Patent Publication Number: US-11393059-B1

Title: Computerized process to, for example, automate the home sale, mortgage loan financing and settlement process, and the home mortgage loan refinancing and settlement processes

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/946,962, filed Apr. 6, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,810,692, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/784,574 filed Mar. 4, 2013, now abandoned, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/457,598 filed Jun. 16, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,433,650, which is the subject of reexamination certificate RE47762. The complete disclosures, specifications and drawings of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/946,962, filed Apr. 6, 2018, U.S. application Ser. No. 13/784,574, U.S. application Ser. No. 12/457,598, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/881,360, U.S. application Ser. No. 10/979,822, U.S. application Ser. No. 10/969,242 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/512,776 are incorporated herein by specific reference thereto. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Field of Invention 
     The preferred embodiments of the invention relates to a comprehensive computer system for automating and facilitating the performing and processing of tasks, information transfer, and information storage associated with the home sale, mortgage loan origination and settlement process, and the home mortgage refinancing origination and settlement process, over a distributed computing network. 
     Discussion of Background References 
     Traditionally the home sale process, the mortgage loan origination process and the settlement process have been considered to be three entirely separate functions. Typically the real estate company is in one office, the mortgage company in another and the settlement company in still another. They typically have never been looked at as parts of one larger, continuous process, particularly when it comes to technology. 
     Consequently, real estate sales, mortgage companies and settlement companies use various and differing technology to assist them in performing their respective sale, mortgage and settlement activities. The existing programs for the real estate office do only portions, but not all of the functions for the real estate agent, or real estate sales office of a new home builder; some only access the ‘multiple listing service’ or MLS, or builder home inventory in the case of the builder, others only create the contract of sale or other contract documents, others keep track of buyers, sellers, and service providers such as home inspectors, termite inspectors, etc., while still other programs only order and track services. Some technology called ‘transaction management’ have tried to combine or ‘connect’ several of these features. 
     Similarly, various programs for mortgage loan origination do portions of the origination process. Some display multiple mortgage ‘loan products’ to the borrower with a sample interest rate and allow them to select a loan product to pursue with a lender; other mortgage ‘point of sale’ (POS) programs allow the borrower to interact with a Internet web page to fill in loan application information to request a loan; other programs allow a mortgage loan officer to take down the borrower&#39;s application information and enter it into a loan (Form 1003) application which can often be used with another ‘loan origination system’ (LOS) to underwrite the loan, and still other mortgage lender programs prepare loan documents such as the note, deed of trust, disclosures, affidavits, etc. after the loan is approved. 
     Then there are still other programs which settlement companies use that perform strictly the title, settlement and closing functions such as taking orders, ordering services such as title reports and surveys, preparing a settlement statement (HUD-1), including escrow accounting, and preparing documents such as the title commitment and policy, affidavits, and legal documents such as recording forms, deeds, etc. 
     In addition to these programs, the real estate agent, the lender and the settlement company may use a combination of e-mail, faxes and phones to communicate with others to complete their part of the process. 
     These multitudes of programs have limited value and slow the process because users have to rehandle, reenter, and wait for information from other parties; they have limited functionality in common and require use of more than one tool for users to perform their jobs thereby causing needless, repetitive work, delay and expense. 
     To date, no one has operationally developed the real estate agent, mortgage lender and settlement technologies together in one comprehensive solution. 
     Transaction Management Systems 
     The numerous so-called ‘transaction management’ systems, which appeared in the late 1990s, with a few still being marketed today, were attempts to ‘patch together’ existing sale, mortgage and settlement technology. They were primarily designed to provide features for the real estate agent to use, ‘connected to’ a property ‘listings’ or home database such as the MLS systems, and a ‘contact database’ for keeping track of buyers, seller, service providers, etc. They typically combined features for ordering services and scheduling and, tracking tasks, a ‘group calendar’ for parties to monitor activities and status of the transaction. There were, however, numerous fundamental and fatal problems with that approach; they were incomplete, leaving gaps in the process, pointing to the old adage, ‘a job half done takes twice the time,’ they were more costly to build and operate, they were complex requiring significant and difficult programming to integrate numerous, diverse technologies, they provided little ‘automation’ of the process, and resulted in a lack functionality giving users little value. 
     Further, these ‘transaction management’ systems dealt with only portions of the over-all home sale, mortgage and settlement process, requiring many of the users to reenter information in different programs, or requiring ‘integration’ with other real estate, mortgage and settlement programs to communicate. None of these ‘transaction management’ programs allowed, among other things, the lender or the settlement provider to perform most of their transaction tasks and processes within these programs. Instead they had to use their separate, existing, older technology together with these ‘transaction management’ programs. For example, while the lender may receive some loan application information and a settlement company may receive order information from a “TM” website, receive documents created in other programs and ‘uploaded’ by the other parties, ‘communicate’ with others in the process via some sort of messaging process, and view the status on a webpage in the ‘transaction management system’ all this information still had to be transported at some point to their other loan origination or settlement technology to perform their respective tasks of the process, either manually by a person, or by ‘integrating’ the ‘transaction management’ system with their existing mortgage loan origination or settlement technologies. These ‘transaction management programs’ typically would only allow ‘posting’ or ‘uploading’ of sale, loan, or settlement closing documents created in other programs to be sent or shared with others. There are literally dozens of real estate, mortgage origination programs and settlement and title programs, each having different design structures, field names, etc. To try to integrate these technologies is very complex, ineffective and costly with the resulting information shared and functionality being limited, with little automation of the process, and therefore the value to the users was limited. The alternative, for example, was to have a loan officer wait for and reenter information into their existing loan origination technology, and then the settlement company personnel reenter information into their existing settlement software and then somehow send information back and forth to the others in the process. If there were any changes, or information was incorrect, the then whole waiting, communication and reentry process would begin over again. 
     Because they do little to actually simplify and automate the transaction, a number of these ‘transaction management’ programs added additional people to the transaction in the form of a ‘transaction coordinator’ or a ‘move consultant’ which simply added to the overall cost of doing the process and did little to simplify the process. 
     All of these existing technologies were incomplete, leaving gaps in the process, and as a result they were not well received in the market. Not surprisingly, there have been dozens of failures by the companies which have produced them. Despite huge investments of time, money and ‘expertise,’ including by some of the largest companies, none of these efforts have been successful with such notable failures as HomeStore.com&#39;s ‘RealtyLink’, Microsoft&#39;s ‘Home Advisor.com,’ First American Real Estate Solutions&#39; (FARES) ‘Transaction Management’, and Fidelity Real Estate Solutions&#39; ‘Transaction Point.’ 
     Despite these numerous attempts, there has been no complete program that performs, for example, the entire home sale, mortgage origination and settlement process in one single technology platform including, for example, all the sale activities of the real estate agent or builder sales office, all the loan origination activities of the mortgage loan office, and all the activities of the settlement company. Similarly, there is no complete program that performs, for example, the entire home mortgage refinancing origination and settlement process in one highly automated technology platform. 
     Internet Home Search Portals and Real Estate Websites 
     In the traditional home sale market the buyer and seller are typically only offered mortgage loans, settlement and other services later in the sale process; in the case of the seller only after the seller has contacted a real estate agent and is about to or have already listed the property for sale with an agent, or in the case of a ‘for sale by owner or FSBO’ for example after they have advertised their home or have a contract on their home; and in the case of a buyer, for example, when the buyer has contacted or met with the agent or is about to start a search for a home, the agent may suggest that the buyer be prequalified or preapproved for a mortgage which might entail the buyer calling by phone, or using a lender ‘link’ on the agent&#39;s Website or going on the Internet to a lender&#39;s Website directly. Further, buyers are not typically offered other services such as settlement, homeowners insurance, home warranties, moving services, etc. until later in the process, after they have started to look for or found a house or submitted a contract. 
     These delays in ordering and pricing services in the traditional home sale market also appear in the processes employed on the Internet. According to the Realtor associations 70%-80% of homebuyers used the Internet to buy their homes in 2006. That amounted to approximately 6 million homes representing approximately $1 trillion of value in 2006. Yet, none of the Internet sites offer buyers and sellers an easy, efficient, competitive process to receive quotes and arrange for a mortgage or services at the beginning of and as an integrated part of the home selling and buying process. 
     Internet sites including those of the major real estate companies such as RE/MAX, Long &amp; Foster Real Estate, Prudential Fox and Roach, ColdwellBanker.com, CBMove.com and Weichert Real Estate as well as Internet portal home search sites such as AOL.com, MSN.com, Realtor.com, Yahoo.com, HomeGain.com and Goggle.com offer only a time-consuming, overly complicated and inefficient process for finding and securing a mortgage, settlement, and other services, if they offer any process at all. 
     For example, with regard to the home buyer, while all these sites have home search functions which display home search results, they only have simple ‘mortgage calculators’ and/or ‘links’ to separate mortgage Websites to arrange for a mortgage. These calculators simply display ‘hypothetical’ interest rates and monthly payment estimates for different, loan types. Some sites such as Weichert, Yahoo, RE/MAX, and Realtor.com do enter the ‘sales price’ from the ‘home search results’ into their ‘loan calculators,’ but they enter no other information from the home search process such as location, HOA assessments, insurance, real estate taxes, etc. One technology, called ‘RatePlug’ discussed below does apparently use real estate taxes, HOA assessments, or insurance’ estimates in their monthly payment calculations. 
     Only one ‘loan calculator’ used by Realtor.com allows information for ‘estimated payments’ to be ‘saved,’ but only for use in doing additional searches and viewing additional, home search results on the Realtor.com website. It does not allow any information to be saved and used for anything else later in the sale, mortgage or settlement processes. None of the ‘calculators’ on other Websites allow any information to be saved for any other purpose. 
     However, none of these ‘calculators’ account for accurate information about the buyer&#39;s credit, income or debt information or perform any actual loan underwriting process to provide accurate quotes or generate other accurate service or closing cost information to be used in the transaction. 
     These Internet home search sites have ‘links’ to separate mortgage lender Websites, which are not part of the home search process. All these Internet portals and real estate Websites require a buyer searching for a home to navigate via a ‘link’ to a separate mortgage Webpage such a LendingTree.com, or eLoan.com and use a separate loan application processes, whereby all information regarding the property, the borrower, and sale, etc. has to be entered ‘de novo’; in other words in all cases the home search information and mortgage search and approval processes are not integrated, and a totally separate ‘process’ must be utilized to apply for and obtain a mortgage. This diverts the buyer from one task, namely searching for a home, to find for instance a mortgage quote or apply for a mortgage on another Website; if the buyer wants to go back to their original task of searching for a home which they&#39;ve begun, they have to either ‘navigate back’ through a series of WebPages and try to relocate work that they were doing, which may or may not still be there, or simply start over again. 
     Some home search sites such as Yahoo.com and Realtor.com provide multiple ‘rate quotes’ from more than one lender on separate sites such as BankRate.com but they are not part of home search process. None of these ‘multiple lender rate quote sites’ provide actual ‘rate quotes’ based on home search results or any actual borrower financial, credit or underwriting criteria, but are only rough estimates based on ‘hypothetical’ assumptions of a buyers credit worthiness, etc. These ‘multiple lender rate quote sites’ then provide additional ‘links’ to third-party mortgage lenders&#39; Websites where all information must be entered de novo in a separate mortgage process which is not part of the home search or any subsequent sale, loan and settlement process. 
     One ‘calculator’ called RatePlug.com has the buyer enter a down payment amount, generates the home sales price, real estate taxes, HOA assessment and homeowners insurance information from the MLS home search process, generates the home search results, and calculates a monthly payment estimate for a loan, tax, HOA, PMI, and insurance for particular homes using several ‘loan types’ but: 1. does not appear to generate multiple quotes or bids from multiple lenders, 2. does not perform automated underwriting using the property search results and the buyer&#39;s actual credit, income, debt or other underwriting criteria, 3. does not save or use the home search, loan search criteria, or buyer information for a sale contract or an actual loan application, underwriting, preapproval, approval or closing process, 4. does not generate accurate bids, quotes or information from other actual service providers such as, home inspections, settlement, etc. 5. does not generate accurate closing cost or escrow information and 6. does not save and use the information in the remaining sale, mortgage or settlement process. Rather. RatePlug requires the buyer to contact the loan officer by phone, e-mail or go to a separate website where information has not been saved, requiring all the property and buyer information to be reentered by either the loan officer or by buyer, and the remaining sale, loan and settlement process remain essentially separate. 
     None of these Websites and technologies provide a way of generating accurate quotes and information for settlement and other services such as home inspections or other costs at, the beginning of the buying process. In those that do provide some process for providing any settlement or other service information, they merely provide ‘links’ to separate Websites, some owned by the real estate company and some third-party Websites for those such services. None of these sites for settlement or other services are part of either the home search or the mortgage search and approval processes. As a result all information must be either entered de novo in these Websites or worse the home buyer must contact the service provider by phone or e-mail address to order those services and information must be entered manually by office personnel into a separate settlement program and a separate process utilized. 
     None of these home search Websites provide a simple process whereby a buyer can receive accurate loan quote, ‘preapproval’ or approval information or other cost information based on home search results, borrower information and actual loan ‘underwriting’. If the buyer wants accurate loan quotes, payment, closing and other cost information, the buyer has to go through a long loan application process requiring dozens of steps, and has to go elsewhere for pricing and information for settlement and other service information. In addition, none of these Internet portals or real estate Websites provide any process for saving and incorporating the home search, loan, or other service information into the subsequent sale, mortgage and settlement process as the subject teachings do. 
     With regard to the home seller, those Internet portals that allow the seller to enter information about their home which they intend to sell such as Yahoo.com and base.google.com, while they allow the seller to enter limited seller information such as user name and password and property information such as price, property type, number of bedrooms and photographs, location, etc. there is no provision for receiving competitive quotes and ordering any services such as for a real estate agent, home improvement, title insurance or any other types of services, and there is no provision for saving and utilizing the information in the subsequent sale and settlement process. 
     With regard to other prior patent art, while many talk about ‘ordering services’ they do not describe doing this 1. at the beginning of the buying and selling process, 2. in the simplest and most efficient manner possible while the buyers and sellers are performing other tasks in the process, or 3. as part of a comprehensive sale, mortgage and settlement process. 
     Industry Resistance to Transparency, Competition and Changes to RESPA 
     This traditionally complicated process has encouraged long-standing abuses by industry participants which have cost home sellers and buyers perhaps 100s of millions of dollars of unnecessary expense for decades. There is a wealth of literature discussing how, for example, the Realtors have used their virtual monopoly, market dominance, association and MLS rules, and control of the sale process to restrict competition resulting in the pubic being charge significantly higher commissions. They have used control of their copyrighted sale forms, for example in California, to prevent unwanted technologies from entering the marketplace without their consent and approval. They have attempted to restrict use and access to their MLS data by ‘discount brokers,’ thus preventing them from offering a lower commission structure to the public. This has required the US Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to pursue repeated legal action against them to stop these practices. And they, along with the mortgage banking and title insurance industry have expended enormous effort successfully resisting legislative efforts to reform of The Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act better known as RESPA to make the sale process more transparent, simpler and less costly for the home buyer and seller. 
     Some Illustrative Disadvantages of Background References 
     Some of the many disadvantages of the various background references including the ‘transaction management’ technology discussed above include one or more of the following disadvantages: 1. they are incomplete solutions, 2. leaving crucial gaps in process, 3 requiring multiple entry of information. 4. they are complex ‘patchwork’ solutions 5. they are more costly to build, maintain and upgrade, 5. they have much less functionally and value for users, 6. they have little true automation of the process, 7. there is little simplification of the process, in fact most add work and steps on the process, 8. there are delays which result in an inefficient and time-consuming process, 9. they are less likely to provide accurate information to users on a timely basis, and/or 10. they are more prone to errors, mistakes and confusion. 
     The Internet home search processes being utilized currently are wasteful and inefficient for both the buyer and seller. When the buyer and seller first go to these Websites and enter valuable information, this information could and should be saved and automatically used later to provide services and automate and simplify the entire sale, mortgage and settlement process. However, the information is not saved and has to be reentered again later in separate mortgage, settlement and other services processes. Some of the many other disadvantages of the various Internet home search portals and real estate Websites background references discussed above include one or more of the following disadvantages: 1. they do not provide accurate or competitive pricing for mortgage loans, settlement and other services, but rather provide incomplete, rough estimates of only some costs for users adding to uncertainty and an uninformed buyer or seller, 2. they are confusing, awkward and difficult for users to use, 3. they require more work and time, 4. a home buyer cannot compare the costs of different homes, loans and services at one time early in the buying process, 5. the homebuyer and seller do not receive competitive quotes or bids from multiple sources, 6. the information is not saved automatically for use in the subsequent comprehensive home sale, loan, and settlement process, 7. there are delays in the process, and 8. information has to be reentered later in the process in multiple technologies. 
     The inefficiencies in the current state of the art are born out by the California Association of Realtors&#39; study, Internet vs. Traditional Buyer, Real Estate Research Report 2006-2007 which found, “Homebuyers who used the Internet as an integral part of the home buying process increased significantly from 28 percent of all buyers in 2000 to 70 percent in 2006 . . . . With more than half of all homebuyers experiencing a problem in closing their escrows (settlement) on time in 2006, over 40 percent chose ‘escrow closing on time’ as the one thing they would like to change most about their home buying experience.” This is a direct result in part due to the inadequacies of the current Internet home search processes, the many different technologies being used for the remaining sale, mortgage and settlement process, including the inadequacies of ‘transaction management’ technology, and the inefficiencies of the current process overall. 
     The current Internet home search portals and real estate Websites processes also lose potential revenue opportunities for Internet portals, real estate companies, mortgage lenders, settlement and other service providers because ‘the sale’ is not made at the earliest possible time in the sale process, the processes are awkward, difficult and time-consuming to perform, users are likely to become impatient, frustrated and distracted, and are given an opportunity to go elsewhere such as other Websites for loans and services. Internet portals make money from ‘advertising links’ and many real estate companies rely on selling mortgages, settlement and other services to add to their profits. If the Internet home search process used is not effective in capturing mortgage, settlement and other service business at the earliest opportunity, then Internet portals potentially lose valuable revenues. Similarly real estate companies, mortgage lenders, settlement and title companies, and other service providers also make money selling loans and other services to buyers and sellers, and it is also to their advantage, 1. to ‘sell’ these as early as possible in the home sale and buying process, and 2. to make that sale process as simple and as easy as possible. 
