the history (or portions thereof) on sale to a buyer.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A distributed computing system, comprising:
at least two computers configured to store data structures in a database distributed between the at least two computers; and
one or more computers comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions to cause at least one processor of the one or more computers to perform a method, the method comprising:
creating a first data structure in the database distributed across the at least two computers, the first data structure containing information indicative of capabilities and/or types of projects for which a service provider is interested in being hired;
creating a second data structure in the database distributed across the at least two computers, the second data structure containing information indicative of a home improvement project submitted by a user;
determining one or more service providers eligible to view the information indicative of the home improvement project based on the information indicative of capabilities and/or types of projects for which the one or more service providers are interested in being hired;
transmitting the information indicative of the home improvement project to the one or more service providers;
collecting bids from the one or more service providers; and
transmitting the collected bids to the user.
3 . The distributed computing system of claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises generating, using the one or more computers, a routine maintenance calendar for the user.
4 . The distributed computing system of claim 3 , wherein the information indicative of the home improvement project is determined based on the routine maintenance calendar for the user.
5 . The distributed computing system of claim 2 , wherein determining the one or more service providers eligible to view the information indicative of the home improvement project comprises identifying one or more in-network service providers or one or more out-of-network service providers.
6 . The distributed computing system of claim 5 , further comprising another computer configured to, after the distributed computing system has identified one or more out-of-network service providers, contact the one or more out-of-network service providers using a network communication link.
7 . The distributed computing system of claim 2 , wherein determining the one or more service providers eligible to view the information indicative of the home improvement project comprises identifying the one or more service providers based on: a geographic location of the one or more service providers relative to the user, a rating level of the one or more service providers, a number of leads the one or more service providers can receive within a span of time, and/or input from the user identifying service provider preferences.
8 . The distributed computing system of claim 2 , wherein creating the first data structure comprises receiving, from the service provider, company information, associate information, and/or portfolio information.
9 . The distributed computing system of claim 8 , wherein creating the first data structure further comprises receiving, from the user, information identifying user ratings of the service provider.
10 . The distributed computing system of claim 2 , wherein creating the second data structure comprises receiving, from the user:
information associated with a project name, a project description, project rooms, a project start date, a project completion date, a project budget, project privacy, and/or user contact information; and/or
one or more files describing the home improvement project, the one or more files including video, audio, picture, and/or text files.
11 . The distributed computing system of claim 2 , wherein:
the at least two computers do not include any computer of the one or more computers, or
the at least two computers include at least one computer of the one or more computers.
12 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
operating a computer system to create a first data structure in a database distributed across computers of the computer system, the first data structure containing information indicative of capabilities and/or types of projects for which a service provider is interested in being hired;
operating the computer system to create a second data structure in the database distributed across the computers of the computer system, the second data structure containing information indicative of a home improvement project submitted by a user;
determining, using the computer system, one or more service providers eligible to view the information indicative of the home improvement project based on the information indicative of capabilities and/or types of projects for which the one or more service providers are interested in being hired;
transmitting, from the computer system, the information indicative of the home improvement project to the one or more service providers;
collecting, using the computer system, bids from the one or more service providers; and
transmitting, from the computer system, the collected bids to the user.
13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising generating, using the computer system, a routine maintenance calendar for the user.
14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein the information indicative of the home improvement project is determined based on the routine maintenance calendar for the user.
15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein determining the one or more service providers eligible to view the information indicative of the home improvement project comprises identifying one or more in-network service providers or one or more out-of-network service providers.
16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising, after identifying one or more out-of-network service providers, contacting, using another computer of the computer system, the one or more out-of-network service providers using a network communication link.
17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein determining the one or more service providers eligible to view the information indicative of the home improvement project comprises identifying the one or more service providers based on: a geographic location of the one or more service providers relative to the user, a rating level of the one or more service providers, a number of leads the one or more service providers can receive within a span of time, and/or input from the user identifying service provider preferences.
18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein creating the first data structure comprises receiving, from the service provider, company information, associate information, and/or portfolio information.
19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , wherein creating the first data structure further comprises receiving, from the user, information identifying user ratings of the service provider.
20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein creating the second data structure comprises receiving, from the user, information associated with a project name, a project description, project rooms, a project start date, a project completion date, a project budget, project privacy, and/or user contact information.
21 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein creating the second data structure comprises receiving, from the user, one or more files describing the home improvement project, the one or more files including video, audio, picture, and/or text files.