Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02843576 2014-02-25
TITLE
[0001] Computer-implemented method of real estate sales
FIELD
[0002] There is described a computer-implemented method of real estate
sales that is
particularly beneficial when the house for sale is vacant, or contains
unappealing or dated
furnishings.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Home buyers (consumers) searching in every price range are
increasingly time
conscious, educated and Internet savvy, and generally review many listings
online before
electing to view an actual property. Selling features, particularly floor
plans but also virtual
tours and home staging, are very effective in helping to narrow down their
search, but not
available for average properties because of the high cost to Realtors.
[0004] Consumers typically look first at actual photographs of property
listings, and form
lasting impressions of the home based on those photographs. This is
nonsensical because
existing furnishings and decor are generally not part of what is being sold,
and problematic
for Realtors attempting to show the full potential of the home.
[0005] Further, many properties listed for sale are either vacant, or
contain unappealing
or dated furnishings. Most consumers cannot see past inappropriate decor,
furnishings and
clutter when viewing a home, and any Realtor will tell you such properties are
difficult to sell.
SUMMARY
[0006] There is provided a computer-implemented method of real estate
sales. A first step
involves positioning on a web page an interactive image of a house that is for
sale that enables
a potential purchaser to toggle between various interior views selected from a
dollhouse view,
a floor plan view, or an individual room plan. A second step involves
positioning an
interactive furniture display within the various interior views that enables
the potential
purchaser to reposition individual pieces of furniture in the interactive
furniture display and
substitute individual pieces of furniture from a virtual furniture inventory,
thereby
personalizing the online real estate sales experience.
CA 02843576 2014-02-25
2
[0007] As will hereinafter described, the computer-implemented method of
real estate
sales assists a potential purchaser to visualize the potential of a house that
is vacant, or contain
unappealing or dated furnishings.
[0008] Although the use of the method is of benefit to real estate agents,
the method can
also be made of benefit to furniture retailers by providing a sales portal
enabling the potential
purchaser to purchase the individual pieces of furniture displayed furniture
or any of the
substituted individual pieces of furniture selected from the virtual furniture
inventory.
[0009] Furnishing company and other E-Commerce websites currently host
online
catalogues consisting of either photographs or three-dimensional images for
use with 'space
designer' software. In all cases the problem is in getting clients to visit
the website. Where the
space designer software is made available, the challenge is in enticing very
busy people to
take the time to 'sign up', download software, measure their home and create
floor plans, all
before even looking at furnishing products. Most do not have the necessary
patience or design
abilities to combine colour, fabric, decorative items and furnishing product
and therefore
many consumers may not take advantage of such sites, rendering them generally
ineffective.
Real estate websites have a steady stream of traffic and the present method
gives potential
purchasers visiting the real estate websites the necessary tools to both
deteimine whether a
selected house suits them and assess their additional furniture requirements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] These and other features will become more apparent from the
following
description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings
are for the
purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting,
wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1, labelled as PRIOR ART, is a flow diagram depicting a Prior
Art process
of preparing a listing for sale.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram depicting a process of preparing a listing
for sale in
accordance with the method.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a first screen shot of house exterior as it would appear
on Realtor's
website.
CA 02843576 2014-02-25
3
[0014] FIG. 4 is a second screen shot of a dollhouse view of the house
interior as it would
appear on Realtor's website.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a third screen shot of a view of an individual room of
the house interior
as it would appear on Realtor's website.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] A method of computer-implement real estate sales will now be
described with
reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 5.
[0017] Broadly described, the method involves positioning on a web page an
interactive
image of a house that is for sale that enables a potential purchaser to toggle
between various
interior views selected from a dollhouse view, a floor plan view, or an
individual room plan.
An interactive furniture display is provided within the various interior views
that enables the
potential purchaser to reposition individual pieces of furniture in the
interactive furniture
display and substitute individual pieces of furniture from a virtual furniture
inventory, thereby
personalizing the online real estate sales experience.
[0018] The method provides exceptional value to Realtors in that it
incorporates all of the
benefits of virtual tours, three-dimensional imaging, home staging, virtual
reality and
photography into one affordable package. This invention is built around the
three-dimensional
floor plan format generally preferred by consumers and best representing the
structure of the
home. An elevation or 'dollhouse' view serves as a new starting point within
realty websites
for viewing real estate listing information.