     Advantages of Some Illustrative Embodiments of the Invention 
     In some preferred embodiments, some advantages that may be achieved, if desired, (such as, e.g., with a comprehensive computer system for the entire home sale, mortgage loan origination and settlement process according to some embodiments described herein) can include, among other things, for example one or more of the following and/or other advantages: 1. generate complete, accurate pricing and ownership costs of purchasing and owing a property at the beginning of the home buying process, or at other times; 2. automatically filter for homes, loans and other costs a purchaser can afford; 3. generate competitive pricing including quotes or bids from multiple lenders, service providers or other sources; 4. promotes competitive use of ‘discount real estate brokers’ in lieu of “6 percent brokers;” 5. allows lenders to quickly determine the creditworthiness of the borrower and the value of the security for a loan; 6. buyer can receive a loan ‘prequalification,’‘preapproval’ and ‘approval’ based on actual ‘underwriting’ results and rates while searching for a home and other services; 7. will reduce costs for both the home buyer and seller; 8. allow the buyer to see a more complete picture and the ramifications of selecting a particular property and type of loan prior to signing a binding contract rather than finding surprises later; 9. automatically generates accurate disclosures required by RESPA and other regulations such as the ‘Good Faith Estimate’ (GEE) and truth-in-lending (TIL) at the very beginning of the sale process; 10. is of particular importance and value because selling or purchasing a home is the largest single financial decision for most families; 11. is of particular value for low- or moderate-income families with limited knowledge and sophistication; 12. allow any information to be automatically saved and used for further home searches or used later in the sale, mortgage and settlement processes; 13. automatically enters property, loan, service and other information into the entire sale, loan, settlement, and services process and documents and automatically generates and displays information and documents; 14. automatically orders and performs one or more service tasks; 15. automatically prompts one or more users to perform or performs one or more sale, loan, service, settlement or other tasks or performs one or more processes automatically; 16. preempts and overcomes resistance to change by traditional real estate, mortgage, and title industry; 17. allows lenders and service providers to sell mortgage products and services at the earliest point in the home sale and buying process thereby preempting other vendors from capturing business, 18. it reduces work by all parties allowing the process to be more highly automated, eliminating and reducing work currently being performed manually; 19. it reduces redundant and repetitive tasks of manually entering the same information numerous times in different computer programs, so information can be entered once for the entire transaction, not just portions of the transaction; 20. it reduces work, time, cost and chances of error associated with having to manually rehandle information numerous times, first having the real estate personnel reenter information to perform tasks or transfer to more than one program, having the mortgage personnel reenter information to perform tasks or transfer to other programs, and then having the settlement personnel again reenter or transfer information to other programs; 21. it allows transaction information to be instantly available to immediately perform additional tasks anywhere in the process automatically; 22. it allows transaction information and status information to be instantly available to all parties as appropriate, thus reducing confusion, delays, uncertainty and chances of errors in the process; 23. it reduces the cost of completing a transaction; 24. it reduces the number of personnel necessary to complete a transaction; 25. it reduces or even eliminates waiting time and reduces the overall time required to complete a transaction; 26. it provides greater reliability in the process; 27. it assures that important sale and mortgage disclosure information and documents required by laws or regulations be given to the seller or the buyer, or the refinancing home owner, on a timely basis; 28. it greatly reduces the cost, complexity, unreliability, and design limitations of trying to ‘patch together,’ or ‘integrate’ different computer systems, one for the real estate sale personnel, another for the mortgage company personnel, and another for the settlement company personnel, etc.; 29. it results in a system with greater and more functional features for users; 30. it provides a much more highly automated system without gaps in the process; in other words, for example, the instant the loan officer does something to approve the loan, the documents can be automatically prepared and sent to the settlement company and the borrower in seconds; 31. it is easier and cheaper to change or modify, add features, or upgrade the system from, time to time; this is important with ever-changing technology and constantly changing market conditions; 32. a comprehensively designed system is more reliable and less likely to malfunction or ‘crash’: 33. it is less costly to build and, maintain; 34. the process can be simplified, streamlined and made more user-friendly by combining, eliminating one or more functions or steps, or presenting information or allowing functions to be performed in a more understandable and efficient way; and/or 35. it provides a smoother, simpler, continuous process from the beginning to the end of the entire home sale, mortgage origination and settlement process. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiments of the invention provide, among other things, a comprehensive computer system for automating, simplifying and facilitating the performing and processing of tasks, information transfer, and storage associated with the home sale, mortgage loan financing and settlement process, and the home mortgage loan refinancing origination and settlement process over a distributed computing network in one technology. The technology can, among other things, automate the entire real estate home sale, mortgage loan, and settlement process in one program, including many or all of the activities performed by many or all of the various participants in the transaction: the seller, the buyer, the sales agent, the mortgage loan officer, loan underwriter and loan processor, and the settlement service provider, as well as service providers such as home inspectors, appraisers, surveyors, title abstractors, etc. It can also be modified to automate just the mortgage loan refinancing origination and settlement process in one program for the borrower, mortgage loan and the settlement company personnel and corresponding service providers. 
     The preferred embodiments can be implemented using computer processes that, among other things, automate, simplify, change and enhance ‘real world’ processes currently being used, ineffectively and with significant limitations, by the real estate, mortgage, and settlement markets today. In the preferred embodiments, the computer processes are not needed to be performed using an unusual hybrid system. In some embodiments, in addition to enhancing ‘real world’ processes and enhancing the way real estate is sold today, the process could be modified for other environments, such as, for example for a ‘self-help’ buyer or seller to use, or a ‘for sale by owner’ solution without the help of a real estate agent or sales person, could be used on a kiosk in a shopping mall or other public area, or could be adapted to be used with a ‘move consultant’ or ‘transaction coordinator,’ or the like. 
     In some embodiments, the real estate agent or sales person can send and receive detailed information between the seller and buyer, lender and/or settlement company, enter and search for information on homes for sale from a property database  50 ,  75 ,  85 , create a listing agreement, a contract of sale and other sale documents and share with others, search for, select a mortgage loan quote  265 , apply for and completely arrange for mortgage financing  270 ,  275  for the buyer, and/or order and receive services from third party service providers. In some embodiments, the mortgage lender can provide the buyer a loan quote for various loan products, receive detailed buyer, property and sale information, prequalify or preapprove the borrower for a loan product selected by the borrower, take the full loan application, underwrite, approve and prepare and send all loan documents. In some embodiments, the settlement company can receive orders including some or all of the buyer, seller, property, sale information and/or mortgage loan information and documents, including, e.g. complete lender instructions and loan closing documents, and/or can prepare all legal, title and/or settlement documents including the settlement statement with full escrow accounting functions. 
     In the preferred embodiments, all or substantially all of the processes can be done using one technology platform. 
     In some embodiments, in the case of a home mortgage refinance, the borrower can, for example, search for, select a mortgage loan quote, enter and send borrower and property information; the mortgage lender can receive detailed borrower, and property information, prequalify or preapprove the borrower for a loan product selected by the borrower, take the full loan application, underwrite, approve and prepare and send all loan documents; and the settlement company can receive orders including all borrower, property information and mortgage loan information and documents, including complete lender settlement instructions, and prepare all legal, title and settlement documents including the settlement statement with full escrow accounting functions. 
     In some embodiments, the technology allows all or substantially all information to be entered once (and, in some embodiments, corrected if necessary) for the entire transaction, be transmitted instantly over a distributed computing network, either manually or automatically, and made immediately available to all appropriate parties to perform all their respective tasks and process, or perform one or more tasks and processes automatically within the same program, as necessary, thus saving time, work and expense. 
     In some embodiments, a single technology can, in contrast to existing systems, integrate an entire real estate sale, mortgage, and settlement process into one system—connecting the seller, buyer, real estate agent (or sales office in the case of a new home builder), or for a home refinancing with the borrower, and the mortgage loan origination activities for the lender, and settlement activities for the settlement company and service provider activities, allowing each user to perform all the activities for their portion of the process. 
     In some embodiments, a marked improvement can be achieved over the state of existing technology. Among other things, the preferred embodiments do not require use of one or more separate program for each of the real estate sale office, the mortgage office, settlement office and service providers, which might otherwise allow the performance of only portions of the process and require parties to do repetitive tasks. When combined with many manual tasks which users have to perform such as making phone calls, copying, faxing, etc., current existing technologies require considerable repetitive work, greater delay, greater errors, and more uncertainty. 
     In some embodiments, there is a separate Virtual Office for each primary user, for example in a real estate sale transaction the real estate office, the mortgage lender, the settlement company, and service providers, allowing each to access appropriate information and perform all the appropriate tasks associated with their roll for each transaction over a secure distributed network. In addition, the seller, the buyer, or home owner if a refinancing, and service providers will be able to access and participate in the process via, a ‘Virtual Desktop’ which allows them to enter, send and receive information perform tasks and processes for the entire transaction within this one single technology. 
     The preferred embodiments of the invention allow, among other things, the buyer and seller to be prompted, at the very beginning of the process, or later throughout the process if desired, to generate accurate pricing, quotes and information and order a mortgage loan and services, and use that information to simplify and automate the entire sale, mortgage and settlement process. The bidding and/or ordering process can, among other things, be done automatically without prompting buyer or seller, and can be done with or without automating the remaining sale, mortgage and settlement process, i.e. as a way to provide accurate and competitive pricing and capture mortgage, settlement and other service business at the beginning of the home sale process. 
     Summary—Objects and Advantages of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention 
     In some preferred embodiments, objectives and advantages that can potentially be achieved can include one or more of the following: 1. it provides a smoother, simpler, continuous process from the beginning to the end of the entire home sale, mortgage origination and settlement process; 2. it reduces work by all parties allowing the process to be highly automated, eliminating and reducing work currently being performed manually; 3. it reduces redundant and repetitive tasks of manually entering the same information numerous times in different computer programs; so information can be entered once for the entire transaction, not just portions of the transaction; 4. it reduces work, time, cost and chances of error associated with having to manually rehandle information numerous times, first having the real estate agent reenter information to perform tasks or transfer to more than one program, having the mortgage company reenter information to perform tasks or transfer to other programs, and then having the settlement personnel have to once again reenter or transfer information to other programs; 5. it allows transaction information to be instantly available to immediately perform additional tasks anywhere in the process, thus reducing confusion, delays and uncertainty and chances of errors in the process; 6. it reduces the cost of completing a transaction; 7. it reduces the number of personnel necessary to complete a transaction; 8. it reduces or even eliminates waiting time and reduces the overall time required to complete a transaction; 9. it provides for greater reliability to be built into the process; 10. it assures that, important sale and mortgage disclosure information and documents required by law be given to the seller or the buyer, or the refinancing home owner, on a timely basis; 11. it greatly reduces the cost, complexity, unreliability, and design limitations of trying to ‘patch together,’ or ‘integrate’ different computer systems, one for the real estate agent, another for the mortgage company, and another for the settlement company, etc, in an effort to perform this process; 12. it results in a system with greater and more functional features for users; 13. it provides a more highly automated system without any gaps in the process; 14. it provides a simpler system which is less costly to build and maintain; 15. it is easier and cheaper to change or modify, add features, or upgrade the system from time to time; this is important with ever-changing technology and constantly changing market conditions; 16. it is more reliable and less likely to malfunction or ‘crash’; and/or, 17. the process can be simplified, streamlined and made more user friendly by combining, eliminating one or more functions or steps, or presenting information or allowing functions to be performed in a more understandable and efficient way. 
     The above and/or other aspects, features and/or advantages of various embodiments will be further appreciated in view of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures. Various embodiments can include and/or exclude different aspects, features and/or advantages where applicable. In addition, various embodiments can combine one or more aspect or feature of other embodiments where applicable. The descriptions of aspects, features and/or advantages of particular embodiments should not be construed as limiting other embodiments or the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying figures are provided by way of example, without limiting the broad scope of the invention or various embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a System Overview and Architecture of a Home Sale. Mortgage Financing and Settlement Computer Process; 
         FIG. 1 a    is a System Overview and Architecture Showing Ancillary Databases &amp; Systems Detail for Home Sale, Mortgage Financing and Settlement Computer Process; 
         FIG. 1 b    is a System Overview and Architecture of a Home Mortgage Refinancing and Settlement Computer Process; 
         FIG. 1 c    is a System Overview and Architecture Showing Ancillary Databases &amp; Systems Detail for Home Mortgage Refinancing and Settlement Computer Process; 
         FIG. 1 d    is a System Overview and Architecture of a Home Sale, Mortgage Financing and Settlement Computer Process Integrated with Extrinsic Real Estate, Mortgage, Settlement and Other Programs; 
         FIG. 1 e    is a view depicting an Example of an Internet Portal; 
         FIG. 1 f    is a view depicting an Example of a Real Estate Broker Website; 
         FIG. 1 g    is a view depicting an Example of a Mortgage Search or Mortgage Lender Website 
         FIG. 1 h    is a view depicting an Example of a Seller Prompt to Bid and Order Services; 
         FIG. 1 i    is a view depicting an Example of a Buyer Prompt to Bid and Order Services; 
         FIG. 1 j    is a view depicting an Example of a Combined Buyer Property, Loan and Service and Information Search and Automated Underwriting Workflow Process; 
         FIGS. 1 k -1 u    is an Example of an Automated Property Database, Loan Product and Pricing Database, Ancillary Database and System, Database and Service Provider Search and Automated Underwriting Process Using MS Excel Spreadsheet; 
         FIG. 2  is a view depicting Basic Home Sale, Mortgage Financing and Settlement Information and Basic Document Workflow Process; 
         FIG. 2 a    is a view depicting Basic Home Mortgage Refinancing and Settlement Information and Basic Document Workflow Process; 
         FIG. 3 a    is a view depicting Detailed Virtual Real Estate Office Information and Document Workflow Process; 
         FIG. 3 b    is a view depicting Detailed Virtual Mortgage Office Information and Document Workflow Process: 
         FIG. 3 c    is a view depicting Detailed Virtual Settlement Office Information and Document Workflow Process; 
         FIG. 3 d    is a view depicting Detailed Seller Virtual Desktop Information and Document Workflow Process; 
         FIG. 3 e    is a view depicting Detailed Buyer Virtual Desktop Information and Document Workflow Process; 
         FIG. 4  is a view depicting Virtual Office and Work Area Screen Layout; 
         FIG. 4 a    is a view depicting Virtual Real Estate Office Work Area Summary Information; 
         FIG. 4 b    is a view depicting Virtual Mortgage Office Work Area Summary Information; 
         FIG. 4 c    is a view depicting Virtual Settlement Office Work Area Summary information; 
         FIG. 5  is a view depicting Customer (Buyer, Seller) Virtual Desktop and Work Area Screen Layout; 
         FIG. 6  is a view depicting Service Provider Virtual Desktop and Work Area Screen Layout; 
         FIG. 7  is a view depicting Sample Virtual Office Calendar; 
         FIG. 8  is a view depicting Sample Virtual Office Tab Table File Drawer; 
         FIG. 9  is a view depicting Virtual Real Estate Office Transaction Navigator and View; 
         FIG. 10  is a view depicting Seller Information Tab Table; 
         FIG. 11  is a view depicting Property Information Tab Table; 
         FIG. 12  is a view depicting Buyer Information Tab Table; 
         FIG. 12 a    is a view depicting Buyer Employment Information Tab Table; 
         FIG. 12 b    is a view depicting Buyer Income Financial Information Tab Table; 
         FIG. 12 c    is a view depicting Buyer Liabilities Financial Buyer Information Tab Table; 
         FIG. 12 d    is a view depicting Buyer Source of Downpayment Financial Information Tab Table; 
         FIG. 13  is a view depicting Property Search for Home Tab Table with Home Search Results; 
         FIG. 13 a    is a view depicting Property Search for Home Tab Table with Home Search Results, Loan Information, Service Information, and Ownership Cost Information; 
         FIG. 13   aa  is a view depicting Property Search for Home Tab Table with Home Search Results and Multiple Search Results for Loan information, Service Information, and Ownership Cost Information; 
         FIG. 13 b    is a view depicting combined Property Search for Home, Mortgage Search &amp; Prequalify/Pre-approve, and Services Search Screen; 
         FIG. 13   bb  is a view depicting combined. Simplified Property Search for Home, Mortgage Search &amp; Prequalify/Pre-approve, and Services Search Screen; 
         FIG. 13 c    is a view depicting Property Search for Home Details with Multiple Search Results for Loan Information, Service Information, and Ownership Cost Information; 
         FIG. 14  is a view depicting Property Sale Summary Information Tab Table; 
         FIG. 15  is a view depicting Contract of Sale (Sample); 
         FIG. 16  is a view depicting Mortgage Search &amp; Prequalify/Pre-approve Tab Table with Search Results; 
         FIG. 17  is a view depicting Mortgage Prequalified/Pre-approved Letter; 
         FIG. 18  is a view depicting Mortgage Prequalified/Pre-approved Tab Table with Loan Summary Information; 
         FIG. 19  is a view depicting Services Order New Service Tab Table (Showing Virtual Real Estate Office Services); 
         FIG. 20  is a view depicting Services Order New Service Tab Table Showing Bidding Status with Bid Results (Showing Virtual Real Estate Office Services); 
         FIG. 20 a    is a view depicting Seller/Buyer Consolidated Bid/Quote Results; 
         FIG. 21  is a view depicting Service Provider Virtual Desktop Work Area Showing Bid Request and Order Information Tab Table; 
         FIG. 22  is a view depicting Service Provider Virtual Desktop Work Area Showing Service Order and Order Information Tab Table: 
         FIG. 23  is a view depicting Services Order New Service Table Showing Confirmed Order Status (Showing Virtual Real Estate Office Services); 
         FIG. 24  is a view depicting Virtual Mortgage Office Transaction Navigator and View; 
         FIG. 25  is a view depicting Mortgage Loan Quote Tab Table; 
         FIG. 25 a    is a view depicting Mortgage Loan Quote Tab Table Search Results; 
         FIG. 26  is a view depicting Mortgage Loan Prequalified/Pre-approved Tab Table Showing Loan Summary; 
         FIG. 26 a    is a view depicting Mortgage Loan Prequalified/Pre-approved. Tab Table Showing Loan Summary (continued); 
         FIG. 27  is a view depicting Mortgage Residential Loan Application Form 1003 Entry Tab Tables; 
         FIG. 28  is a view depicting Mortgage Loan Approved Loan Summary Tab Table; 
         FIG. 28 a    is a view depicting Mortgage Loan Approved Loan Summary Tab Table (Continued); 
         FIG. 29  is a view depicting Virtual Settlement Office Transaction Navigator and View; 
         FIG. 30  is a view depicting Virtual Settlement Office Order Tab Table; 
         FIG. 31  is a view depicting Virtual Settlement Office Title Documents Tab Table; 
         FIG. 32  is a view depicting Virtual Settlement Office Settlement Statement HUD-1 Entry Tab Tables; 
         FIG. 33  is a view depicting Virtual Settlement Office Escrow Accounting Entry Tab Tables; 
         FIG. 34  is a view depicting Virtual Settlement Office Escrow Accounting Entry Tab Online Electronic Payment Tab Table; 
         FIG. 35  is a view depicting Virtual Settlement Office Online Electronic Land Records Recording Transmittal (Sample); 
         FIG. 36  is a view depicting Virtual Settlement Office Online Electronic Final Loan Closing Document Transmittal to Mortgage Lender (Sample). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     General Description 
     The following description sets forth some illustrative preferred embodiments of the invention. It should be understood based on this disclosure that the following description is illustrative and non-limiting and that various modifications, alterations, changes and/or the like can be employed in various embodiments of the invention. In addition, various components of the various embodiments can be replaced with equivalent structures (including presently known equivalents and/or future known equivalents) as would be understood based on this disclosure. 
     The preferred embodiments provide, for example, a comprehensive computer system for automating and facilitating the performing and processing of tasks, and information transfer and storage associated with the home sale, mortgage financing and settlement process over a distributed computing network  40  (See  FIG. 1 ). The technology automates one or more tasks or process of the real estate home sale, mortgage loan, and settlement process in one continuous computer program, including one or more, or all of the tasks and process of the various participants including performing one or more tasks, process or activities in the transaction for the seller  10  (See  FIG. 3 d   ), the buyer  15  (See  FIG. 3 e   ), the real estate sales personnel  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ), the mortgage loan officer, loan underwriter, loan processor and loan closer  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ), the settlement service provider  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ), and various service providers  25 , (See  FIGS. 19-23 ). 
     A property or home can include, for example any real property including a dwelling such as a home, house, dwelling, single-family home, a condominium, cooperative, mobile home, vacant land for a home, a duplex, or a multiple dwelling unit building. It can also include commercial real estate including land and buildings, as more particularly described in alternative embodiments hereinafter described. 
     In this disclosure, the term ‘user’ of the system used hereinafter includes, inter alia, one or more of the following terms: seller  10  and buyer  15  should be construed broadly and read as including someone acting for them or performing the process on their behalf; real estate agent, real estate office, real estate personnel, real estate broker which should be should be construed broadly and read as interchangeable including their functions being performed by one or more of them, or others, or the process and system  45  performing similar tasks and functions; in addition, mortgage lender  20  or mortgage office should be construed broadly including, for example mortgage brokers, direct mortgage lenders, mortgage correspondents, wholesale lenders, finders and their personnel and read as interchangeable and their functions being performed by one or more of them or the process and system  45 ; in addition, settlement service provider  35 , settlement office or settlement personnel should be construed broadly and may include for example attorneys, title insurance companies and their personnel and read as interchangeable and their functions being performed by one or more of them or the process and system  45 ; move consultant or transaction coordinator can mean any person or entity providing assistance to any of the users of the process and system or in facilitating the processing of the transaction, including performing one or more of their respective tasks and processes for one or more users. 
