# US 2013/0159166 A1 · Methods and Systems for Facilitating a Real Estate Transaction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0159166 A1 - Document ID: US20130159166A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/715,226 - Filed: 2012-12-14 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Inventors: Robert Graham Irick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159166A1 ## CPC - G06Q 40/02: Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance (credit or loans G06Q40/03) - G06Q 50/16: Real estate - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Methods and systems for facilitating the sale of real estate, including receiving assets to be held in an account, restricting the account so that at least a portion of the assets are disbursed from the account to the buyer or a lender only if a loss resale event occurs in which the real estate is resold by the buyer or lender for a loss within a specified period, and in response to determining that the loss resale event has occurred, disbursing the portion of the assets to the buyer or lender to at least partially remedy the loss. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving assets to be held in an account, the assets associated with a sale of real estate from a seller to a buyer; restricting the account so that at least a portion of the assets are disbursed from the account to the buyer or a lender only if a loss resale event occurs in which the real estate is resold by the buyer or lender for a loss within a specified period; and in response to determining that the loss resale event has occurred, disbursing the portion of the assets to the buyer or lender to at least partially remedy the loss. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising managing the account in accordance with features customized according to provisions of an agreement associated with the sale of the real estate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the assets comprise money. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein disbursing the portion of the assets comprises prioritizing distribution of assets to the lender over distribution of assets to the buyer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the assets to be held in an account are determined based at least in part on an estimate of real estate owned (REO) value of the real estate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the assets to be held in an account are determined based at least in part on an estimate of market value of the real estate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the assets to be held in an account are determined based at least in part on a difference between an estimate of market value of the real estate and an estimate of real estate owned (REO) value of the real estate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein managing the account further comprises disbursing at least a portion of the assets to the seller if a loss resale event does not occur within the specified period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the portion of the assets is all of the assets. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein managing the account comprises a processor of a computer device sending electronic messages to control disbursement. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the assets associated with the sale are assets associated with funds borrowed by the buyer at the time of the sale. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the assets associated with the sale are assets associated with funds borrowed by the buyer during a refinancing or loan modification occurring after the sale. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving restricting the account so that at least a portion of the assets are disbursed from the account to a lender only if a principal-and-interest default event occurs in which a borrower who borrowed money in connection with the sale of real estate from the seller to the buyer fails to make principal-and-interest payments in accordance with lender requirements; and in response to determining that the principal-and-interest default event has occurred, disbursing the portion of the assets to the lender to at least partially remedy the default. ### Claim 14 A method comprising: determining an estimate of a market value of real estate; determining an estimate of a real estate owned (REO) value of the real estate; and determining, by a processor of a computer device, assets to be held in an account based at least in part on: the estimate of the market value of the real estate; the estimate of the REO value of the real estate; and a purchase price of the real estate paid by a buyer to a seller, wherein the assets are determined to protect the buyer if a loss resale event occurs in which the real estate is resold by the buyer for a loss within a specified period. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein determining an estimate of a market value of real estate comprises determining a geographic-area-specific estimate of the market value of the real estate based on a geographic location of the real estate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein determining an estimate of a REO value of real estate comprises determining a geographic-area-specific REO value based on a geographic-area-specific estimate of the REO value of the real estate based on a geographic location of the real estate. ### Claim 17 A method comprising: receiving from a buyer an offer to purchase real estate from a seller for a first value; determining, by a processor of a computer device, a second value greater than the first value based at least in part on: an estimate of the market value of the real estate; an estimate of the REO value of the real estate; and an amount of funds to be held in an account; and providing the second value for use in making a counter offer for the buyer to purchase the real estate for a purchase price equal to the second value subject to the amount of funds to be taken from the purchase price and to be held in the account, wherein the account is to be managed so that at least a portion of the funds is disbursed from the account to the buyer or a lender only if a loss resale event occurs in which the real estate is resold by the buyer for a loss within a specified period, wherein the portion of funds disbursed from the account is equal to or less than the loss. ### Claim 18 A method comprising: receiving assets to be held in an account, the assets associated with lending from a lender to a borrower, the lending secured by real estate; restricting the account so that assets are disbursed from the account to the borrower or the lender only if a triggering event occurs within a specified period; in response to the occurrence of the triggering event: determining a portion of the assets to disburse based at least in part on: a sale price less than a value of the real estate determined at the time of the lending; or on an appraisal determining that the market value of the real estate is less than a value of the real estate determined at the time of the lending; and disbursing the portion of the assets to the borrower or lender. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 in which the triggering event is a refinancing or other loan modification. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 in which the triggering event is determined at the discretion of the buyer.