[0019] The method is an exciting alternative to existing online marketing
practices. It will
provide not only high quality two and three-dimensional floor plans but also
virtual staging,
photographs, property details and an online home store as well, for less than
the current cost
of floor plans.
[0020] The method comprises an intuitive online CAD design tool. Detailed
renditions of
CA 02843576 2014-02-25
4
actual properties listed for sale are created by employees and/or Franchisees
trained in interior
design, computer-assisted drawing and photography, and locked down so the
consumers do
not have to measure, create or modify floor plans. Consumers view a complete
representation
of the actual property.
[0021] Employees and/or Franchisees professionally stage plans with
actual product
appropriate for room sized and cost of the home prior to being displayed on
realty websites.
Staged floor plans help consumers to visualize properties seamlessly where
they are shopping
online for a home at a Realtor's website, as opposed to having to visit a
third-party website.
[0022] The initial view of a property listing is an exterior photograph.
The second view is
a 'dollhouse' image of multiple levels of the home set on a stage at the
centre of the page.
Also on the stage is information specific to the current view on the stage.
For example, a view
of the master bedroom might include room, closet and balcony dimensions and
details about
the ensuite. To the left of the stage are contact information for the listing
Realtor, and possibly
some combination of a photograph, logo and slogan.
[0023] To the right of the stage are logos from participating Retailers.
Clicking on any
logo will open an online catalogue of three-dimensional images that can be
dragged onto the
stage to replace products used in the initial staging. At the bottom of the
catalogue is a
'shopping cart' button that generates itemized orders for products currently
on the stage and
takes the consumer to the E-Commerce part of the site. There is also button
access to a "Wish
List' that consumers can share with friends and family via email, along with
images of their
new home.
[0024] Consumers access interior rooms by clicking on the corresponding
area of the
home in the 'dollhouse' view. The 'home store' portion of the window to the
right of the stage
contains logos of participating Retailers at this point. The stage in the
middle contains an
interior view of the property. Consumers use their mouse to drag around the
interior living
area, viewing the configuration and images from every possible angle.
Consumers can click
on any logo to access a catalogue of three-dimensional images for that
company. They click
or drag a chosen image onto the stage and position it inside the room. That
item automatically
CA 02843576 2014-02-25
appears in the shopping cart until it is ordered or deleted.
[0025] The stage may also include buttons that reset the view (Dollhouse,
3D, 2D or
angled, for example) as a quick alternative to using the mouse.
5
[0026] Outside walls of the dollhouse image may drop away as consumers
use their
mouse to 'drag' around the exterior of the structure, enabling them to view
the interior of the
home from all exterior viewpoints.
[0027] Another set of buttons on the stage enable consumers to focus in on
a specific
level of the home. When a button is clicked the view adjusts to the
corresponding level.
Simultaneously the selected level appears brighter while the levels not
selected are dimmed.
[0028] Consumers click on any room in the 'dollhouse' view to 'enter' a
specific living
area. They may then use their mouse to 'walk' through the virtual image,
viewing room
configurations and three-dimensional product images used to stage the home
from any angle
or viewpoint. The products are moveable and scalable providing a realistic
image of how they
would fit and appear in the actual home, and can be deleted. Where applicable,
alternate
fabric styles or colours can be applied to the product image.
[0029] The method means Home Buyers do not have to wait for possession
day to shop
for furnishings for their new home. They can replace the product used to stage
the home
initially with those provided in the online home store, effectively furnishing
their new home
according to their own particular taste. Button clicks generate and submit
orders to applicable
product Retailers including such details as square footage for paint and
flooring.
[0030] Consumers return to the 'dollhouse' view with a click of a button
and then move
around the exterior of the structure and select other levels or living areas
to view.
[0031] Simple mouse clicks and 'drag and drop' movements will change
between three-
dimensional and two-dimensional views. As well, three buttons situated on the
stage will
toggle the viewpoints to specific pre-set angles, and return the consumer to
the 'dollhouse'
view.
CA 02843576 2014-02-25
6
[0032] An email distribution feature will make it easy for Buyers to
invite friends and
family to view their new home, staged according to their own particular taste.
Selected
products can be added to a 'wish list', taking the guesswork out of finding
the perfect
housewarming gift. The added website traffic will benefit both Retailers and
Realtors.