     The terms service, service provider, service information, and service provider information used herein should be construed in a very broad sense as any information or the providing of any service or information to sell a property, buy a property (or refinancing where appropriate), make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property which can include, for example: information available from any source or one or more sources, for example, one or more databases and systems,  50 ,  75 , one or more users  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35  or other sources  59 , which sources should be construed as interchangeable where appropriate, can include one or more of a quote, bid, order or service information, can include one or more individual or bundled services, can include information previously entered by one or more users  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 ,  59  into one or more databases and systems, can include one or more information generated automatically  45 , or manually, and can include one or more, for example: advertising information, appraisal information, architect information, builder information, building permit information, construction service information, credit information  112 , delivery, digital lockbox system information, employment, loan, deposit or other verifications  340 , environmental information (including for example biological, air and water quality, earthquake, geological and soil reports), flood information  125 , governmental department and agency information, home improvement and repair service information, home inspection information, home photographs, homeowner association (HOA) information, homeowner warranty (HOW) information, homeowner insurance information, land, court and public record information, land use information (including for example building code, zoning and land use information), landscaping service, mortgage lender information  30 , mortgage insurance (PIM, VA, FHA) information  115 , mortgage investor information, mortgage loan payoff information, mortgage servicing information, mortgage loan verification information (employment, loan, deposit or other verifications)  340 , move consultant or transaction coordinator information, moving and storage service  25 , ‘multiple listing service’ (MLS) information  85 , real estate agent information  20 , real estate broker information  20 , real estate signs, real estate tax information  130 , settlement or closing service information  35 , survey information, termite and pest inspection  25 , title information, land or public records information  140 , title abstract or search service information, title insurance information, transfer taxes and recording charges information  135 , utility (public or private) information  97 , well &amp; septic service; 
     A mortgage loan, loan, or financing can include one or more different types of loans or financing, for example, any granting or extension of credit, a loan, an unsecured loan, a mortgage loan, a first mortgage loan, a second mortgage loan, a loan secured by deed of trust, a loan secured by a security instrument, a land development loan, a construction loan, home equity financing, equity investment, or any combination thereof, and the terms should be construed as interchangeable. 
     In addition, a modification of this system is a comprehensive computer system for automating and facilitating the performing and processing of tasks, and information transfer and storage associated with the home mortgage refinancing and settlement process over a distributed computing network (See  FIGS. 1 b , 1 c , 2 a   ). Although the detailed description of the system, hereinafter, describes the home sale, mortgage origination and settlement process, the process, as described, can be modified for the home mortgage refinancing and settlement process (See  FIGS. 1 b , 1 c , 2 a   ) which would, in effect, eliminate the seller  10 , real estate agent and office  20 , and any sale contract  255  and sale process from the process leaving the buyer a ‘borrower’  16  performing the mortgage origination process with the mortgage lender  30  and the settlement company  35  only as well as the respective service providers  25 . In regard to this ‘refinancing’ modification, the reader should hereinafter disregard references to ‘sale,’ ‘seller,’ ‘Seller Virtual Desktop’, ‘builder,’ ‘Virtual Real Estate Office,’ ‘real estate sale office’ or ‘real estate sale personnel,’ ‘sale contract documents,’ ‘purchase,’ ‘deed,’ etc. and descriptions of any and all associated ‘sale’ activities, as well as corresponding references in the drawings such as (See  FIGS. 1, 1   a ,  2 ) which refer to only the sale process, and substitute the term ‘borrower’  16  for ‘buyer’  15  and ‘Borrower Virtual Desktop’  16  for ‘Buyer Virtual Desktop,’  15  etc. in understanding any description of the process for a home mortgage refinancing. In addition, embodiments described herein can be modified, by those in the art based on this disclosure, in other environments, such as, e.g., for either the home sale or the refinance process based on this detailed description. 
     In some of the preferred embodiments, various manipulations herein described are often referred to in tennis such as, e.g., adding, entering, requesting, receiving, retrieving, correcting, changing, performing, saving, viewing, sending, comparing, moving, etc. which are often associated with manual operations performed by a human operator. In the preferred embodiments, the various operations described herein are performed, for example either in conjunction with input from a human operator or user interacting with the computer system and processes  45 , or, when possible, one or more of such operations may be construed as being performed by the computer system and process  45  itself and should be understood as such. 
     In the preferred embodiments, a comprehensive technology allows information to be generated or entered once, or subsequently changed or corrected if necessary, either manually by a participant, or automatically by the system and process  45 ,  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  45 W or generated from one or more sources of information such as for example, ancillary databases or systems  75  (See  FIGS. 1, 1   a ), said ancillary databases or systems being alternatively internal to the system  50 , or external ancillary databases or systems  75 , be transmitted over a distributed computing network  40 , for example the Internet, saved in one or more medium, for example, one or more databases  50 ,  75 , and appropriate information made available at one or more appropriate times, as necessary, appropriate or expedient, to any appropriate parties or for the application server  45  to perform further activities, tasks, or processes, or generate information or documents for the entire transaction. 
     Any description of an Internet portal or Website  5  should be construed in a very broad sense including any way Buyer  15 , Seller  10  or Borrower  16  or other users  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  59  can access the system and process, for example, through the Internet or otherwise, which can include, for example: a Website, including an Internet portal, real estate Website, mortgage lender Website, or home appraisal Website including using any means to access including a wireless or other electronic computing device, or alternatively any electronic device such as a touch tone or voice response system  70 . 
     Information and data include one or more information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property, and may be in one or more various forms and includes, for example text, formulas, electronic information, digital information, computer data, computer instructions, computer coding, graphics, or audio and video whether recorded or transmitted in real-time. 
     Information and data can be generated by the process and system  45 ,  45 W or generated or retrieved from one or more sources of information including, for example internal databases  50 ,  75 , external databases and systems  75 , or one or more other sources to the extent practicable, such as computer files, web servers, extranets, intranets, file shares, content management systems, and other applications, including using any available tools such as for example, Google&#39;s “search appliance,” “cloud computing” or other current or further technologies which can generate relevant information from one or more sources. 
     Ancillary systems  75 , whether internal or internal, for example, automated underwriting  110 , may also perform one or more tasks and processes described herein where necessary, expedient or practicable. 
     Information and data can be stored in or retrieved from one or more internal or external medium including for example internal  50 ,  75  or external databases  75 , including relational databases of one or more database structures. It is noted that ancillary databases or systems may be either internal  50  or external  75  to the basic system described herein, but which, nevertheless, are an integral part thereof. 
     Information and data include information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property, and can include such information as, for example, one or more of the following: accounting and financial information, appraisal information, builder information, builder home inventory information, building permit information, buyer information, buyer personal information, buyer employment and financial information, buyer personal information, comparable sale information, credit information, digital lockbox system information, environmental information (including for example biological, air and water quality, earthquake, geological and soil reports), homeowner association (HOA) information, homeowner insurance information, land use information (including for example building code, zoning and land use information), listing information, loan search criteria information, loan search results information, ‘multiple listing service’ (MLS) information  85 , mortgage insurance information, mortgage lender information  30 , mortgage insurance (PMI, VA, FHA) information  115 , mortgage loan information, mortgage loan application information, mortgage loan document information, mortgage loan funding information, mortgage loan product and pricing information, mortgage loan quote, prequalification, preapproval or approval information, mortgage loan servicing information, mortgage loan underwriting information, property information, property search criteria information, property search results information, real estate agent information, real estate broker information, real estate tax information, sale contract information, seller information, service provider and service information, service provider pricing information, settlement escrow accounting information, settlement instruction information, settlement or closing service information  35 , settlement order information, settlement statement information, title and recording information, title insurance information, transaction task and status information, utility information; 
     While the system may be implemented on one computer system such as a single personal computer, it is more likely to be implemented on a distributed computing network  40  (See  FIG. 1 ). The distributed computing network  40  (See  FIG. 1 ) may be a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), such as, for example the Internet, a hard-wired or wireless network, or any combination thereof, and most likely will be implemented on the Internet or an Extranet for the immediate future. 
     The basic processes can be varied or augmented numerous ways with such things as, for example: 1. screen lay outs and content can be varied; 2. allowing users to input or retrieve information via any wireless Internet device such as a ‘digital Internet cell phone’ or a ‘palm pilot’; 3. portions of the process can be simplified and/or automated, eliminating or combining certain functions, tasks, process or steps or participants, for example by allowing a seller and buyer and seller perform a transaction without the aid of a real estate agent; 4. a customer or user can be allowed to ‘input’ or retrieve information via a telephone ‘voice response’ or ‘touch-tone’ technology  70  (See  FIGS. 1, 1   b ); 5. a system can be developed for multiple companies so that different users will only use portions of the system, i.e. an ‘Internet’, or one system can be built for one company where everyone within one company, other than the seller, buyer and service providers, use all of the system. i.e. an ‘extranet;’ or, 6. the process can be simplified and the real estate sales, mortgage and settlement screens, tasks and processes can be combined so that fewer people could perform the entire process in a fraction of the time; and 7. the order of steps and processes can be varied. 
     One or more application servers  45  run and perform computer program tasks and processes which perform the functions necessary to generate, send, receive and display information to users to enter, manipulate and view information, and perform tasks on remote, or local computing devices  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 , such as for example a personal computer connected to a network  40 , for example the Internet, receive information back from users, process it if necessary, store it in one or more databases  50 , send it if necessary for use or processing by one or more ancillary systems or databases  75  (See  FIGS. 1 a , 1 c   ) such as a multiple listing service  85  or automated mortgage underwriting systems  110  to perform necessary ancillary tasks or processes  75  (See  FIG. 1 a   ), receive back results and save to one or more databases  50 ,  75  (See  FIG. 1 ) and make it available to all appropriate parties by again sending information and displaying screens to users  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 , to view and perform subsequent activities on their respective computing devices. 
     Although and there are numerous computer technologies with which this computer process could be developed and carried out, including connecting together older extrinsic computer programs  59 , such as for example various real estate sales, mortgage and settlement programs, so information can be passed from one program and user to another, the preferred embodiments of the invention, provide a comprehensive client-server technology (See  FIG. 1 ) allowing the users  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35  to use a computing device, for example a personal computer (PC) with a display to view ‘GUI’ screens, and common input devices, for example a mouse and keyboard which access one or more application server(s)  45  over a network, for example, the Internet or over a secure ‘Extranet’, via TCP/IP  40 . The application server(s)  45  would connect to one or more relational databases  50 ,  75  for transaction data and information to be saved and retrieved. These databases could be built in typical database programs such as, for example, SQL, DB2 and Oracle, and the application server process could be programmed in such tools as, for example, ASP and DOTNET programming environment from Microsoft. PeopleSoft&#39;s ‘Portal’, or IBM&#39;s ‘Domino,’ ‘Websphere’ and ‘Websphere Portal’ in conjunction with using, for example, XML, JAVA and HTML or other programming tools. In addition, there are one or more ‘ancillary’ databases and systems  75 , (See  FIG. 1 a   ) with which the application server can exchange information. These ‘ancillary databases and systems’  75  (See  FIGS. 1 a , 1 c   ) may be internal to and developed with the system, or they may be provided by third-parties. 
     The preferred embodiments and best mode of carrying out the invention is client-server architecture with one or more application servers  45  which run and manage the tasks and processes described herein. Actions taken by one or more users  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35  on their client computers are sent to and processed by the application server  45  which performs tasks and processes on information, serves up information on client user screens on computing devices, sends and retrieves information to and from databases or ancillary computer processes  50 .  75 , and distributes information according to one or more application server programming instructions  45  to the various users  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 , managing and making the entire process possible. 
     The terms used hereinafter, such as for example ‘application’, ‘application server’, ‘computer program,’ ‘computer process,’ ‘computer application,’ etc., are used interchangeably and deemed for the purposes of this application and the claims to mean one or more computer applications performing the computer tasks, processes and functions herein described unless otherwise indicated. Application servers  45  can include “cloud computing.” 
     As described herein, in various embodiments, one or more server(s), computing devices, client computer(s), application computer(s) and/or other computer(s) can be utilized to implement one or more aspect of the invention. Illustrative computers can include, for example: a central processing unit; memory (e.g., RAM, etc.); data storage (e.g., hard drives, etc.); input/output ports (e.g., parallel and/or serial ports, etc.); data entry devices (e.g., key boards, etc.); etc. In addition, client computers may contain, in some embodiments, browser software for interacting with the server(s), such as, for example, using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) to make requests of the server(s) via the Internet or the like. 
     While users may use any form of electrical computing device or general purpose computing machines or devices for clients to access and Interact with the system  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 . 35  which could include for example, personal computes, laptops, kiosks, network terminals, digital Internet cell phones, palm pilots, iPods, PDAs, any other wireless device, or telephone voice response or touch-tone technology  70 , the description herein describes the use of a common personal computer with a display, a keyboard and pointing device such as a mouse. Electronic computing devices may also include any other suitable programmable electronic devices consistent with the invention. 
     It is pointed out that the order of steps or activities, and whether particular tasks are performed manually or automatically, is flexible and can be programmed to be varied to give the process and users as much flexibility as possible. In addition, various steps may be modified, simplified, and one or more tasks may be combined to simplify and streamline the over-all process. For example, while the description is of a real estate office, mortgage office, settlement office and service providers in the process, it is entirely possible and on object of the invention to combine one or more of their tasks and processes, have the process and system  45  perform as many tasks and processes automatically as possible, and have the entire process performed by fewer users. 
     It is pointed out that although the detailed description describes preferred embodiments including one ‘real estate sales office’ in the process, in some instances there may be two or more such sale offices, for instance where there is a cooperating seller&#39;s agent and a buyer&#39;s agent. In such circumstances, the process is substantially the same and the resulting change in the process may be easily inferred by the reader. 
     In the preferred embodiments, computer processes can be used to automate, streamline, simplify and enhance ‘real world’ processes currently being ineffectively employed by the real estate, mortgage, and settlement markets today. While the preferred embodiments involve a ‘real world’ process designed for the way real estate is sold today, the process could be modified for, for example, a ‘self-help’ buyer or seller to use, or a ‘for sale by owner’ solution without the help of a real estate agent or sales person, could be used on, for example, a kiosk in a shopping mall or could be adapted to be used with a ‘move consultant’ or ‘transaction coordinator,’ or an equivalent to assist others in the transaction. 
     It is also pointed out that certain of the drawings herein attempt to reflect the ‘workflow’ of the process and system, rather than the actual system architecture, in particular, (See  FIGS. 2-3   e ) show the process results from the users prospective, rather than the fact that all information, whether the result of user input or processes  45  performed, in most cases is transferred to and from the application server(s)  45  and one or more databases and systems  50 ,  75 . 
     Under a typical configuration of a preferred embodiment of the invention, there are separate graphical user interfaces (GUI) accessible on a personal computer used by each user with screens appropriate to their activities. The seller “virtual desktop”  10 , (See  FIG. 3 d   ) the “buyer virtual desktop”  15  (See  FIG. 3 e   ), the “virtual real estate office”  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ), the lender “virtual mortgage office”  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) the settlement company “virtual settlement office”  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) and service providers virtual office or virtual desktop  25  allow each to enter, manipulate, receive, send and view appropriate information and perform appropriate tasks and processes associated with their roles in the transaction. 
     Any tasks and processes performed or information generated by any user manually, or by the application or computer process  45  at any stage of the process immediately make possible  45  one or more other real estate sale, mortgage loan, settlement or other activities, tasks, processes and generation of information or documents, either manually or automatically. This avoids gaps and delays. 
     One aspect of the system that is of importance is that of uniformity and simplification of the process. If one were to look at a number of real estate programs, mortgage origination programs and settlement programs one would see, numerous different screen layouts with varying information displayed, all of which would become confusing and daunting very quickly. In researching this process, however, it was realized that much of the information and how it is displayed is similar throughout the transaction, and it is only for particular functions that unique screen functions and, layouts are necessary. Therefore there are many screens, for example, which appear in the Work Area  450 ,  550 ,  650 , Tab Tables  460 ,  560 ,  660 , which are in fact forms and subforms served up and displayed by the application server, such as ‘seller information’ (See  FIG. 10 ), ‘property information’ (See  FIG. 11 ), ‘buyer information and buyer employment and financial information’ (See  FIG. 12 ), ‘property search’ (See  FIG. 13 ), ‘sale summary information’ (See  FIG. 14 ), ‘loan search’ (See  FIG. 16 ), ‘mortgage loan application’ (See  FIG. 27 ), loan underwriting (See  FIG. 28 ), loan summary table (See  FIG. 28 a   ), and ‘ordering services’ (See  FIGS. 19, 20, 23 ), which can be displayed with minor modifications of some content, for more than one user; and it is only those screens that are unique to a particular user, task or process such as the ‘mortgage approved loan’ table (See  FIG. 28 ) for the lender, and the settlement order (See  FIG. 30 ) and settlement statement entry tables (See  FIG. 32 ) or escrow accounting (See  FIG. 33 ) for the settlement service provider that are different. This has greatly simplified understanding and the design and the process and will greatly reduce the cost and complexity of building, modifying and adding new features to the system from time to time. 
     Each virtual office will be one integrated computer program for each user from which they can receive, view, enter, change, save data, perform their particular functions in the transaction, create, save and send all documents, order services from third-party service providers, track the transaction, and communicate with other participants in the particular transaction. The “virtual office/desktop” technology will eliminate many of the current disadvantages of the current art allowing users to operate their entire office and perform literally 100&#39;s of functions without having to use different programs and/or to navigate back-and-forth or “link” to constantly-changing Web-pages. 
     The layout of each virtual office (See  FIG. 4 ) and each customer, buyer or seller, virtual desktop (See  FIG. 5 ), and the service provider virtual desktop or service provider virtual office (Transaction Navigator and Views not shown) (See  FIG. 6 ) can for example include the following: 
     The Collaboration Navigator  410 ,  510 ,  610  allows a user to select and access a Address Book, Unified Messaging, Calendar, To Do and ‘Instant Messaging’ by clicking with a pointing device such as a mouse on appropriate item selected to be displayed in the Collaboration View  420 ,  520 ,  620 . The Collaboration View  420 ,  520 ,  620  allows a user to access and ‘collaborate’ with others in the transaction. These include: ‘Unified Messaging’ view which allows users to send and receive and view e-mails  65 , receive and view all documents created with the technology, and receive voice phone messages and facsimiles from a fax &amp; voice messaging server  60 . The user can manually save them to the ‘File Drawer’ tab (See  FIG. 8 ) in the Work Area  450 ,  55 ,  650  for a particular user for a particular transaction, or the program can save items automatically. 
     The Address Book view allows user to keep and view customer and service provider information such as addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc. for customer and ‘service provider’ contact management. Information in Address Book is integrated with Work Area  450 ,  550 ,  650  so that information entered or actions taken in one are reflected and displayed in the other, and visa-versa. 
     The Calendar View (See  FIG. 7 ) automatically displays a calendar with appropriate information about transaction events and status, allows users to create and schedule events, meeting times, and ‘to do’ items as necessary, appropriate or expedient for their tasks or functions. The items can be marked ‘private’ or ‘group’ and the ‘Group Calendar’ is displayed, for all others in a particular transaction to see the event and status of that particular transaction from their respective Virtual Desktop or Virtual Office as necessary, appropriate or expedient for their tasks or functions. The Calendar is integrated with Work Area  450 ,  550 ,  650  so that actions taken or information entered in one area are reflected and displayed in the other, and visa-versa. 
     The To Do View displays items that need to be completed in any particular transaction. To Do items can be created manually by users in the To Do view, in the Work Area, or automatically by the application server  45 . The To Do View is integrated with Work Area  450 ,  550 ,  650  so that actions taken or information entered in one are reflected and displayed in the other. 
     Instant Messaging &amp; Application Sharing allows users to use ‘instant messaging’ (‘chat’) including voice and audio, and application sharing to simultaneously collaborate on a particular screen or document such as the sale contract documents  255  (See  FIG. 15 ), Loan Application (Form 1003) (See  FIG. 27 ) or Settlement Statement (HUD-1) on a ‘real-time’basis with other parties in the transaction. For application sharing, the application server  45  allows two or more users to display a screen, enter and save information on a real time basis, thus eliminating waiting for and having to send information back and forth. Important ‘chat’ sessions can be recorded and saved to the appropriate File Drawers (See  FIG. 8 ) for a permanent record. 
     The Transaction Navigator  430 ,  910 ,  2410 ,  2910  (See  FIGS. 4, 9, 24, 29 ), which is only used in the virtual office configuration, automatically displays, sorts and tracks stages of each transaction. As there are significant changes in the status, for example ‘new order,’ ‘pending,’ ‘completed,’ etc., the computer application automatically moves the particular transaction into a different stage category. Users can view transactions by each status by selecting a particular status category in the Transaction Navigator  430  which then displays summary information of all transactions within that, status category in the Transaction View  435 . Customers (i.e. buyer or seller) will not have this Transactions Navigator in their Virtual Desktop and service providers will have it in their Service Provider Virtual Office, but not in their Service Provider Virtual Desktop. 
