# US 2014/0156457 A1 · Methods and arrangements for facilitating the processing of real estate information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156457 A1 - Document ID: US20140156457A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/030,800 - Filed: 2013-09-18 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2002-06-10 - Assignees: Realogy Operations LLC - Inventors: Randall Hollister - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156457A1 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0613: {using intermediate agents} - G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management - G06Q 50/16: Real estate - G06Q 50/167: {Closing} - 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 An automated system that routes real estate leads, both from online sources and more traditional sources, to an agent who will be able to respond to the customer(s) associated with the lead in a very short time, perhaps a matter of minutes. A primary advantage associated with at least one embodiment of the present invention is that the response to real estate leads is shortened by a very large order of magnitude, as conventional response time may typically be in the range of several hours to several days. ## Claims ### Claim 1 (canceled) ### Claim 2 A method for routing real estate leads to real estate agents, the method comprising: receiving, with one or more processors, a real estate lead associated with a real estate property, the real estate lead comprising a plurality of real estate lead attributes; comparing, with the one or more processors, a plurality of search criterion with a plurality of real estate agent profiles, where each profile is associated with a real estate agent and a search criterion is associated with a real estate lead attribute selected from the plurality of real estate lead attributes; determining, with the one or more processors, whether any real estate agents from the plurality of real estate agents are a match for the real estate lead based on the comparison; when the number of determined matches is below a threshold number: modifying, with the one or more processors, one or more of the search criterion; and comparing, with the one or more processors, the modified search criterion with a plurality of real estate agent profiles to determine whether any real estate agents are a match for the lead, and repeating such modification and comparison until the number of determined matches is equal to or greater than the threshold number; and when the number of determined matches is equal to or greater than the threshold number: routing, with the one or more processors, the real estate lead to a real estate agent selected from the plurality of real estate agents. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the real estate lead attributes comprise one or more of: an owner of the real estate lead, a lead source, a prospect type, a preferred language, a property type, a specific property, a geographic area, a lead score, and a price range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a given real estate agent profile associated with a given real estate agent comprises one or more of: one or more prospect types, one or more proficient languages, one or more property types, a geographic area served, a range of lead scores, and a price range. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold number of real estate agents is one. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the one or more search criterion comprises removing the one or more search criterion from being used in the comparison with the plurality of real estate agent profiles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined search condition comprises a ranking of importance of the one or more real estate lead attributes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining whether a given real estate agent is eligible to be matched with the real estate lead; and wherein the comparing of the plurality of search criterion with the real estate agent profile associated with the given real estate agent is based on the given real estate agent being eligible. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the given real estate agent is eligible is based on whether the given real estate agent is in compliance with one or more reporting requirements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying the real estate agent that received the routed real estate lead as being ineligible to receive additional real estate leads based on the real estate agent having rejected the routed real estate lead. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the real estate lead is routed to an entity other than the plurality of real estate agents when there are no further modifications to be made to the one or more search criterion. ### Claim 12 A system for routing real estate leads to real estate agents, the system comprising: a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions; and one or more processors in communication with the non-transitory, computer-readable medium that, when the computer-executable instructions are executed, are configured to: receive a real estate lead associated with a real estate property, the real estate lead comprising a plurality of real estate lead attributes; compare a plurality of search criterion with a plurality of real estate agent profiles, where each profile is associated with a real estate agent and a search criterion is associated with a real estate lead attribute selected from the plurality of real estate lead attributes; determine whether any real estate agents from the plurality of real estate agents are a match for the real estate lead based on the comparison; when the number of determined matches is below a threshold number: modify one or more of the search criterion; and compare the modified search criterion with a plurality of real estate agent profiles to determine whether any real estate agents are a match for the lead, and repeating such modification and comparison until the number of determined matches is equal to or greater than the threshold number; and when the number of determined matches is equal to or greater than the threshold number: route the real estate lead to a real estate agent selected from the plurality of real estate agents. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the real estate lead attributes comprise one or more of: an owner of the real estate lead, a lead source, a prospect type, a preferred language, a property type, a specific property, a geographic area, a lead score, and a price range. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein a given real estate agent profile associated with a given real estate agent comprises one or more of: one or more prospect types, one or more proficient languages, one or more property types, a geographic area served, a range of lead scores, and a price range. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine whether a given real estate agent is eligible to be matched with the real estate lead; and wherein the comparing of the plurality of search criterion with the real estate agent profile associated with the given real estate agent is based on the given real estate agent being eligible. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine whether the given real estate agent is eligible is based on whether the given real estate agent is in compliance with one or more reporting requirements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: identify the real estate agent that received the routed real estate lead as being ineligible to receive additional real estate leads based on the real estate agent having rejected the routed real estate lead. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising: receiving, with the one or more processors, a real estate lead associated with a real estate property, the real estate lead comprising a plurality of real estate lead attributes; comparing, with the one or more processors, a plurality of search criterion with a plurality of real estate agent profiles, where each profile is associated with a real estate agent and a search criterion is associated with a real estate lead attribute selected from the plurality of real estate lead attributes; determining, with the one or more processors, whether any real estate agents from the plurality of real estate agents are a match for the real estate lead based on the comparison; when the number of determined matches is below a threshold number: modifying, with the one or more processors, one or more of the search criterion; and comparing, with the one or more processors, the modified search criterion with a plurality of real estate agent profiles to determine whether any real estate agents are a match for the lead, and repeating such modification and comparison until the number of determined matches is equal to or greater than the threshold number; and when the number of determined matches is equal to or greater than the threshold number: routing, with the one or more processors, the real estate lead to a real estate agent selected from the plurality of real estate agents. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the real estate lead attributes comprise one or more of: an owner of the real estate lead, a lead source, a prospect type, a preferred language, a property type, a specific property, a geographic area, a lead score, and a price range. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein a given real estate agent profile associated with a given real estate agent comprises one or more of: one or more prospect types, one or more proficient languages, one or more property types, a geographic area served, a range of lead scores, and a price range. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises: determining, with the one or more processors, whether a given real estate agent is eligible to be matched with the real estate lead; and wherein the comparing of the plurality of search criterion with the real estate agent profile associated with the given real estate agent is based on the given real estate agent being eligible.