[0033] Advertising revenue from home product retailers subsidize the cost
of creating
floor plans. As an added incentive to Realtors and Franchisees to create an
exceptional
product and encourage consumers to use the approach described for the method,
portions of
the advertising revenue are paid to both Realtors and Franchisees, in the form
of cash and/or
future credit.
[0034] The invention also entails online accounts for every Realtor
enabling them to
order the service and view their account, which is debited immediately for
service rendered
and credited monthly with any advertising revenues.
[0035] The method represents an opportunity for furnishing retailers to
enter a lucrative
online sales program that directly targets their most productive market.
Products are delivered
directly to their best customers, where they are shopping online for their
dream home. As
opposed to website banner advertising and furniture showrooms, the method
allows retailers
to effectively place product directly inside consumers' homes.
[0036] Retailers are featured prominently in realty websites in a
"brought to you by ... "
format. Making the staged home a reality is as simple as clicking a button,
submitting an
order directly to the Retailer.
[0037] Realtors add value to their service by offering discounts to their
clients on behalf
of their partners in the retail industry.
[0038] In addition to creating floor plans, Employees and/or Franchisees
also take
photographs of the property, and those images can be viewed by hovering over
symbols
incorporated into the floor plans, showing the precise viewpoints from which
the photographs
were taken. The inclusion of actual photographs means one less step for the
Realtor in the
CA 02843576 2014-02-25
7
process of getting the home ready for market. However, some Realtors may
choose to
eliminate some or all of the actual photographs in offering a new level of
privacy to their
clients.
[0039] All of the features of the method have multiple applications, and
any reference to
homes, listings or properties also applies to industrial and commercial
properties, real estate
developments, and long term, short term and vacation rentals.
[0040] Home products may include artwork, lighting, paint and wall
coverings, window
coverings, flooring, furniture, appliances, cabinets, countertops, bathroom
fixtures, fireplaces,
wood stoves, decorative items, home improvement products, outdoor furnishings
and
landscaping.
[0041] Throughout this application any reference to 'Retailer' could also
mean
' Manufacturer' , 'Distributor' or ' Artist' .
[0042] FIG 1 illustrates the current real estate listing process where
the Realtor is
required to consider which marketing tools would be most cost efficient and
effective in
marketing the home. There is no direct relationship between the tool
providers, the Realtor's
website and/or retailers. The Realtor's deal with service providers
individually.
[0043] FIG 2 illustrates how the method will simplify the process of
preparing the listing
for market, and using advertising revenue from Retailers to reduce the upfront
marketing
costs currently paid by Realtors.
[0044] FIG 3 is a mock up drawing of the initial page of a listing
modified in accordance
with the method. The Realtor's photograph and contact information are to the
left and the
'home store' with shopping cart and gift registry is to the right. The 'home
store' portion of
the window at this point contains logos of participating Retailers. The stage
in the middle
contains an exterior view of the listed property.
[0045] FIG 4 is a mock up of the second page consumers will see when
viewing a listing
in accordance with the method. The Realtor's photograph and contact
information are to the
CA 02843576 2014-02-25
8
left and the 'home store' with shopping cart and gift registry is to the
right. The 'home store'
portion of the window at this point contains logos of participating Retailers.
The stage in the
middle contains a 'dollhouse' view of the listed property.
[0046] FIG 5 is a mock up drawing of an interior view of a listing in
accordance with the
method. Consumers access interior rooms by clicking on the corresponding area
of the home
in the 'dollhouse' view. The Realtor's photograph and contact information are
to the left and
the 'home store' with shopping cart and gill registry is to the right. The
'home store' portion
of the window at this point contains logos of participating Retailers.
Consumers can click on
any logo to access a catalogue of online images for that company. They click
or drag a chosen
image onto the stage and position it inside the room. That item automatically
appears in the
shopping cart until it is ordered or deleted. The stage in the middle contains
an interior view
of the listed property. Consumers use their mouse to drag around the room,
viewing the
configuration and 3D images from every possible angle.
[0047] In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-
limiting sense to
mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically
mentioned are not
excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not
exclude the
possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context
clearly requires that
there be one and only one of the elements.
[0048] The scope of the claims should not be limited by the illustrated
embodiments set
forth as examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent
with a purposive
construction of the claims in view of the description as a whole.