     The Transactions View  435 ,  920 ,  2420 ,  2920  (See  FIGS. 4, 9, 24, 29 ), which is only used in the ‘virtual office’ configuration, automatically displays summary information for each ‘transaction’ for example for a real estate sale, buyer, seller, property address, contract price, status of sale and displays individual tasks necessary to complete a particular transaction, for example ‘signs’, ‘inspections,’ ‘advertising,’ etc. and displays the status of each, for example ‘ordered,’ ‘past due,’ ‘completed,’ ‘approved,’ etc. The computer program allows user to sort transactions by criteria by clicking on column heading. User can select a particular transaction by clicking on that transaction in the Transaction View  435 ,  920 ,  2420 ,  2920  (See  FIGS. 4, 9, 24, 29 ) and the transaction details are then displayed in the Work Area  450  allowing user to access detailed transaction information and to perform tasks for that particular transaction. Customers (i.e. buyer or seller) will not have this Transactions View in their Virtual Desktop and service providers will have it in the Service Provider Virtual Office, but not in the Virtual Desktop. 
     The Work Area  450 ,  550 ,  650  (See  FIGS. 4, 5, 6 ) allows users to access particular transaction details in the Work Area by selecting and clicking on the transaction in the Transaction View screen, if they have one. The Work Area allows users to perform tasks, enter or view detailed information. Each Virtual Office Work Area will have Summary Information  440  (See  FIGS. 4, 4   a - c ). In the Work Area Summary Information users can create documents. For example the real estate agent can create real estate sale contract, documents  440 ,  255  (See  FIG. 15 ), the lender can create loan documents,  470 , and the settlement company can create settlement, legal or title documents  485 . The status can be manually changed  445 ,  460 ,  480 , or automatically changed by the program upon occurrence of certain actions performed anywhere in the computer program or by certain events occurring. To create documents in the Work Area, a ‘Document Database’  100 ,  120 ,  127  can be accessed, a form selected, automatically filled in with all information which already exists in the system, or manually entered, edited, printed and saved and sent to others in the particular transaction, so they can view them in their respective Collaboration View  420 ,  520 ,  620  when they receive them or in their respective ‘File Drawer’ (See  FIG. 8 ). 
     Detailed information is entered into and viewed by users, and functions are performed, in various Work Area Tab Tables  460 ,  560 ,  660  (See  FIGS. 8, 10-14, 16, 18-20, 23, 25-28   a ,  30 - 33 ). These are accessible in the ‘Work Area’  450 ,  550 ,  650  and users can navigate from one table to another by selecting a particular tab such as by ‘clicking’ with a ‘mouse’ to view information in that particular table such as ‘Order Information’ (See  FIG. 30 ), ‘Buyer Information’ (See  FIG. 12 ), ‘Seller Information’ (See  FIG. 10 ), etc. to enter or change information, and perform various transaction tasks associated with their role in the process such as ordering services (See  FIG. 19 ), accessing electronic documents saved in the ‘File Drawer’ (See  FIG. 8 ), etc. Tab Table screens are dynamic forms which the application server  45  allows to be displayed on each client device. Some tab tables are ‘dynamic,’ meaning as information is entered, or actions are performed, the layout and information presented changes automatically on the screen to allow the user to proceed with the process automatically and more easily. To make the system as easy to develop and operate as possible, many basic ‘tab tables’ are used by more than one user. Also the various tab tables can be varied, by adding or creating new ones, deleting, combining, modifying the contents, or changing their order on screens. Various “tab tables” and the information they contain or the functions they perform can be varied in numerous possible ways, and are described in more detail below. 
     When it is described that documents can be signed electronically it includes, for example, any necessary electronic notary signatures, seals, etc., or other electronic authentication deemed acceptable by users and required and allowed by appropriate laws. Similarly, electronic certifications or verifications may be any deemed acceptable by users and required and allowed by appropriate laws. 
     The computer program saves, either automatically or manually, all appropriate documents including e-mails, faxes, and phone messages  65  in one or more system databases  50  for a complete record of each transaction which can be viewed by users in an electronic File Drawer (See  FIG. 8 ). User can save and access a document as necessary, appropriate or expedient, for their tasks or functions in the File Drawer (See  FIG. 8 ) by clicking on the ‘File Drawer’ tab  810 , selecting a particular document, and ‘clicking on the document to open the, document for viewing or editing, etc. 
     The ‘Office Management’ in the Transaction Navigator  430 ,  910 ,  2410 ,  2910  (See  FIGS. 4, 9, 24, 29 ) will allow a user to access and perform general ‘back office’ support features in the Work Area  450  such as integrated billing accounting functions, including billing and payments for transactions, management functions such as integrated summary production and activity reports. The ‘Office Management’ will have other office administration functions of a more general nature such as human resources, etc. 
     System administration  57  can be done from one or more central regional or individual office locations from one or more computing devices for performing such function as, for example, adding and deleting customers, service providers, customer support and training, managing customers, billing functions, managing system modifications and upgrades, etc. Management and administration can be done as a service for customers or customers or their organizations such as for example a multiple listing service provider, a Realtor association, etc. can operate and, manage the system for them. 
     Virtual Real Estate Office 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office  20  (See  FIGS. 1, 2, 3   a ) will allow the real estate agent and their staff (or home builder sales office) to perform all of their transaction activities from one comprehensive computer program; to enter, receive, communicate and exchange information with buyer  15  (See  FIG. 3 e   ) and seller  10  (See  FIG. 3 d   ), mortgage company  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ), and settlement company  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) request bids for and order and track services  235  from service providers  25 , such as home inspections, advertising, insurance, settlement services, or utilities changes, send and receive information with a property database, for example, the ‘multiple listing service’ (MLS) 85 (or the home builder&#39;s subdivision inventory database)  90 , create listing agreements  220 , a sale contract and other sale documents  440 ,  255  (See  FIG. 15 ), assist the home buyer to search for a loan  265 , search for, be prequalified, preapproved,  270  apply for, be approved for a loan, and, receive loan documents  275  from a mortgage lender  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ). Information entered, documents created, or functions performed by the real estate office personnel or by the application server  45  are saved by the application server  45  into one or more databases  50 ,  75  and are made available for further functions to be performed, and appropriate documents and information made available to other people participating or steps in the transaction, for example the buyer, the seller the mortgage lender, the settlement company and service providers, as necessary, appropriate or expedient, through an automated or manual workflow process managed by the application server  45 . 
     Specifically, the Virtual Real Estate Office has the following functionality: 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) can receive the prospective seller(s) information  210  (See  FIG. 10 ), and property information  210  (See  FIG. 11 ) (in the case of the real estate agent as opposed to a builder) entered by the Seller in the Seller Virtual Desktop  10 ,  210  (See  FIGS. 3 d   ,  5 ) or alternatively, the real estate agent user can enter and save information manually and directly into the Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  210  (See  FIGS. 3 a   ,  10 ,  11 ) for example taking information by phone or with the customer physically present. 
     The sale person or agent user can choose and create various marketing documents and materials, retrieving and opening forms  440  from a forms database  50 ,  100  and create customer prospecting and marketing flyers, reports, or other marketing materials. The program automatically, or user manually can search and retrieve ‘comparable sale information’ from a Comparable Sale Database  80  and input, into a Comprehensive Market Analysis (CMA) report including a marketing plan, according to criteria chosen by user, and save and send to Seller Virtual Desktop  10 . 
     In the case of real estate agent, the process  45 ,  45 W can automatically enter seller, property  210  and listing information into the listing agreement form&#39;s  220  retrieved from the real estate document database  100  and user can send the completed listing to the Seller Virtual Desktop  10  and receive back listing agreement electronically signed by seller  220  (See  FIG. 3 d   ). 
     In the case of the real estate agent, property and listing information can be saved  50  internally and sent and entered into separate, internal property database  50  or external property database  75  including for example a ‘Multiple Listing Service’ (MLS) database  85 , or builder home database  90 ,  450  (See  FIGS. 1 a , 3 a , 4 a   ). 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office can receive information from a Digital ‘lockbox’ System  95  which tracks agent and prospective buyer activity entering the home for viewing; the system automatically sends electronic messages activity report  231  when a house is entered for showing, and, a message to the buyer or buyer agent identified asking for comments, which when received is displayed in activity report  231  with buyer and agent comments in the Virtual Real Estate Office  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) and in Seller Virtual Desktop screens  10  (See  FIG. 3 d   ). 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office (real estate agent or builder)  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) can receive loan search criteria information from Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  (See  FIGS. 1, 3   e ,  5 ) entered by the Buyer in the Work Area Tab Tables  560  (See  FIG. 5 ) about the buyer(s) personal information  240  (See  FIG. 12 ) income, debts, assets for down payment for mortgage search, prequalification, preapproval and loan application  240  (See  FIGS. 16, 27 ) and property search criteria such as, for example location, home style, number of bedrooms, number of baths, and price range desired  240  (See  FIG. 13 ); or alternatively, real estate agent user can enter information directly into Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  240  (See  FIGS. 3 a   ,  4 ,  12 ,  16 ,  13 ,  27 ) manually, for example taking information by phone or with buyer physically present. 
     The real estate agent (or builder) from the Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  240  (See  FIGS. 3 a   ,  4 ), or the Buyer from the Property tab in the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  240  (See  FIGS. 5, 3   e ) can enter property search criteria  240  (See  FIGS. 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ) and search property database, either internal  50  or external  75 , including for example from the MLS for the real estate agent  85  or the Builder Home Inventory Database  90  with the property search criteria  240 ,  1330  and retrieve property search results information  245  (See  FIGS. 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   c ) including pictures, video and maps matching buyer&#39;s property search criteria as to, for example price, style, number of bedrooms, number of baths, location, etc.  1350  (See  FIG. 13 ) and buyer can select one or more homes for more detailed information including, for example, maps, pictures, video and audio (See  FIGS. 11, 13   c ), viewing, and eventually selecting one on which to submit a contract offer  440 ,  255  (See  FIG. 15 ). Searches and search results can be saved  50  for use later by the Virtual Real Estate Office or by the Buyer Virtual Desktop. 
     User can select the appropriate forms  440  (See  FIGS. 4, 4   a ) from the Real Estate Document Database  100  to create sale contract documents  440 ,  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) and any addenda. The application server  45  automatically enters all appropriate seller, buyer, property and listing information stored in the system databases  50 ,  75  into sale contract forms  100  or user can manually add or change information as desired or necessary. 
     The sale contract documents  440 ,  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) can be sent to the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  255  (See  FIGS. 5, 3   e ) for buyer review and manual or electronic signature and which can be received back from buyer and saved. Sale contract documents  440 ,  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) offer can then be sent to Seller Virtual Desktop  10 ,  255  (See  FIG. 3 d   ) (or seller&#39;s agent&#39;s Virtual Real Estate Office) and receive back accepted contract, or counteroffer from seller or seller&#39;s agent; or it can be printed or faxed to seller or seller&#39;s agent. If a counter offer is made by the seller  255  (See  FIG. 3 d   ), the process is repeatable by parties sending the contract of sale back and forth until a final agreement, is reached; or alternatively the parties may access the sale contract documents  440 ,  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) simultaneously, for example using application sharing, and negotiate the terms and conditions on a real-time basis. 
     At some point in the contract process, application server  45  can receive from the Buyer Virtual Desktop an electronic payment of the contract of sale deposit  417  from an account designated by the buyer  419  and send to an account previously designated by the real estate office in the Virtual Real Estate Office  285 ,  280  or an escrow account in the Virtual Settlement Office  35 ,  378 ,  376  depending upon custom. 
     Real estate agent or builder, with buyer present or on the phone, can enter loan search criteria  1630 ,  240  including, for example the buyer(s), income, debts, assets for down payment  1630 ,  240  (See  FIGS. 12-12   d ,  16 ,  13   aa ,  13   bb ), and, property search criteria  1330 ,  240 , generate one or more property search results  245 ,  1350 , a property information  210 , or contract of sale information  255  (See  FIGS. 3 a   ,  15 ) and send directly to one or more lenders&#39; Virtual Mortgage Offices  30 ,  265  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) for manual quotes and underwriting  265 ,  300 , or to a centralized mortgage product and pricing database  75 ,  105  and automated underwriting system  110  for mortgage loan quotes  265 , and computer program  45  sends mortgage loan quotes results  265 ,  1660  (See  FIGS. 16, 25   a ) back to Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  265  and Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  265  as well as to respective lenders&#39; Virtual Mortgage Office  30 ,  265  (See  FIGS. 3 b   ,  25 - 25   a ). The users may elect to skip this step and it may be combined with the loan application steps  270 ,  275  below to streamline the process. 
     Buyer can receive and review mortgage loan quotes  1660  on the Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  265  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) with the real estate agent, if physically present, or on the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  265  (See  FIG. 3 e   ) select a particular loan quote  1660  (See  FIG. 16 ), and send a request for prequalification or preapproval to a lender  30 ,  270  (See  FIG. 3 b   ). 
     Virtual Real Estate Office  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) can receive and buyer if physically present accept a loan prequalification or preapproval letter  270  (See  FIG. 17 ) for a particular loan, together with mortgage loan documents including, for example Good Faith Estimate, Truth in Lending, and other disclosures together with any conditions sent from lender  30 ,  270  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) and lender can receive buyer&#39;s acceptance of loan prequalification or preapproval letter or agreement (See  FIG. 17 ) in Virtual Mortgage Office  30 ,  270  (See  FIGS. 3 b   ,  26 ,  26   a ). 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office  20  and the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  can display buyer loan prequalification/preapproval summary information  270  (See  FIG. 26 a   ) in the Work Area Tab Tables. 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) can display one or more loan application screens, such as, for example, Residential Loan Application Form 1003 (See  FIG. 27 ) containing all appropriate buyer, property, sale and loan information already entered  275  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) into system  50 ,  75  and information can be entered or changed manually, signed with the buyer present, and sent to the Virtual Mortgage Office  275  (See  FIGS. 3 b   ,  27 ). Alternatively, the buyer  15 , lender  30 , and real estate office  20  can access the loan application simultaneously, for example using application sharing, and jointly enter or change information on a real-time basis. 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office  20  can display buyer loan application summary information  275  (See  FIG. 3 a   ,  FIG. 26-26   a ). 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office  20  and the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  receive final loan approval, including summary information  275  (See  FIGS. 3 a , 28 a   ), and all loan documents  810  (See  FIG. 8 ) including, for example loan commitment, disclosures sent from mortgage lender&#39;s Virtual Mortgage Office  30  (See  FIGS. 3 b   ,  28 ,  28   a ) and receive verification of buyer accepting loan commitment  275 . 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office can display approved loan summary information  275  (See  FIGS. 3 a , 28 a   ). 
     Real estate agent or builder  20  can order services either manually or automatically  235  (See  FIGS. 3 a   ,  19 - 23 ) and track services  235 ,  920  (See  FIGS. 3 a   ,  7 ,  9 ) from third-party service providers  25  such as, for example, home inspections, signs, advertising, settlement services  35  (See  FIG. 30 ), or utilities changes; all appropriate information already in system is automatically entered into appropriate fields; and user can request and receive quotes (bidding) from one or more different service providers (See  FIGS. 20, 21 ) select a quote and order a service, receive a confirmation from service provider  2220  (See  FIGS. 22, 23 ) track services ordered  920  (See  FIGS. 7, 9 ) and service providers can prepare electronic reports and documents  2020 ,  2120  (See  FIGS. 20, 21 ) and real estate agent can receive completed service information  235  (See  FIG. 3 a   ). All service information  2020 ,  2120  is automatically entered  45  into system databases  50 ,  75  to be used later as necessary in the process. Alternatively quotes, bids and service information can be automatically generated from system  45 ,  50 ,  75 , for example where service provider and service information including pricing information has been previously entered into system  50 ,  75 . 
     Service providers can send, electronic invoice for charges  2240  ( FIG. 22 ) and the real estate office can send electronic payments  285  to service providers for any services. Alternatively, service billing can be generated and funds disbursed automatically  45 ,  45 W. 
     Virtual Real Estate Office  20  can receive settlement statement (HUD-1)  372  and appropriate title and legal documents  368  sent from Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) for review prior to settlement and user can respond with questions, comments, approval or changes back to Virtual Settlement Office  35 . 
     Virtual Real Estate Office  20  can receive final signed settlement statement (HUD-1)372 and appropriate title and legal documents  368  sent from Virtual Settlement Office  35 . 
     Virtual Real Estate Office  20  can receive commission payments  285 ,  378  electronically from Virtual Settlement Office  35  escrow account  376  (See  FIG. 3 c   ). 
     The computer program has a complete real estate office accounting system  55 ,  280  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) accessible from Transaction Navigator ‘Office Management’  430 ,  910  (See  FIGS. 4, 9 ) viewable in the Work Area Tab Tables  450 ,  460 , which allows user to perform complete accounting functions integrated with each sale transaction including for example, contract of sale deposit escrow, commission accounting, receipts, disbursements  280 ,  285 , reconciliation, statements and reports. 
     Virtual Real Estate Office accounting system allows electronic receipts  285 , such as electronic receipt of the contract of sale deposit from the buyer  417  or receipt of broker sale commissions from settlement  376 ,  378  (See  FIG. 3 c   ), and electronic disbursements such as paying service provider charges such as, for example advertising and signage fees  285  (See  FIG. 3 a   ). 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office saves, either automatically or manually, all appropriate information  45 ,  50  and documentation including, for example e-mails, faxes, phone messages, and any transaction documents created in the process which can be displayed in an electronic ‘File Drawer’ (See  FIG. 8 ) for a complete record of each transaction. 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office Transaction Navigator  430 ,  910  (See  FIGS. 4, 9 ) automatically tracks stage of each seller, buyer, or sale for example ‘Prospect,’ ‘Listings,’ ‘Contracts,’ ‘Sold’ as activities are completed. 
     The Virtual Real Estate Office, Transaction View  435 ,  920  (See  FIGS. 4, 9 ) automatically displays summary information and organizes, tracks, and summarizes status of activities for all transactions, for example ‘signs’, ‘inspections,’ etc. and displays their status for example; ‘ordered,’ ‘past due.’ ‘completed,’ ‘approved,’ etc. 
     Virtual Real Estate Office automatically displays appropriate information about, transaction schedules, events, meetings, and status of activities in an electronic calendar  420  (See  FIGS. 4, 7 ) or screens as necessary, appropriate or expedient, for their tasks or functions. 
     Virtual Real Estate Office allows users to perform management reporting functions  430  including, for example creating summary, production, activity, analytical reports, consolidated sale transaction information for multiple sale persons or offices, production comparison reports etc. by assembling and consolidating  45  data  50  in various formats an displaying in various screens  20  for review and use by management personnel. 
     Seller Virtual Desktop 
     The Seller (Customer) Virtual Desktop  10  (See  FIGS. 3 d   ,  5 ) allows the seller to enter, receive, and send information to, and share documents with others in the sale process. The Seller Desktop contains the Collaboration Navigator  510  and Collaboration View  520  including: Address Book Unified Messaging, Instant Messaging, and Group Calendar which displays meetings, activities and events for the transaction, and the Work Area Tab Tables  550  (See  FIG. 5 ) to input and review information, and perform tasks. Seller can select a ‘tab table’ in the Work Area by clicking on it  560 , enter or view detailed information  210  in that particular table such as ‘Seller Information’ (See  FIG. 10 ), ‘Property Information’ (See  FIG. 11 ), ‘Sale Information’ (See  FIG. 14 ), or order services (See  FIG. 19 ), or view appropriate documents such as, for example, marketing, listing, sale contract, or settlement documents, etc. in the ‘File Drawer’ (See  FIG. 8 ). Information entered, documents created, or functions performed by the seller, or by the application server  45 , are saved by the application server  45  into one or more databases  50 ,  75  and are made available for further functions to be performed, and appropriate documents and information made available via a network  40  to other people participating or steps in the transaction, for example the buyer, the real estate office personnel, the mortgage lender, the settlement company and service providers, as necessary, appropriate or expedient, through an automated or manual workflow process managed by the application server  45 . 
     Specifically, the Seller (Customer) Virtual Desktop has the, following functionality: 
     Seller can enter seller(s) personal information (See  FIG. 10 ) and property information  210  (See  FIG. 11 ) and save in system  45 ,  50 ,  75 ; information is sent by the application server  45  to the Virtual Real Estate Office  20 , and made available to others via a network  40 , for example, to the Virtual Mortgage Office  30 , Service Providers  25 , and Virtual Settlement Office  35  as necessary and appropriate. 
     Seller Virtual Desktop  10  can receive and seller can review marketing materials, information and documents including, for example, letters, brochures, flyers, and a comprehensive market analysis (CMA) report sent from Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  80  (See  FIGS. 1, 3   a ). 
     Seller can receive listing agreement and documents  220  (See  FIG. 3 d   ) sent by Virtual Real Estate Office  20 , review and accept by electronic signature, save, and send back to Virtual Real Estate Office, or print, sign and deliver physically. 
     Seller Virtual Desktop can receive information on agent and prospective buyer activity entering house for viewing  95  which is displayed in activity report  231  sent from Virtual Real Estate Office  231  with buyer and agent comments. 
     Seller Virtual Desktop  10  (See  FIG. 3 d   ) can receive sale contract documents  440 ,  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) sent from Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ; seller can approve or accept, for example, by electronic signature, save and send back to Virtual Real Estate Office  255 , or print and manually accept and deliver, or make counter offer by making changes to sale contract documents, save and send back to Virtual Real Estate Office  255  ( FIG. 3 a   ), or print and manually accept and deliver counter offer; if a counter offer is made by the seller, the process is repeatable by parties negotiating the terms and conditions back and forth until final agreement; or the parties may access the sale contract documents simultaneously using application sharing and negotiate the terms and conditions on a real-time basis, and save. 
     The seller can order  385  (See  FIG. 19 ) and track services (See  FIG. 7 ) from third-party service providers  25  such as, for example home inspections, home repairs, utilities changes, moving services, etc.; all appropriate information already in system is automatically entered into appropriate fields; user can request and receive quotes (bidding) from one or more different service providers (See  FIGS. 19, 20, 21 ), select a quote and order a service, receive a confirmation from a service provider  2220  (See  FIGS. 22, 23 ), track services ordered, for example, in a calendar (See  FIG. 7 ) and receive completed service information prepared by service provider  2120  (See  FIG. 21 ). All information entered by seller, or service providers is automatically  45  entered into system databases  50 ,  75  to be used later as necessary or appropriate in the process. Alternatively quotes, bids and service information can be automatically generated from system  45 ,  50 ,  75 , for example where service provider and service information including pricing information has been previously entered into or generated by system and process  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75 . 
     Service provider can send electronic invoice for charges  2240  and the seller can send electronic payments  391  to service providers for any services. Alternatively, service billing can be generated and funds disbursed automatically  45 ,  45 W. 
     The seller can receive settlement statement sent (HUD-1)  372  and appropriate legal and title documents  368  from Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) for review prior to settlement and respond with questions, comments or changes back to Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ). 
     The seller can electronically sign settlement statement (HUD-1)  372  and appropriate legal and title documents  368  and send to settlement company  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) to conduct electronic online settlement. 
     Seller can receive final, signed settlement statement (HUD-1)  372  and appropriate title and legal documents  368  sent from Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) including electronic confirmation of settlement and all final, signed post closing and post recording documents including for example, electronic certifications or verifications as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     The seller can electronically receive sale proceeds  391  from Virtual Settlement Office  35 ,  378  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) deposited directly into an account designated by seller  393  in the Seller Virtual Desktop. 
     Seller Virtual Desktop  10  (See  FIG. 3 d   ) can save  45 ,  50 , either automatically or manually, all appropriate documentation, including for example e-mails  65 , faxes, phone messages  60 , sale contract  255 , and title, legal  338  and settlement documents  372  for a complete record of each transaction, and view in an electronic File Drawer (See  FIG. 8 ). 
     Seller Virtual Desktop automatically displays appropriate information about transaction schedules, events, meetings, and status of activities, for example, in an electronic calendar (See  FIG. 7 ) or screen as necessary, appropriate or expedient for their tasks or functions. 
     Buyer Virtual Desktop 
     The Buyer (Borrower  16 , (See  FIGS. 1 b , 1 c , 2 a   ) for refinancing) Virtual Desktop  15  (See  FIG. 3 e   ) allows the buyer to enter, receive, and send information to, and share documents with, others in the sale process (See  FIGS. 1, 2, 3   a - e ). The Buyer Desktop (See  FIG. 5 ) contains the Collaboration Navigator  510  and Collaboration View  520  including: Address Book, Unified Messaging Group, Instant Messaging &amp; Application Sharing, and Group Calendar and the Work Area  550  and Tab Tables  560  to input and review information, and perform functions. Buyer can select a ‘tab table’  560  in the Work Area by clicking on it, enter or view detailed information in that particular table such as ‘Buyer Information’ and buyer employment and financial information, (See  FIG. 12 ), ‘Sale Information’ (See  FIG. 14 ), (‘Property Information’ (See  FIG. 11 ) and existing mortgage financing for a refinancing  16 ) order services, or view documents such as the sale contract documents, mortgage documents or legal and title documents, and settlement documents, etc. in the File Drawer (See  FIG. 8 ). Information entered, documents created, or functions performed by the buyer, or by the application server  45 , are saved by the application server  45  into one or more databases  50 ,  75  and are made available for further functions to be performed, and appropriate documents and information made available to other people participating or steps in the transaction (See  FIGS. 1, 2 ), for example, the seller  10 , the real estate office personnel  20 , the mortgage lender  30 , the settlement company  35  and service providers  25 , as necessary, appropriate or expedient, through an automated or manual workflow process managed by the application server  45 . 
     Specifically, the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  (See  FIG. 3 e   ) has the following functionality: 
     The buyer can enter personal information  240  (See  FIGS. 3 e   ,  12 ), employment, and financial information  240  (See  FIGS. 12 a -12 d   ). 
     The buyer can enter property search criteria such as, for example, price, style, number of bedrooms, number of baths, location, for home purchase  240 ,  1330  (See  FIG. 3 e   ,  13 ,  13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   b ,  13   bb ), search a property database  50 ,  75  including for example a MLS Database or the Home Builder Inventory Database  85 ,  90 , and generate property search results information  245 ,  1350  (See  FIGS. 11, 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   c ) including pictures, video and maps matching buyer&#39;s property search criteria, and buyer can select one or more for viewing, and eventually one on which to submit a sale contract offer  255 . Searches and search results can be saved  50 ,  75  for use later. 
     In the case of a refinancing, borrower  16  (See  FIGS. 1 b , 1 c , 2 a   ) can also enter property information (See  FIG. 11 ) and existing mortgage information to be paid off with new financing which lender can verify  35 ,  75 ,  335 ,  340 . 
     The buyer can generate sale contract documents in Buyer Virtual Desktop  255 , if for example buyer is a ‘self-help’ buyer, or receive sale contract documents  255  from Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  255  (See  FIG. 3 a   ), if there is a real estate sales agent, review and sign, for example by electronic signature, and send back to Virtual Real Estate Office (See  FIG. 3 a   ), or print, sign and deliver physically; buyer can receive back sale contract documents from either Virtual Seller Desktop  10  (See  FIG. 3 d   ) in the case of a ‘for sale by owner,’ or the Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  255  signed by seller: if a counter offer is made by the seller, the process is repeatable by parties negotiating the terms and conditions back and forth until a final agreement; or alternatively the parties may access the contract of sale and addenda simultaneously using application sharing and negotiate the terms and conditions on a real-time basis. 
     At some point in the contract process, the buyer can elect to send from the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  (See  FIG. 3 e   ) an electronic payment of the contract of sale deposit  417  from an account designated  419  by the buyer to an escrow account previously designated in the Virtual Real Estate Office  285 ,  280  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) or to an escrow account in the Virtual Settlement Office  35 ,  378 ,  376  depending upon custom. 
     The buyer  15  (Borrower  16  (See  FIGS. 1 b , 1 c , 2 a   ) for refinancing) can enter loan search criteria, for example, including information about the buyer(s), income, debts, assets for down payment,  1630 ,  240  (See  FIGS. 12-12   d ,  16 ,  13   aa ,  13   bb ), property search criteria  1330 ,  240  (See  FIG. 3 e   ,  13 ,  13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   bb ), generate one or more property search results  245 ,  1350 , property information, or sale contract document information  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) (or Borrower  16  (See  FIGS. 1 b , 1 c , 2 a   ) for refinance can enter property information (See  FIG. 11 ) and existing mortgage financing for refinancing) and send  265  (See  FIG. 3 e   ) to one or more lenders&#39; Virtual Mortgage Offices  265  (See  FIGS. 3 b   ,  25 ) for a manual quote made by one or more lenders, or to a centralized mortgage product and pricing database and automated underwriting system  105 ,  110  (See  FIG. 1 a   ) for mortgage loan quotes and application server  45  can send loan quote results  265 ,  1660  (See  FIGS. 3 e   ,  16 ) to Buyer Virtual Desktop, to the Virtual Real Estate Office  265 ,  1660  (See  FIGS. 3 a   ,  16 ), and to respective lenders&#39; Virtual Mortgage Office  265 ,  1660  (See  FIG. 3 b   ). The users may elect to skip this step and it may be combined with the loan prequalification, preapproval application steps  270 ,  275  below to streamline the process. 
     Buyer can review mortgage loan quote results on the Buyer Virtual Desktop  265 ,  1660  (See  FIGS. 3 e   ,  16 ) and buyer can select a particular loan quote, and send a request  270  (See  FIG. 3 e   ) for prequalification or preapproval back to a particular lender  270  (See  FIG. 3 b   ). 
     Buyer can receive a loan prequalification or preapproval  270  (See  FIGS. 17, 3   e ) for a particular loan, together with other information such as, for example, mortgage loan disclosures including Good Faith Estimate, Truth in Lending, and other disclosures from lender  270  (See  FIG. 3 b   ); if necessary lender can receive back buyer&#39;s acceptance of loan prequalification or preapproval letter (See  FIG. 17 ) in Virtual Mortgage Office  270  (See  FIGS. 3 b   ,  26 ,  26   a ), and acknowledgement of receipt of any disclosure documents as necessary. The users may elect to skip this step and it may be combined with the loan application  275  steps below to streamline the process. 
     Buyer Virtual Desktop and Virtual Mortgage Office can display buyer loan prequalification, or preapproval summary information  270  (See  FIGS. 3 e , 26 a -28 a   ). 
     Buyer Virtual Desktop can display one or more loan application screens, for example, Uniform Residential Loan Application Form 1003 or equivalent  275  (See FIGS.  3   e ,  27 ) containing all appropriate buyer, property, sale and loan information already entered into or generated by system  45 ,  50 ,  75 ; or appropriate information can be entered or changed manually by buyer, and buyer can electronically sign and send to mortgage lender  275  (See  FIG. 3 b   ), or by printing and physically signing and delivering or sending by facsimile to the mortgage lender; or the buyer, lender and real estate office may access the loan application simultaneously, for example using application sharing, and jointly enter or change information on a real-time basis. 
     The loan application process may be combined with the loan quote, prequalification and preapproval steps above to streamline the process. 
     Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  275  (See  FIG. 3 e   ) can receive any verification forms including, for example, Verification of Employment. Verification of Deposit, Verification of Loan, or information required as a condition of loan sent by lender from Virtual Mortgage Office, enter and verify information, and send back to lender Virtual Mortgage Office  30 ,  275  (See  FIG. 3 b   ). 
     The buyer can send electronic payment  417  for, for example, any application, credit report or appraisal fees, etc. to lender  365  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) from Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  (See  FIG. 3 e   ). Payments can be generated automatically by system and process  45 ,  45 W. 
     Buyer Virtual Desktop can display loan application summary information  275  (See  FIGS. 3 e , 26 a , 28 a   ). 
     Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  can receive final loan approval, including summary information  275  (See  FIG. 3 e , 28 a   ) and loan documents, including, for example loan commitment, disclosures and all appropriate loan documents sent from mortgage lender&#39;s Virtual Mortgage Office  30 ,  275  (See  FIG. 3 b   ). Buyer Virtual Desktop can display approved loan summary information (See  FIG. 28 a   ). 
     The buyer can order  421  (See  FIGS. 3 e   ,  19 ) and track services (See  FIG. 7 ) from third-party service providers  25  (See  FIGS. 6, 19, 22, 23 ) such as, for example, home inspections, home repairs, utilities changes, moving &amp; storage services, etc.; all appropriate information already in system is automatically entered into appropriate fields; user can request and receive quotes, or bids  421 ,  2030  (See  FIG. 20 ) from one or more different service providers  25 ,  2130  (See  FIG. 21 ) select a quote or bid  2030  and order a service, receive a confirmation  2340  (See  FIG. 23 ) from service provider  2220  (See  FIG. 22 ), track services ordered in a calendar (See  FIG. 7 ), and receive completed service information  2120 ,  2210 . All information entered by buyer or service provider is automatically  45  entered into system databases  50 ,  75  to be used later as necessary in the process. Alternatively quotes, bids and service information can be automatically generated from system  45 ,  50 ,  75 , for example where service provider and service information including pricing information has been previously entered into or generated by system and process  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75 . 
     Service provider can send electronic invoice  417 ,  2240  (See  FIG. 22 ) for charges and the buyer can send electronic payments  417  to service providers for any services received. Alternatively, service billing can be generated and funds disbursed automatically  45 ,  45 W. 
     The buyer  15  can receive the settlement statement (HUD-1)  372  and appropriate title and legal documents  368  and loan closing documents  371  sent from Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) by settlement company for review prior to settlement and respond with questions, comments or changes back to Virtual Settlement Office. 
     The buyer can electronically sign settlement statement (HUD-1)  372  and appropriate legal and title documents  368  and loan closing documents  371  and send to settlement company  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) to conduct electronic online settlement. 
     The buyer can send funds required on settlement statement electronically  417  from a separate account  419  designated by buyer in the Buyer Virtual Desktop to settlement company Virtual Settlement Office  35 ,  378 ,  376  (See  FIG. 3 c   ). Alternatively funds can be sent automatically. 
     Buyer can receive final, signed settlement statement (HUD-1)  372  and appropriate title and legal documents  368  and loan closing documents  371  sent from Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) including electronic confirmation of settlement and all final, signed post closing and post recording documents  140 ,  382  including for example, electronic certifications or verifications as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  can save  45 ,  50 , either automatically or manually, all appropriate documentation, including for example e-mails  65 , faxes, phone messages  60 , sale contract  255 , mortgage loan  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  371  and title, legal  368  and settlement documents  372  for a complete record of each transaction, and view in an electronic File Drawer (See  FIG. 8 ). 
     Buyer Virtual Desktop automatically displays appropriate information about transaction schedules, events, meetings, and status of activities in an electronic calendar  520 , (See  FIG. 7 ) or screen as necessary, appropriate or expedient, for their tasks or functions. 
     Service Provider Virtual Desktop and Virtual Office 
     The Service Provider Virtual Desktop  25  (See  FIG. 6 ) or the Service Provider Virtual Office  25  (See  FIG. 4 ) allows service providers such as, for example, a home inspection company, appraiser, pest inspection company, mortgage insurance company, title abstractor, or surveyor to receive a request for a bid (See  FIG. 21 ), a quote, or a service (See  FIG. 22 ), respond accordingly, by providing a bid or quote  2130  (See  FIG. 21 ), confirming an order  680 ,  2220  (See  FIG. 22 ) sent to the user requesting the service  235 ,  335 ,  366 ,  385 ,  421 . The computer program will allow a service provider to access electronic forms  670 ,  2120 ,  2210  (See  FIG. 6 ) from a database of forms  50 ,  75 ,  111  appropriate to their functions, enter information and create service reports such as, for example, a pest inspection report, a mortgage insurance commitment, appraisal report or title search report (abstract of title), which can then be sent manually or automatically upon completion to the user requesting the service  235 ,  335 ,  366 ,  385 ,  421 . Information or documents generated by a service provider or by the application server  45 , are saved by the application server  45 ,  45 W into one or more databases  50 ,  75  and are made available for further functions to be performed, and appropriate documents and information made available automatically to other people participating or steps in, the transaction, for example the seller  10 , the buyer  15 , the real estate office personnel  20 , the mortgage lender  30 , the settlement company  35  and other service providers  25 , as necessary, appropriate or expedient, through an automated or manual workflow process managed by the application server  45 ,  45 W. Alternatively quotes, bids and service information can be automatically generated from system  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75  for example where service provider and service information including pricing information has been previously entered into or generated by system and process  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75 . 
     Requests for service quotes, bids, orders, or services can be done manually by users, or system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate when users perform certain tasks and processes. 
     The Service Provider Virtual Desktop  25  (See  FIG. 6 ) contains the Collaboration Navigator  610  and Collaboration View  620  for communication with others in the transaction, and the Calendar (See  FIG. 7 ) which displays information about appointments, or deadlines pertaining to the service provided. 
     The Service Provider Virtual Desktop also includes Work Area  650  (See  FIG. 6 ) and Tab Tables  660  (See  FIGS. 21, 22 ). A service provider can select a ‘tab table’ in the Work Area  660  (See  FIGS. 21, 22 ), view information in that particular table for example ‘Order Information’ (See  FIGS. 21-22 ) which contains order and service information, or buyer (See  FIG. 12 ), seller (See  FIG. 10 ), property (See  FIG. 11 ) and transaction information, and other Tab Tables to enter information and perform functions necessary to respond to an order for the service requested, and send to the particular requesting user. The service provider can designate a financial account and, can send electronic invoice for charges  2240 , and the party requesting service can send electronic payments  285 ,  365 ,  378 ,  391 ,  417  for any services performed. Alternatively, service billing can be generated and funds disbursed automatically  45 ,  45 W. 
     Alternatively, the Service Provider can also use a Service Provider Virtual Office configuration (See  FIG. 4 ) containing the Transaction Navigator  430  and Transactions View  435 , if, for example, the Service Provider is a frequent user of the system and wishes to have these features to keep track of more than one order. In some embodiments, all the other features and functions of the Service Provider Virtual Desktop described herein are available and can be performed from the Service Provider Virtual Office, and visa versa. In addition, a service provider can request services from additional third-party service providers, such as, for example a home improvement contractor requesting services from a landscaper. 
     Specifically, the Service Provider Virtual Desktop (See  FIG. 6 ) or Service Provider Virtual Office (See  FIG. 4 ) has the following functionality: the service provider  25  can receive a request for a bid, a quote (See  FIG. 21 ) or order for service (See  FIG. 22 ) and respond by providing a bid  2130 , a quote or confirm an order  680 ,  2220 ,  2340  (See  FIG. 22 ); the service provider can receive all information  460 ,  660  stored in or available from the system  45 ,  50 ,  75  as necessary, appropriate or expedient, for their tasks or functions; the service provider can access electronic forms  111 ,  440 ,  670 ,  2120 ,  2210  (See  FIG. 6 ) appropriate to their functions such as, for example a pest inspection report, title abstracting report, appraisal report  2120 ,  2210 , enter information and create service reports, electronically sign if appropriate; the service provider can create billing or invoice information  2240  for the service provided, the service provider can send service reports or confirmation of completed service and billing information, if any, to user requesting such service (See  FIGS. 1, 1   b ); the computer process can save all service information  45 ,  50 ,  75  to be used in the process as necessary, appropriate or expedient; the service provider can receive payment for any charges for services electronically from separate account designated by user requesting service  285 ,  365 ,  378 ,  391 ,  417  to a separate account designated by a service provider; the service provider can save  45 ,  50 , either automatically or manually, all appropriate documentation, including for example e-mails  65 , faxes, phone messages  60 , sale contract, mortgage loan and title, legal and settlement documents for a complete record of each transaction, and view in an electronic File Drawer (See  FIG. 8 ); can automatically display appropriate information about transaction schedules, events, meetings, and status of activities is automatically displayed in an electronic calendar (See  FIG. 7 ) or screen as necessary, appropriate or expedient, for their tasks or functions. Alternatively quotes, bids and service information can be automatically generated from system  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75  for example where service provider and service information including pricing information has been previously entered into or generated by system and process  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75 . 
     Virtual Mortgage Office 
     The Virtual Mortgage Office  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) will allow one or more persons including, for example the mortgage loan officer, loan processor, loan underwriter and loan closer to perform all tasks and activities associated with completion of the loan origination process from one comprehensive computer program; receive, communicate and exchange information with buyer  15  (See  FIG. 3 e   ), real estate agent or builder  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ), receive loan search criteria  240  and send loan quotes  265 , pre-qualify or pre-approve borrower  270  receive and enter loan application information  275  order and track verifications  340 , and services such as, for example, appraisals  114 , mortgage insurance, and credit reports  112 ,  335 , underwrite, either manually  300  or using an automated loan underwriting  110  process, approve the loan, and generate  120 , send and save loan documents  50 ,  75 ,  275  including disclosures. Information entered, documents generated, or functions performed by the mortgage office personnel, or by the application server  45 ,  45 W are saved by the application server  45  into one or more databases  50 ,  75  and are made available for further functions to be performed, and appropriate documents and information made available to other people participating or steps in the transaction, for example the buyer  15 , the seller  10 , the real estate office personnel  20 , the settlement company  35  and service providers  25 , as necessary, appropriate or expedient, through an automated or manual workflow process managed by the application server  45 . 
     Specifically, the Virtual Mortgage Office has the following functionality: 
     The Virtual Mortgage Office  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) receives through the application server(s)  45  loan search criteria information  240 ,  1630  (See  FIG. 25 ) including, for example, the type of transaction, buyer(s) employment, and financial information, income, debts, assets for down payment  1630  (See  FIGS. 12, 13   aa ,  13   bb ,  13   b ,  16 ), property search criteria  240 ,  1330  (See  FIGS. 13, 13   aa ,  13   bb ), one or more property search results  245 ,  1350 , sale contract information  255  (See  FIGS. 14, 15 ), property information (See  FIG. 11 ), type of loan product of interest entered into the Virtual Real Estate Office  240 ,  265  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) by the real estate agent, or into the Buyer Virtual Desktop  240 ,  1330 ,  1630  (See  FIGS. 3 e   ,  13 ,  13   aa ,  13   bb ) by the buyer for loan quotes  1660  (See  FIGS. 3 e   ,  13 ,  13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   b ,  13   bb ,  25 ); or mortgage personnel user can enter manually into screens, for example taking information on phone call or with borrower physically present. The users may elect to skip this step and it may be combined with the loan application steps below  270 ,  275  to streamline the process. 
     Mortgage personnel can manually enter and display qualifying loan products and pricing information  265  (See  FIG. 25 a   ) meeting for example loan search criteria information  240  (See  FIG. 25 ) including, for example, the type of transaction, buyer(s) employment, and financial information, income, debts, assets for down payment  1630  (See  FIGS. 12, 13   aa ,  13   bb ,  16 ), property search criteria  1330  (See  FIGS. 13, 13   aa ,  13   bb ), one or more property search results  245 ,  1350 , sale contract, information  255  (See  FIGS. 14, 15 ), property information (See  FIG. 11 ), type of loan product of interest, or alternatively loan search criteria information is sent by application sever  45  to ancillary product and pricing database  50 ,  75 ,  105  and ‘automated underwriting’ (AU) programs  110  retrieving and displaying qualifying loan products and pricing information, loan quotes meeting buyer/borrower loan search criteria and transaction criteria  240  (See  FIG. 25 a   ). The users may elect to skip this step and it may be combined with the loan application steps, below, to streamline the process. 
     Loan quotes  265  meeting loan search criteria are sent back manually or by application server  45  and displayed (See  FIG. 16 ) in Virtual Mortgage Office  30 ,  265 ,  1660  (See  FIGS. 3 b   ,  16 ,  25   a ), the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  265 ,  1660  (See  FIGS. 3 e , 13 a   ,  13   aa ,  16 ,  25 ) and Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  265 ,  1660  ( FIGS. 3 a   ,  16 ) from which buyer can select a quote  1660  and send a prequalification or preapproval request to the lender  270 . 
     The Virtual Mortgage Office  30  receives from the application server  45  the prequalification or pre-approval request  270  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) sent from Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  270 ,  1660 ,  1670  (See  FIG. 3 e   ,  13   aa ) or Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  270 ,  1660 ,  1670  (See  FIGS. 3 a   .  13   aa .  16 ). 
     Personnel  30  can manually or the application, server  45  can automatically create, save and send loan prequalification or preapproval letter (See  FIG. 17 ) to Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  270  and Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  270  including, for example, any Good Faith Estimate, Truth in Lending, and other disclosures, and summary loan information is displayed (See  FIG. 18 ) in the Virtual Mortgage Office (See  FIG. 3 b   ), Buyer Virtual Desktop (See  FIG. 3 e   ), and Virtual Real Estate Office (See  FIG. 3 a   ). 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) can if necessary receive buyer/borrower&#39;s electronically signed acceptance of loan prequalification or preapproval letter or agreement (See  FIG. 17 ) and any other documents necessary  270  from buyer/borrower either from the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  or Virtual Real Estate Office  20 . 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30  can display prequalification or preapproval summary information (See  FIGS. 26 a , 28 a   ). 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) can display one or more loan application screens  275  (See  FIG. 27 ) for example a Uniform Residential Loan Application Form 1003 or equivalent containing all appropriate buyer, property, sale and loan information already entered into or generated by the process and system  50 ,  75 , or user can enter and save information manually, for example taking information on phone call or with buyer present; or buyer and real estate agent may access loan application screens and enter or change information directly from the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  275 , (See  FIGS. 3 e   ,  27 ) or Virtual Real Estate Office  275  (See  FIGS. 3 a   ,  27 ) or, the buyer, lender and real estate office may access the loan application simultaneously, for example using application sharing, and jointly enter or change information on a real-time basis. 
     The loan application process may be combined with the loan quote, prequalification and preapproval steps above to streamline the process. 
     Virtual Mortgage Office can send  340  any request for verification forms  120  required as a condition of loan to Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  275  and receive back information or documents completed and electronically signed by buyer/borrower. 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30  can send requests for verification  340  including, for example, Verification of Employment, Verification of Deposit, Verification of Loan, etc. to appropriate third-parties electronically, for example, by sending e-mail with directions to a URL to confirm information which third-parties, such as banks, lenders, creditors can access to review, change, add or verify information, electronically sign and return, and Virtual Mortgage Office  30  can receive back electronically signed verification responses  340  (See  FIG. 3 b   ). 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30  can receive electronic payment of any mortgage, credit report or appraisal fees  365  from buyer/borrower from Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  417  (See  FIG. 3 e   ). 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30 , Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 , and Virtual Real Estate Office  20  can display loan application summary information (See  FIG. 28 a   ). 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30  can order  335 , (See  FIG. 19 ) and track  2420  (See  FIGS. 24, 7 ) services from third-party service providers  25 , either manually or automatically such as, for example, appraisal, mortgage insurance, tax and flood certifications, credit information and scores, or settlement services, or receive information from ancillary databases  112 ,  114 ,  115 ,  125 ,  130 ,  135 ,  140  (See  FIG. 1 a   ) either directly  75  or through an automated underwriting system  110 ; all appropriate information already in system is automatically entered into appropriate fields in request forms; or user can request and receive quotes or bids from one or more different service providers  25  (See  FIGS. 20, 21 ), select a quote or bid  2030  and order a service, receive a confirmation from service provider  2340  (See  FIGS. 23 ), track services ordered  2420  (See  FIGS. 7, 24 ), and receive completed service information and documents  335 ,  2210 ,  2120 . All information entered into electronic Service Provider Desktop or Virtual Office  25 , (See  FIGS. 21, 22 ), or reports  2120 ,  2210  or from ancillary databases or systems  75 ,  112 ,  114 ,  115 ,  125 ,  130 ,  135  (See  FIG. 1 a   ) is automatically entered by application server  45 ,  45 W into system databases  50 ,  75  to be used later as necessary in the process for the particular loan. Alternatively quotes, bids and service information can be automatically generated from system  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75 , for example where service provider and service information including pricing information has been previously entered into or generated by system and process  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75 . 
     Service provider  25  can send electronic invoice  2240  for charges and the lender can receive and send electronic payments  365  to third-party service providers for any service charges. Alternatively, service billing can be generated and funds disbursed automatically  45 ,  45 W. 
     The mortgage lender can manually underwrite the loan  275 ,  300  (See  FIGS. 3 b   ,  28 ), or application server  45  can send final loan application information including, for example type of transaction, buyer/borrower, sale, property, and type loan-product, and any credit, appraisal, mortgage insurance, etc. information to an automated underwriting program  110  (See  FIGS. 1 a , 3 b   ), including credit reporting systems  112 , automated appraisal  114  and automated mortgage insurance underwriting and approval  115 , and receive back final underwriting approval (See  FIG. 28 ) with any conditions (or rejection). 
     The program sends loan information package including, for example, transmittal, appraisal, loan application, and credit report to third-party mortgage investor  25 ,  345 , including for example Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae for investor purchase commitment with conditions if loan is to be sold to investor or marketed on the secondary market. 
     Final underwriting review and approval of loan can be done manually  300  or automatically  110  (See  FIGS. 28, 28   a ) and can be approved or rejected with conditions. 
     Final underwriting results and approval (or rejection) including conditions are presented to lender in Virtual Mortgage Office  30 ,  275  (See  FIGS. 3 b   ,  28 ,  28   a ). 
     Computer program displays summary loan information in the Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  275  (See  FIGS. 3 e , 28 a   ) and Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  275  (See  FIGS. 28 a   ) and the Virtual Mortgage Office  30 ,  275  (See  FIGS. 3 d   ,  28 ,  28   a ). 
     Computer program  45  sends approved loan information to mortgage document database  50 ,  75 ,  120  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) and prepares and sends, for example, loan commitment, instructions and loan documents including any necessary ‘disclosures’ to the ‘Virtual Mortgage Office’ for review, additions or corrections  275 , if any, and saves for display (See  FIG. 8 ) in File Drawer. 
     Appropriate loan documents including, for example commitment, Good Faith Estimate, Truth in Lending, and other disclosures loan terms and conditions to are sent  275  either manually or automatically by application server  45  to all appropriate parties, including. Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  and ‘Virtual Real Estate Office’  20  for review and acceptance by buyer/borrower  275  (See  FIG. 3 e   ). 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30  receives back any loan documents  275 , including for example, any Good Faith Estimate, Truth in Lending, and other disclosures accepted and electronically signed by buyer from Buyer Virtual Desktop  15 ,  275  or Virtual Real Estate Office  20 ,  275 . 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30  can prepare appropriate loan closing documents  120 ,  371  including, for example commitment, disclosures, note, deed of trust or mortgage, loan terms and conditions, settlement instructions, including electronic signatures, are sent  275  either manually, or automatically by application server  45 ,  45 W to Virtual Settlement Office  371  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) for settlement. 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) can receive, for example, settlement statement (HUD-1) and appropriate title, legal and settlement documents  368 ,  372  sent from Virtual Settlement Office  35  for review prior to settlement, and respond with questions, comments, approvals, electronic signatures, or changes back to Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ). 
     Lender can send electronic payment, of mortgage funds  365  to the Virtual Settlement Office  378 ,  376  for disbursement according to settlement instructions. 
     The lender personnel  30  can electronically approve settlement statement (HUD-1)  372  and appropriate legal and title documents  368  and send to settlement company  35  to conduct electronic online settlement. 
     Virtual Mortgage Office (See  FIG. 3 b   ) can receive final, signed settlement statement (HUD-1)  372 , appropriate loan closing documents  371  and appropriate title and legal documents  368  sent from Virtual Settlement Office  35 , (See  FIG. 3 c   ), including electronic confirmation of settlement and all final, signed post closing and post recording  140 ,  382  documents including for example, electronic certifications or verifications as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     Lender personnel  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) or application  45 ,  45 W can automatically enter all appropriate information about the loan  50 ,  75 , including a complete electronic ‘file’ of all documents into one or more mortgage loan servicing systems  122 . 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) can save  50 ,  75  either automatically  45 ,  45 W or manually, all appropriate documentation including for example e-mails  65 , faxes  60 , phone messages  60 , sale contract  255 , mortgage loan  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  371  and title, legal and settlement documents  368 ,  372  for a complete record of each transaction, and view in an electronic File Drawer (See  FIG. 8 ). 
     Virtual Mortgage Office Transaction Navigator  430 ,  2410  (See  FIGS. 4, 24 ) automatically tracks stages of each transaction, for example ‘Loan Prospect,’ ‘Prequalified,’ ‘Preapproved,’ ‘Application,’ ‘Approved,’ ‘Settled,’ etc. 
     Virtual Mortgage Office Transaction View  435 ,  2420  (See  FIGS. 4, 24 ) automatically tracks, organizes, and summarizes status of activities for all transactions, for example ‘appraisal,’ ‘credit score,’ etc. and displays the status for example ‘ordered,’ ‘past due,’ ‘received,’ ‘approved,’ etc. 
     Virtual Mortgage Office  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) also automatically displays appropriate information about transaction schedules, events, meetings, and status of activities in an electronic calendar (See  FIG. 7 ) or screen as necessary, appropriate or expedient for their tasks or functions. 
     Virtual Settlement Office 
     The Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) will allow the settlement company personnel to perform all their tasks and activities associated with completion of the title and settlement process from one comprehensive computer program; enter, receive, communicate and exchange  45  information with seller  10 , buyer  15 , real estate agent or builder  20 , mortgage lender  30  and service providers  25  (See  FIGS. 1, 2, 3   c ) order and track services  366 ,  2920  such as surveys, title searches, and loan payoff information and create and save settlement  372 , title and legal documents  368  and receive and disburse settlement proceeds  378  electronically. Information entered, documents created, or functions performed by the settlement office personnel, or by the application server  45  or from ancillary databases and systems  75 , are saved by the application server  45  into one or more databases  50 ,  75  and are made available for further functions to be performed, and documents and information made available to other people participating or steps in the transaction (See  FIGS. 1, 2 ), including for example the seller  10 , the buyer  15 , the real estate office personnel  20 , the mortgage lender  30 , and service providers  25 , as necessary, appropriate or expedient, through an automated or manual workflow process managed by the application server  45 ,  45 W. 
     Specifically, the Virtual Settlement Office has the following functionality: 
     The Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) can either manually or automatically receive  45 ,  45 W request for a quote, bid, or settlement order (See  FIGS. 3 c   ,  29 ,  30 ) including information on the buyer (See  FIG. 12 ), seller (See  FIG. 10 ), property (See  FIG. 11 ), sale information (See  FIG. 14 ) including sale contract information and documents  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) and mortgage loan information and documents  371  from the Seller Virtual Desktop,  10  Buyer Virtual Desktop,  15  Virtual Real Estate Office  20  or Virtual Mortgage Office  30  via the network  40 , or user can enter information on screens manually, for example taking information by phone. 
     The Virtual Settlement Office user  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) can generate, quotes, bids or confirm order manually (See  FIG. 30 ). Alternatively quotes, bids and service information can be automatically generated from system  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75 , for example where settlement service provider and service information including pricing information has been previously entered into or generated by system and process  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75 . 
     The Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) can generate quotes, bids or order  366  (See  FIG. 19 ) and track  2920  (See  FIGS. 29, 7 ) services from third-party service providers  25 , either manually or automatically  45 ,  45 W such as, for example title search (title abstract), real estate tax information, HOA documents, a loan payoff statement, and survey services, or request and, receive information from ancillary databases  75 ,  130 ,  135 ,  140 ; all appropriate information already in system is automatically entered into appropriate fields; user select a quote or bid  2030  and order a service, receive a confirmation from service provider  2340  (See  FIGS. 20, 21, 23 ), track services ordered  2920  (See  FIGS. 7, 29 ), and receive completed service information  2120 ,  2210 . All service information  2120 ,  2210  is automatically entered by application server  45 ,  45 W into system databases  50 ,  75  to be used later as necessary, appropriate or expedient in the process. Alternatively quotes, bids and service information can be automatically generated from system  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75  for example where service provider and service information including pricing information has been previously entered into or generated by system and process  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75 . 
     Service provider can send electronic invoice  2240  for charges and the settlement company can send electronic payments  378  to third-party service providers for any services. Alternatively, service billing can be generated and funds disbursed automatically  45 ,  45 W. 
     Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) can receive settlement instructions  371  and all mortgage loan closing documents  371  from the lender Virtual Mortgage Office  30  as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     Virtual Settlement Office  35  can receive  378  (See  FIG. 33 ) mortgage proceeds from the lender  30 ,  365  (See  FIG. 3 b   ). 
     Application server  45 ,  45 W can access databases  50 ,  75  and automatically enter information, for example real estate tax perorations, recording and transfer charges, service charges, etc. into for example the settlement statement (HUD-1), including performing all usual calculations and prorations normally performed in preparing the settlement statement, and all settlement documents  372  (See  FIG. 32 ), and other title and legal documents, such as, for example title report, title commitment and title policy (See  FIG. 31 ), affidavits, deeds, recording forms, etc.  368 ,  382  as necessary, appropriate or expedient or user can enter, change or add information manually. 
     System and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically enter appropriate information  50 ,  75  in system, for example, the buyer, seller, property, sale, mortgage loan information, title information  140 , real estate tax information  130 , transfer taxes and recording charge information  135 , including information generated from services providers  25 ,  366  such as, for example, loan pay-off amounts, survey charges, title or abstract charges, automatically into, for example, all legal and title documents and other closing and recording documents for example title report, title commitment and title policy (See  FIG. 31 ), affidavits, deeds, recording forms, etc.  368 ,  382  and into the settlement statement (HUD-1) and other settlement documents,  372  (See  FIG. 32 ), including performing all usual calculations normally performed in preparing the settlement statement  372  (See  FIG. 32 ) as necessary, appropriate or expedient or user can enter, change or add information manually. 
     System and process  45 ,  45 W causes the settlement statement (HUD-1) and other settlement documents  372  (See  FIG. 32 ) to exchange information with an escrow accounting system  376  (See  FIGS. 3 c   ,  33 ,  34 ) allowing user to perform complete escrow and accounting functions  376  including, for example, electronic receipts, disbursements, reconciliation, statements and reports  378  (See  FIG. 34 ) as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     Virtual Settlement Office user  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) can through the application server  45  send appropriate loan closing documents  371 , settlement statement (HUD-1) and settlement documents  372  and all appropriate title and legal documents such as, for example, the title insurance binder, title report, commitment or policy  368  to the Seller Virtual Desktop  10  Buyer Virtual Desktop  15  Virtual Real Estate Office  20  and Virtual Mortgage Office  30  for review and approval by respective parties prior to settlement. 
     Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) can conduct on-line settlement through application server  45 ,  45 W with for example one or more of a buyer  15 , seller  10 , lender  30  or others with, for example, electronic signatures of all loan closing documents  371 , settlement  372 , title and legal documents  368  including for example using real-time application sharing as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     System and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate funds, such as for example receipt of mortgage funds from the lender  20 ,  365  and buyer  15 ,  417  funds, send to settlement provider  35 ,  378  (See  FIGS. 3 b   ,  33 ), and automatically generate disbursements such as, for example service provider charges, seller proceeds, real estate broker fees, real estate taxes, governmental recording and transfer charges, real estate taxes, water charges, utility charges and loan payoffs to third-party lenders  378  (See  FIGS. 3 c   ,  33 ,  34 ). 
     System and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate and Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) can receive any for example third-party loan payoff documents, certificate of satisfaction, appropriately marked as paid and satisfied in full, including electronic signatures, and any documents for releasing any third-party loan liens of record electronically. 
     System and process  45 ,  45 W and/or Virtual Settlement Office  35 . (See  FIG. 3 c   ) can automatically send all documents or information, including for example deed, mortgage, certificate of satisfaction, affidavits, governmental recording forms to, for example, appropriate public land record, court or other databases or systems for electronic recording and releasing of documents in public records  75 ,  140 ,  382  (See  FIGS. 35, 3   c ) as necessary, appropriate or expedient, and automatically receive back electronic certifications or verifications of recording and releasing of documents from the appropriate governmental departments or agencies. 
     System and process  45 ,  45 W and/or Virtual Settlement Office  35 , (See  FIG. 3 c   ) can automatically send confirmation of settlement and recording, including all final, signed post closing and post recording documents to appropriate parties including, for example buyer, seller, lender, or third-party payoff lenders (See  FIG. 36 ) including for example, electronic certifications or verifications as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) can save  45 ,  45 W,  50 , either automatically or manually, all appropriate documentation, including title documents, HUD-1, e-mails  65 , faxes, phone messages  60 , sale contract documents  255  and loan closing documents  371 , title, legal  368 , and settlement  372  documents for a complete record of each transaction, and users can view in an electronic File Drawer (See  FIG. 8 ) as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) Transaction Navigator  430 ,  2910  (See  FIGS. 4, 29 ) automatically tracks stage of each transaction, for example New Order, Scheduled, Settled, etc. 
     Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) Transaction View  435 ,  2920  (See  FIGS. 4, 29 ) automatically tracks, organizes, and summarizes status of for example, tasks and activities for all transactions, for example Abstract, Survey, HOA Documents, etc. and displays the status for example ordered, received, approved, past due, etc. 
     Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) also automatically displays appropriate information about transaction schedules, events, meetings, and status of activities in an electronic calendar (See  FIG. 7 ) or screens as necessary, appropriate or expedient 
     Automating, Combining, Simplifying or Modifying Processes 
     In further description of the preferred embodiments of the invention herein, this complicated processes can be simplified, streamlined and made more user friendly by the invention by combining, eliminating one or more tasks and processes, or generating information automatically or allowing tasks and processes to be performed in a more understandable and efficient manner. The invention allows the system and process  45 ,  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  45 W to perform multiple tasks and processes automatically, including where possible simultaneously, with dynamically changing screens for users so that, for example requests for information and steps are presented automatically to users  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 ,  59  as they or the process  45 ,  45 W perform or complete tasks and processes. 
     For example, at any time in the process, when sufficient information, for example, one or more of seller, property, buyer personal, employment and financial information, sale contract information, mortgage loan information, or service information has been generated by users or process and system necessary to perform any other tasks and processes or generate any document or information, and any prior necessary conditions, tasks or processes are satisfied or completed, process and system  45 ,  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  45 W can automatically one or more of generate additional information, display screens, prompt users to perform or perform automatically one or more subsequent, tasks or processes, including combining and performing more than one tasks or processes  45 ,  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  45 W simultaneously, as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention the process can combine a property search, loan search and search for information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property in one simplified, streamlined, automated process  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  (See  FIG. 1 j   ), for example: 
     for example, when buyer first enters the process, for example, through an Internet ‘portal’ or Website  5  (See  FIG. 1 e   ), real estate broker or agent Website  5 , (See  FIG. 1 f   ), or a mortgage lender search site, or a mortgage lender site  159  (See  FIG. 1 g   ) or in any manner, indicates they are a buyer  156 ,  157 ,  158 ,  159 , or at any time, at one or more times, or at separate times; process and system can for example automatically prompt buyer to perform, for example, by generating one or more pop-up, screen, additional fields, button, audio message, ‘chat’ screen, VoIP application, video-conference application, ‘application sharing,’ sending a message, or otherwise prompting buyer (See  FIG. 1 i   ) to enter information, or perform automatically  45  and where possible simultaneously or at one or more times, one or more of the following tasks and processes; 
     for example, prompt buyer to enter one or more property search criteria, for example price range, property type, location, for example, city, state, zip code, number of bedrooms and baths, etc.  240 ,  1330 , (See  FIGS. 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   b ,  13   bb ) and loan search criteria, for example loan type, monthly debt payments (MoDP), money for down payment and closing costs (MfDP&amp;CC), credit information, employment information, financial information, property will be what type of occupancy, e.g. principal residence, etc.  240 ,  1630  (See  FIGS. 13 b   ,  13   bb ,  16 ); 
     alternatively, buyer can also be prompted to enter service search criteria information  1920  to request one or more of a service quote, bid, order, task or process, or service information, or alternatively process and system can generate one or more service quote, bid, order, task or process, or service information automatically from one or more property search criteria  240 ,  1330  and loan search criteria  240 ,  1630 ; 
     for example, alternatively, one or more property search criteria  240 ,  1330 , loan search criteria  240 ,  1630 , or service search criteria  1920 , can be entered in whole or in part by others in the process, for example, by a real estate agent  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) or loan officer  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ), including for example, while on the phone, using ‘application sharing,’ or a ‘chat’ process; 
     for example, the process and system, either simultaneously, or at different times, generate from one or more sources information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property, for example, information from  45 D databases and systems  50 ,  75 , including one or more property database (PD),  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 , loan product and pricing database (P&amp;PDB)  50 ,  75 ,  105 , service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75  and other information  59  (See  FIG. 1 j   ); 
     for example, the process performs automated loan underwriting (AU)  110  on one or more combinations of information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property, for example, one or more property search criteria  240 ,  1330 , loan search criteria  240 ,  1630 , service search criteria  1920 , loan information  50 ,  75 ,  105 , property information  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90  information from one or more databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75 , and other information  59  (See  FIG. 1 j   ); 
     loan underwriting criteria and process can be, for example, part of loan product and pricing information  105  or part of an internal  45  or separate loan underwriting process  110 ; 
     for example, process tests and filters  45 J one or more combinations of information which match, for example, buyer property search criteria  240 ,  1330 , buyer loan search criteria  240 ,  1630 , service search criteria if entered by buyer or others  1920 , loan product and pricing information  105 , and loan underwriting criteria  105 ,  110 ; 
     for example, process  45 D searches a loan product and pricing database (P&amp;PDB)  50 ,  75 ,  105  and preliminarily generates loan product and pricing information and underwriting criteria  105 ,  110  for loan products matching one or more of buyer property search criteria  240  or property information  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 ,  245  and loan search criteria  240 ; alternatively, process can request and generate loan information from one or more lenders  30 ,  59  which can be provided automatically or manually in whole or in part; 
     for example, process searches  45 D property database (PDB)  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90  and preliminarily generates one or more property information including for example; location, property type, sale price (SP), hazard insurance ( 1 ), home owner association information (HOA), county and city real estate taxes (T), or other costs or information associated with purchasing and owning a property  50 ,  75 ; alternatively, for example, process can search for and test entire property database PD  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 , search for and test properties matching property search criteria  240 , for example by price range, or search and test properties using other criteria generated by process, for example, by preliminarily estimating a price range borrower is likely to be able to afford based upon preliminary underwriting  110  for one or more possible loan products  105 : 
     for example, process can search  450  one or more sources of information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property including, for example, databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 , or other information  59  and generate one or more information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service, transfer title to a property, or ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property preliminarily matching one or more combinations of buyer property search criteria  240 , buyer loan search criteria  240 , service search criteria if entered by buyer or others  1920 , loan product and pricing information  50 ,  75 ,  105 , property information  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 , and other information generated from databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75 , or other information  59 , or other sources; information can include for example one or more bid, quote, price, order, or service information, individual or bundled services, for example home inspection, survey, settlement services, home owner warranty HOW, or other ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property, etc.; service providers  20 ,  25 ,  35 , or others  59  can enter bid, quote, price or service information in advance  50 ,  75  for bid, quote, price, order or service information to be generated automatically, or bid, quote, price, order or service information can be entered manually by users  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  59  on a case-by-case basis; for example, the process can automatically search  45 D, and filter  45 J for one or more lowest bids, quotes or prices, or other desirable criteria; 
     for example, process performs tests and filters  45 J one or more combinations of information, for example, loan product information  50 ,  75 ,  105 , property information  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90  information from databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75 , or other information  59  to determine whether one or more combinations match buyer property search criteria  240 , buyer loan search criteria  240 , service search criteria if entered by buyer or others  1920 , and loan underwriting criteria  105 ,  110  for one or more loan products  50 ,  75 ,  105  including performing one or more automated underwriting processes  110 , including for example: 1. determining ability or willingness of borrower to repay a loan i.e. credit worthiness  112 , 2. determining adequacy of property as security for repayment of loan, for example, an appraisal  114  of a property, 3. generating loan information including one or more of a loan quote, prequalification, preapproval, approval, or document information  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  345 ,  371 , or 4. generating ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property for one or more combinations of property information  245 ,  1350 , loan information  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  1660 , and other information  1360 ,  2030 , for example; 
     for example, for one or more loan products  50 ,  75 ,  105 , process generates  45 D one more of loan product and pricing information and underwriting criteria  105 ,  110  including for example credit criteria, for example, minimum FICO score or range, loan type, for example 30 year-fixed rate, interest rate (I), for example 6%, debt service constant (DSC), for example 0.0059955, maximum front-end ratio (MaxFE %), maximum back-end ratio (MaxBE %), maximum loan-to-value (MaxLTV), for example 95%, loan-to-value requiring mortgage insurance (MIP), for example LTV&gt;80%, and mortgage insurance factor (MIF), maximum loan amount (MaxLA), for example $417,000, type of occupancy property will be, for example principal residence, etc. (See  FIGS. 1 m , 1 n   ) This loan product and pricing information and underwriting criteria is entered in advance into, for example, one or more of a loan product and pricing database (P&amp;PDB)  50 ,  75 ,  105  or an automated underwriting process  110  for one or more particular loan products. Other types of loan product and pricing, information, database structure, and underwriting criteria and processes can be provided for, for example, risk-based pricing. 
     for example, using property sale price and other property information  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90  and borrower money for down payment and closing costs (MIDP&amp;CC)  240 ,  1330  process  45 D,  45 J,  110  calculates, using for example an ‘iterative calculation process,’ (See  FIGS. 1 q -1 u   ) a loan amount (LA) and closing costs &amp; prepaid items (CC&amp;PPI) for example, sale price (SP)—money for down payment and closing costs MfDP&amp;CC=loan amount (LA)—closing costs &amp; prepaid items (CC&amp;PPI) (See  FIGS. 1 j , 1 q -1 u   ); 
     for example, for one or more combinations of loan information  50 ,  75 ,  105  and property information  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 , information from databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75 , or other information  59  to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property, process generates for example, sale price, interest rate, debt service constant, mortgage insurance factor, real estate taxes  130 , hazard insurance premium (I), credit score  112 , appraisal  114 , recording and transfer charges  135 , settlement charges  35 , survey cost, HOA assessments  50 ,  75 ,  25  etc.; for example, process performs appropriate calculations for example ‘good faith estimate’ (GFE)  1660  or settlement statement (HUD-1)  372  (See  FIG. 32 ) calculations and calculates for example one or more of a loan amount (LA), closing costs and prepaid items (CC&amp;PPI) (See  FIGS. 1 j , 1 q -1 u   ) or ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property; performing calculations for ‘good faith estimate’ (GFE)  1660  or settlement statement (HUD-1)  372  for closing costs and prepaid items (CC&amp;PPI) (See  FIGS. 1 p -1 s   ) can be performed as part of a automated loan underwriting process  110  independently from or as part of a Virtual Mortgage Office  30  and Virtual Settlement Office  35 , or other  59  processes; 
     for example, process performs underwriting process and tests information  45 D,  45 J,  110  to determine if one or more combinations of information meet a loan product underwriting criteria, (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ); 
     for example, process  45 D,  45 J,  110  tests credit information against minimum credit criteria, for example, if FICO credit score &gt; or = minimum FICO score or =FICO range for loan product; Yes or No (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ); process can alternatively use credit information provided by borrower  240  or generate credit information, for example from credit agencies, from service providers  25  or databases and systems  50 ,  75 ,  112 ; credit information can include for example, credit score  112 , or other equivalent information to test borrower&#39;s credit worthiness and willingness and ability to repay a loan; lenders will have previously entered for example credit criteria for loan products in loan product and pricing database (P&amp;PDB)  105  with other loan underwriting criteria information for particular loan products or into automated underwriting process  110 ; 
     for example, process calculates if loan, amount LA &lt; or = Max. LA for Loan Product (e.g. $417,000), Yes or No (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ); 
     alternatively, process can, for example, employ an automated appraisal  114  process to test and filter property information generated  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90  to determine if appraised value (AV) &gt; or = sale price (SP) for underwriting purposes to determine adequacy of property value as security for loan, and for example, process can use the lesser of sale price (SP) or appraised value (AV); 
     for example, process calculates loan-to-value (LTV)=loan amount (LA)/sale price SP (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ), and for example, process calculates if loan-to-value LTV &lt; or = Max. LTV for loan product (e.g. 90%, 95%), Yes or No (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ); 
     for example, process calculates if loan-to-value (LTV) requires mortgage insurance (MI), for example, LTV&gt;Max Loan to Value w/o MI (Yes, No); If Yes, process calculates mortgage insurance premium MI=loan amount (LA) x mortgage insurance factor (MIF) (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ); 
     for example, process calculates monthly debt service PI=loan amount (LA)×debt service constant (DSC) (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ); 
     for example, process calculates housing payment HP=PI+TI+HOA+MI, where housing payment (HP)=monthly debt service (PI)+taxes &amp; insurance (TI), +homeowner association assessment (HOA)+mortgage insurance premium (MI) (if applicable) (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ); 
     for example, process calculates max, housing payment (MaxHP) for loan product=Lesser of: “Max. Front-End Housing Payment” (MaxFEHP)=Monthly Income (GMoInc)×“Max Front End Ratio” (MaxFE %) for loan product e.g. 25%, 28%, or “Max. Back-End Housing Payment” (MaxBEHP)=Monthly Income (GMoInc)×‘Max. Back End Ratio’ (MaxBE %) for loan product e.g. 30%, 33%,−Monthly Debt Payments (MoDP) (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ); 
     for example, process calculates if housing payment (HP) &lt; or = max, housing payment (MaxHP) for particular loan product, Yes or No (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ); 
     process can include, for example, a mortgage investor approval to be performed either manually or automatically, in whole or in part  345 ; Yes or No; 
     for example, process calculates if sale price (SP) &lt; or = loan amount (LA)+MfDP&amp;CC−CC&amp;PPI, Yes or No (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 n   ); 
     for example, automated underwriting process  110  determines if one or more combinations of information to buy property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property, for example, loan information  50 ,  75 ,  105 , property information  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90  information from databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75 , or other information  59  meet loan underwriting criteria  105 ,  110 , for example, “Yes” to all in above example (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ); 
     for example, if combination meets loan underwriting criteria, for example “Yes” to criteria from above example (See  FIGS. 1 t -1 u   ), process generates and displays  45 P,  15 , in whole or in part, one or more combinations of information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property, for example, one or more matching combinations of property information  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 ,  245 ,  1350  loan information  105 ,  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  1660  including, for example, one or more loan quote, preapproval, approval, or loan document information  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  345 ,  371 ,  1660  including, for example a good faith estimate, truth-in-lending, other disclosure information  1360 , loan application information  275 ,  1670  or other loan document information (See  FIGS. 8, 26   a ,  27 ,  28   a ), information generated from databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information, including service bid, quote, price, order or service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75 ,  421 ,  1360 , (See  FIG. 20 a   ) legal, title or settlement information  368 ,  372 , ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property  1350 ,  1360 ,  1660 , including for example, settlement, monthly or periodic payment, homeowner association  96  and utility  97 , or other cost information  59  (See  FIGS. 13 a   ,  13   aa ,  13   c ,  16 ,  25   a ,  26   a ,  27 ); the information can be displayed  45 P immediately, at one or more appropriate times later in the process, simultaneously, sequentially, in whole or in part; 
     for example, if combination does not meet all lender underwriting criteria, for example generating a “No” to at least one underwriting criteria, for example as above, process can alternatively, for example, 1. not display results; 2. automatically modify or prompt buyer to modify one or more of a property search criteria  240  and loan search criteria  240 ; 3. test, calculate and display one or more different loan products, a larger down payment, or lower offering price for a property which home buyer can afford and would meet loan underwriting criteria; or 4. suggest what other income/debt ratios, credit score, etc. would be required to meet underwriting criteria; 
     the process continues, for example, by prompting or allowing buyer  15  to select  45 U, one or more of a combination of information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property, for example, property information  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 ,  245 ,  1350 , loan product information  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  345 ,  371 , information from databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information, including a bid, quote, order or service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75 ,  421 ,  1360 , (See  FIG. 20 a   ) settlement information  368 ,  372 , and other information  59  for example immediately or at one or more different times when performing any task or process, for example, when generating a sale contract  255  (See  FIG. 15 ), applying for a loan,  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  1670 , or selecting or ordering a service  421 ; alternatively process  45 U can automatically one or more of select and order one or more information at one or more times, for example, by selecting one or more lowest prices or other desirable criteria; 
     the process saves  50 ,  75  for example the selected information from the foregoing search, underwriting, filtering, and selection process  45 D,  45 J,  45 F,  45 U,  110  and makes it available to automatically perform one or more additional tasks and process  45 ,  45 W (See  FIGS. 1, 1   a ,  3   a - 3   e ) as described elsewhere herein (See  FIGS. 1, 1   a ,  3   a - 3   e ) or, for example, to automatically generate or display one or more documents or information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property immediately, at one or more appropriate times later in the process, simultaneously, sequentially, in whole or in part; for example, the process can automatically generate  50 ,  75  saved information and perform  45 ,  45 W one or more sale  10 ,  15 ,  20 , loan  30 , settlement  35 , service  25  or other  59  tasks or processes including, for example, automatically displaying screens or prompting users to perform one or more tasks and processes (See  FIGS. 3 a -3 e   ), or performing one or more tasks or processes (See  FIGS. 3 a -3 e   ), or generating one or more documents or information  255 ,  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  345 ,  371 ,  368 ,  372  automatically  45 ,  45 W immediately or at one or more appropriate times later in the process (See  FIGS. 1, 1   a ,  3   a - 3   e ); 
     for example, when buyer  15  or process selects  45 U one or more information, the process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate or display to buyer  15  or one or more other appropriate users  10 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 ,  59  immediately or at one or more appropriate times in the process (See  FIGS. 1, 8 ) for example, one or more of a sale contract document or information  50 ,  75 ,  255 ,  1505 ,  1510 ,  1520  (See.  FIG. 15 ), a loan document or information  50 ,  75 ,  105 ,  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  345 ,  371  for example, a good faith estimate, truth-in-lending, disclosure, loan application, settlement instruction; note, or deed of trust information, a title or legal document or information  50 ,  75 ,  368 , a title, title insurance, or deed information, a settlement or settlement statement document or information  50 ,  75 ,  372 , or an ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property; 
     for example, when buyer selects a house to buy and a sale contract is generated  10 ,  15 ,  255 , the process can automatically display and enter one or more information generated  45 P and selected  45 U to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property directly into the sale contract documents or screens  50 ,  75 ,  255 ,  1505 ,  1510 ,  1520  (See.  FIG. 15 ) including for example one or more property information  245 , loan information  50 ,  75 ,  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  1510  (See  FIGS. 26 a , 28 a   ), a service information  25 ,  50 ,  75 , a title or legal information, or a settlement cost information  50 ,  75 ,  130 ,  135 ,  368 ,  372 ,  1520  including which party will pay them  1520 , including for example the total amount of cash the buyer will need and seller proceeds at settlement  1520 , and, one or more ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property  1360 ,  1520 ,  1660 ; 
     for example, when sale contract information is generated or changed  10 ,  15 ,  255  system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate one or more of, for example, a loan quote, preapproval, approval task or process or information  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  335 ,  340 ,  110 ,  300 ,  371 , order or generate a service task or process or information  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 ,  59 , for example, an home inspection  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  235 ,  421 , an appraisal information, a loan verification information  25 ,  30 ,  114 ,  335 ,  340 , or a settlement service task or process or information  25 ,  35 ,  368 ,  372 , for example a survey information, or a title information  35 ,  140 ,  366 ; 
     for example, as one or more tasks or processes are performed, information is generated, or services are provided, or at any time, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically display results and prompt appropriate users  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  59  to approve, accept, or remove any conditions  255  (See  FIG. 15 ), for example prompt buyer to accept a loan preapproval  270  or approval  275 , or alternatively process  45 , 45 W can approve, accept, or remove one or more conditions  255  and perform one or more subsequent tasks or processes or generate one or more additional information automatically  45 ,  45 W, for example, scheduling an home inspection or an appraisal visit, generating a title information, binder or policy document or information  140 ,  368 , ordering a survey, or generating an homeowner association document or information  96 ; 
     for example, when sale contract documents or information  255  are generated or received by lender  30  and a buyer is approved for a loan  275 , system and process can automatically generate and display  45 ,  45 W, for example, one or more loan closing document or information  371  for example, settlement instructions, note, deed of trust information and generate loan funds  360 ,  365  and send to settlement service provider  35 ,  371 ,  378 , and/or system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate and display  30 ,  35  one or more legal, title or settlement document or information  35 ,  368 ,  372 ,  59 ; 
     for example when sale document information  255 , loan closing document information  371  or funds are generated  365 ,  417 , system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate and display to one or more appropriate users  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  30 ,  35  one or more legal, title and settlement document information  368 ,  372  including automatically generating or updating one or more information, for example, a title information  140 , and generating or updating one or more settlement statement (HUD-1) calculations  372 , if appropriate; 
     for example, when one or more title, legal  368 , or settlement  372  tasks and process are performed, document information are generated and approved by one or more appropriate users  10 ,  15 ,  30 ,  255 ,  368 ,  371 ,  372  and funds are generated or received  35 ,  378  from for example lender  365  and buyer  417  sufficient to transfer title to a property, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically one or more of record and transfer title to property  140 ,  382 , perform one or more escrow accounting tasks and process  376 , and disburse funds  10 ,  25 ,  378 ,  391 ; 
     for example, if any information is changed at any time, for example a contract information  255 , a loan information  265 ,  270 ,  270 , or a service information, one or more of the foregoing search, underwriting, filtering, selection and sale tasks and processes  45 D,  45 J,  45 F,  45 U,  110  can be performed again one or more times automatically, and all information for sale, loan, settlement and service process can be automatically generated and changed as appropriate, saved  50 ,  75 , and used in the subsequent sale, loan, settlement and service processes; 
     the foregoing search, underwriting, filtering, selection and sale process  45 D,  45 J,  45 F,  45 U,  45 W,  110  is an example, and can be varied, for example, using different buyer search criteria, underwriting criteria, databases and database structure, or different sources of information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property; one or more tasks and processes can be varied, added, combined, performed simultaneously, at different times, in different order, eliminated, replaced or enhanced by other tasks or processes, including combining one or more automated processes  45 ,  45 W with one or more manual sale  10 ,  15 ,  20 , loan  30 , service  20 ,  25 ,  35 , settlement  35  or other  59  tasks or processes; 
     for example, one or more or portions of the foregoing search, underwriting, filtering and selection processes  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  can be performed one or more times or at any time, for example, when any tasks or processes are performed for the sale, loan, settlement or a service process (See  FIGS. 1, 3   a - 3   e ), or any information is amended or changed  50 ,  75 , by any tasks, processes  45 ,  45 W or users  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 ,  59 ; for example, when buyer or other user performs any action to search for a home  15 ,  240 ,  245 ,  85 ,  90 ,  1330  (See  FIGS. 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   b ,  13   bb ), enters a property search criteria such as, for example, price, location  240 ,  1330 , clicks ‘search for home’ button, when property search results are displayed  245 ,  1350  (See  FIGS. 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   c ), when buyer or other user selects or views property search results details on a particular home (See  FIG. 13 c   ), clicks on an ‘icon’ on a map  1380 , enters loan search criteria  240 ,  1630  (See  FIGS. 13   aa ,  13   b ,  13   bb ,  16 ), buyer or other user enter buyer personal, employment, or financial information  15 ,  240 ,  1630  (See  FIGS. 12-12   d ,  16 ), a loan quote, preapproval, approval or document information is generated or displayed,  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  371 , buyer views a property, enters a house for viewing, for example through access via a cell phone, wireless device or wireless lockbox  95 , saves a property search result  245  (See  FIGS. 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   c ), when a contract is generated or amended  255  (See  FIG. 15 ), when a service is to be ordered  421  or performed, or when buyer performs one or more other tasks at any time; 
     for example, generating a loan quote, or a service quote or bid and requesting a loan preapproval or approval, or generating a service order or service information can be done at the same time, or at one or more different times; 
     for further example, process may or may not allow the buyer to search for home  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 ,  240 ,  245  (See  FIG. 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   bb ) unless a task or process is performed for buyer to be prequalified, preapproved  270  or approved  275  for a mortgage loan, for example, by prompting buyer, “Would you like to be approved for a loan so you can see exactly what your costs will be?”, or not activating or displaying ‘Search for Home’ button (See  FIGS. 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ,  13   bb ) if buyer has not performed a task or process  240 ,  1630  to be prequalified, preapproved or approved  270 ,  275  for a mortgage loan; if buyer has not been prequalified, preapproved or approved for a mortgage loan  270 ,  275 , system and process can prompt buyer to enter property search criteria  240 ,  1630  (See  FIGS. 13, 13   a ,  13   b ,  13   bb ,  13   aa ) and loan search criteria  240 ,  1630  and automatically perform one or more of the foregoing search, underwriting, filtering, and selection tasks and processes  45 D,  45 J,  45 F,  45 U,  110 ; 
     for further example, the process  45 D,  45 J,  45 F,  45 U,  110  can be performed one or more times or at different times, for example, allowing the buyer  15  to enter and change home search criteria  240 ,  1330 , loan search criteria  240 ,  1630  or select different mortgage loan products  240 ,  1630 , for example, in real time ‘on the fly,’ displaying different property search results  245 ,  1660  and different loan quote, preapproval, approval or document information  265 ,  270 ,  275 , service information or ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property for one or more homes  245 ,  1350 , such that user can view different homes and alternative purchase, financing and ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property  1360  for comparison purposes (See  FIGS. 13 a   ,  13   aa ,  13   c ), including, for example, home price, down payment, settlement costs, and monthly payments, including for example a Good Faith Estimate and truth-in-lending information; this financial information can include, for example, periodic payments and other ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property such as, for example, for a loan, taxes, insurance, homeowner association  96  and utility costs  97 ; 
     for further example, if buyer has selected a particular house of interest, including from property search results  245  or by other means, the process  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  can be performed using, for example, that particular property information  210  (See  FIG. 11 ), performing foregoing process  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  separately on one or more combinations of loan information  105 ,  265 ,  270 ,  275 , information from one or more databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75  and other information  59 , in effect omitting searching the property database  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 ,  240 ,  245  from the process  45 D as described above; 
     for further example, if a buyer has selected  265  and been preapproved or approved  270 ,  275 ,  110  for a particular loan and selected a property  245  (See  FIG. 11 ), process can perform the foregoing process  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  by simply using that particular loan information  270 ,  275 , property information  245  (See  FIG. 11 ), and sale contract information  255  (See  FIG. 15 ), generating  45 D only information from one or more databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75  and other information  59 , according to that particular property information  245 , loan information  270 ,  275 , and sale contract information  255 , in effect omitting searching the loan product and pricing database (P&amp;PDB)  50 ,  75 ,  105  and property database  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 ,  240 ,  245  from the process  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  as described above; 
     for further example, the process  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  can be performed, modified and combined with the sale contract  255  process one or more times, for example, when a contract information is generated, or amended  255  for example, if a seller makes a counteroffer changing the terms to a contract offer, process can perform process using, for example, a particular property information  210  (See  FIG. 11 ), a particular sale price or other particular sale contract information  255  (See  FIG. 15 ), performing foregoing process  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  on one or more combinations of loan information  105 ,  265 ,  270 ,  275 , information from one or more databases and systems  50 ,  75 , service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75  and other information  59 , generating, displaying and entering results into sale contract  255 , in effect omitting searching the property database  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 ,  240 ,  245  from the process  45 D as described above: 
     The foregoing embodiments among other things: 1. generate complete, accurate pricing and ownership costs of purchasing and owing a property at the beginning or at one or more times during the home buying process; 2. automatically filter for homes, loans and other costs a purchaser can afford; 3. generate competitive pricing such as quotes or bids from multiple lenders, service providers or sources; 4. automatically generate and display information and documents at one or more times; 5. automatically enter property, loan, service and other information into the entire sale, loan, settlement and services process and documents, 6. automatically order and perform one or more service tasks or processes, and; 7. prompt one or more users to perform or perform one or more sale  10 ,  20 ,  30 , loan  25 , service  25 , settlement  35  or other  59  tasks or processes automatically  45 ,  45 W. 
     For example, there are numerous other preferred embodiments with possibilities for automating, simplifying, combining and streamlining one or more of the sale, loan, and settlement processes. Several additional examples are as follows: 
     For example, when seller  10  or buyer  15  enter process  5 , listing  220  information is generated  10 , buyer searches for a home  15 ,  240 ,  245 ,  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 , (See  FIGS. 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ) or searches for a mortgage loan  240 ,  1630 , sale contract document information  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) are generated, approved or electronically signed, a loan quote  265 , preapproval, approval or mortgage loan application information is generated, sent, received, approved  270 ,  275 , a request for a quote, bid, order or settlement service information  366 , settlement instructions, mortgage loan documents, and funds are generated, sent, received or displayed  368 ,  372 , or at any time as necessary, appropriate or expedient, process and system can automatically prompt users  10 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35  to perform, or perform automatically  45 ,  45 W, including where possible simultaneously, one or more tasks and processes to generate one or more quote, bid, order or service information  25 ,  75 ,  50 ,  20 ,  235 ,  30 ,  335 ,  35 ,  366 ,  385 ,  421 ,  59  (See  FIGS. 19, 21 ) including individual or bundled services; or alternatively process and system  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate  50 ,  75  and display service information and other service information  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  235 ,  335 ,  340 ,  385 ,  366 ,  421 ,  417 ,  1360 ,  1660  (See  FIGS. 13 a   ,  13   aa ,  22 ,  23 ); for example; 
     Service providers  25 ,  35  can generate service information as described elsewhere herein, or alternatively process and system  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate  45 ,  45 W and display quote, bid, order or service information already in system  25 ,  50 ,  75  including automatically generating and displaying information to service providers  25 ,  35  (See  FIG. 21 ), including for example information from other service providers including quotes or terms of service from other service providers allowing a service provider to submit a lower quote, bid or better terms of service (See  FIG. 20 ), either manually or automatically, for example up until for example any time that such service is accepted by the appropriate user  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 ,  59  or accepted or performed by the process  45 ,  45 W; 
     for example, when a service quote or bid request or order is received, confirmed or accepted by service provider  25 ,  30 ,  35 , or generated by system and process  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75 , process can prompt service provider to order, or process  45 ,  45 W can automatically order or generate one or more other services or information  25 ,  50 ,  75 ; for example when settlement service quote or bid request or order is received  35 , confirmed or accepted, or a settlement service task or process is performed, system and process  45 ,  45 W can prompt settlement service provider  35  to order or automatically generate, for example, a title search or abstract information  140 , a survey information, a tax information  130 , or an homeowner association information  96 ; 
     for example, the system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically display and prompt appropriate user, for example the seller  10  or buyer  15 , to select a quote, bid, order or service information (See  FIGS. 20, 20   a ), or process can automatically  45 ,  45 W select  417 ,  385 ,  335 ,  366 ,  235  a quote, bid, order or service information, for example for the lowest price or quickest service; 
     for example, if information is not correct or there are potential problems, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically prompt or notify appropriate user of possible problems; for example, when seller enters seller or property information  210  (See  FIGS. 10, 11 ) sufficient to identify a property, process can automatically generate environmental hazard information  103 , land use information  99 , or court records or title information  140 . and if there are possible problems such as, for example, an environmental problem, an unreleased lien, a tax lien, or unpaid, taxes, or title to the property being in a different or misspelled name, etc., or for example, when buyer  15  enters loan search criteria  240 , personal or financial information (See  FIGS. 12-12   d ), process can automatically for example generate credit information  112  and show errors or problems with credit score or report, for example, incorrect loan or credit account that is not the borrower&#39;s or which has been paid off  112 , or inconsistent employment, deposit or mortgage verification information  340 ; the process  45 ,  45 W can automatically not allow process to continue, for example, not allow listing  220 , or sale contract information  255 , or a mortgage loan approval information  275  to be generated, unless the problems are corrected, or, alternatively process  45 ,  45 W can allow appropriate user or process to override with proper notices to appropriate users as necessary, appropriate or expedient; for example, if information  50 ,  75 , or service results  25 ,  35  come back and verifies that there is not a problem, process  45 ,  45 W can automatically remove condition or contingency, and require no further action to automatically proceed with process, including for example, process automatically generating  45 ,  45 W additional information  50 ,  75 , generating other service information  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75  or performing additional tasks and processes  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 ,  59  (See  FIGS. 3 a -3 e   ) as necessary, appropriate or expedient; 
     for example, when service order is generated, sent, confirmed, accepted, or selected  25 ,  235 ,  335 ,  340 ,  385 ,  366 ,  421 ,  417 ,  45 U process and system  45 ,  45 W can for example, automatically check an electronic calendar (See  FIG. 7 ) of appropriate users, as necessary, appropriate or expedient, for example, for home improvement contractor  25  and seller  10  to determine whether requested service date is acceptable for service, automatically notify parties of possible conflicts, suggest or select dates and times with no conflict, continue to send notices if necessary until process  45 ,  45 W receives confirmations, and confirm a time to appropriate users; for example process  45 ,  45 W can automatically prompt, call or notify a user, for example on a wireless device; process can automatically change ‘status’ and screens showing status of services and tasks as described elsewhere herein; when service order is generated, confirmed or accepted, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate a map and directions to a location and send to for example, a wireless automobile navigation computer, GPS wireless computing device or cell phone for navigation purposes; 
     for example, when seller  10  enters process  5 ,  153 ,  154 ,  155 ,  165  (See  FIGS. 1 e , 1 h   ), for example, through an Internet ‘portal’ or Website  5  (See  FIG. 1 e   ), real estate broker or agent Website  5  (See  FIG. 1 f   ), or in any other manner indicates they are a seller, or at one or more, or at any time, process and system among other things can automatically prompt the seller to perform for example, generate a pop-up, screen, additional fields, button, audio message, ‘chat’ screen, VoIP application, video-conference application, ‘application sharing,’ a message, or otherwise (See  FIG. 1 h   ), or perform process automatically  45 ,  45 W and where possible perform one or more tasks and processes simultaneously; for example, prompt seller to sell with or without the assistance of a real estate agent (or move consultant or transaction coordinator)  154 ,  155 ,  165  (See  FIGS. 1 e , 1 h   ); if seller chooses to sell without a real estate agent seller will perform process as described elsewhere without a real estate agent; if seller chooses to sell with the assistance of a move consultant or transaction coordinator, they will perform one or more of the tasks and processes described elsewhere herein as being performed by a real estate agent  20 ; for example, the process  45 ,  45 W can, automatically prompt seller to select, or automatically generate information for one or more of real estate agents (or move consultant or transaction coordinator), lenders or service providers to assist in finding and purchasing seller&#39;s next home  165  since it is assumed seller will be moving to a new home and may need such assistance, in which case the system performs the processes described elsewhere herein for a buyer as appropriate; for example, process and system  45  can automatically prompt seller to enter seller information and property information  210  (See  FIGS. 10, 11 ); 
     for example, when minimum seller and property information  210  is entered to identify the property, for example address of property  210 , system and process  45  can automatically generate or prompt seller  385 ,  1920  to request information from one or more sources  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75 ,  59  for example one or more quote, bid, order, task, process or service information  50 ,  75 ,  25 ,  35 ,  59 ; for example, the system and process  45 ,  45 W can send requests for  385 ,  1920  (See  FIG. 19 ) or generate one or more quote, bid, order, task or process or service information for example from one or more system or databases  50 ,  75 , service providers  20 ,  235 ,  25 ,  35 ,  366 , or other sources  59  which can respond either manually or automatically  45 ,  45 W in whole or in part, immediately or at one or more times in the process, with quote, bid, order, a task or process or service information (See  FIGS. 20, 20   a ,  21 ,  22 ); these can be for one or more services, for example, individual or bundled services, real estate agent or real estate broker service information  20 , move consultant or transaction coordinator, real estate signs, lockbox, advertising, property photographs, legal, title or settlement service information  35 , title or land records information  140 , existing loan payoff information, survey, appraisal  114 , flood information  125 , home photographs, home improvement and repairs, construction, or home inspection service information  25 , environmental information  103 , land use information  99 , homeowner association information  96 , utility information  97 , real estate tax information  130 , moving and storage service information, etc.; the process and system  45 ,  45 W can display and prompt seller to one or more of review or select a quote, bid, order, or service information, or system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate and select, one or more bid, quote  25 ,  50 ,  75 ,  385 ,  2030  (See  FIGS. 20, 20   a ), order, or service information (See  FIG. 23 ) one or more times, immediately, or later in the process, as appropriate, for example, when generating listing information  220 , generating a contract  255  (See  FIG. 15 ), or when a service is to be performed. 
     for example, when minimum property information is entered to identify the property, for example a property address  10 ,  210 , system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate sale comparables for example, a comprehensive market analysis (CMA) report  50 ,  75 ,  80  and display to seller  10 , with for example photographs and map, and can, for example, suggest asking price, and for example display how much the seller will actually receive at settlement  1520 ,  372 ; system and process can automatically prompt seller to list property  220 , for example, by automatically  45 ,  45 W generating and displaying a listing agreement  220  and necessary disclosures with seller information, property information  210  (See  FIGS. 10, 11 ), and suggested asking price automatically entered; such listing agreement may be any similar agreement, for example, to employ the services of a ‘for sale by owner’ (FSBO), or online system without the services of a real estate agent or broker; if seller lists property by some action, any data or information from the foregoing processes is automatically saved for later use  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75  for the remainder of the selling processes (See  FIGS. 1, 3-3   e ) as described elsewhere; when listing agreement  220  is generated or accepted by seller  10  system and process can automatically display summary listing information (See  FIG. 14 ) and automatically enter listing and property information into one or more property database  50 ,  75 ,  85  and send notices to others for example real estate agents  20  and prospective buyers  15 ; system and process can automatically generate ‘open houses’ schedule (See  FIG. 7 ) and automatically notify appropriate users such as seller  10 , buyers  15 , or real estate agents  20  for example by displaying on Webpage containing information on property  1350  (See  FIG. 13 c   ) or for example process  45 ,  45 W automatically calling or notifying a user, for example on a wireless device; system and process can automatically change status and screens to ‘listed’ or ‘listings’  445 ,  910  (See  FIG. 4 a   ), and move to and display in ‘Listings’ Transaction View  435 ,  920  and automatically display status of services, tasks needed to be performed, etc.  920  (See  FIGS. 7, 9 ) as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     the foregoing processes can be performed at one or more, or at any time, for example, when seller searches for a real estate agent  20 ,  153 ,  155 , enters seller information  210  (See  FIG. 10 ), enters property information  210  (See  FIG. 11 ), a sale contract is generated  255 , or when seller performs at any time one or more of the steps or processes described elsewhere herein or represented in the various drawings; 
     As further description of another aspect of the preferred embodiments of the invention, when buyer first enters the process, for example, through an Internet ‘portal’ or Website  5  (See  FIG. 1 e   ), real estate broker or agent Website  5  (See  FIG. 1 f   ), or a mortgage search site, or a mortgage lender site  159  (See  FIG. 1 g   ), or in any manner, indicates they are a buyer  156 ,  157 ,  158 ,  159 , or at one or more times, or at any time, process and system  45 ,  45 W among other things can automatically prompt buyer to perform, for example generate pop-up, screen, additional fields, button, audio message, ‘chat’ screen, VoIP application, video-conference application, ‘application sharing,’ a message, or otherwise prompt buyer (See  FIG. 1 i   ), or system and process can perform automatically  45 ,  45 W and where possible simultaneously one or more tasks and processes, for example: prompt buyer to buy with or without a real estate agent (or move consultant or transaction coordinator)  167 ,  157 ,  158  (See  FIG. 1 i   ); if buyer chooses to buy without a real estate agent, buyer will perform process as described elsewhere without a real estate agent; if buyer chooses to buy with the assistance of a move consultant or transaction coordinator, they will perform one or more of the tasks and processes described elsewhere herein as being performed by a real estate agent; for example, process and system  45 ,  45 W can automatically send marketing and advertising materials to buyer  15 ; for example, process and system  45 ,  45 W can automatically prompt buyer to enter one or more buyer personal information (See  FIGS. 1 j , 13 b   ,  13   bb ,  13   aa ), employment (See  FIGS. 1 j , 12 a   ), financial information  15 ,  240  (See  FIGS. 1 j , 12 b , 12 c , 12 d , 13 b   ,  13   bb ,  13   aa ,  FIG. 16 ), loan search criteria  240 ,  1630  (See  FIGS. 13 b   ,  13   bb ,  13   aa ,  FIG. 16 ) process and system  45 ,  45 W can automatically prompt buyer to perform one or more tasks and processes to search for and select a mortgage loan quote  240 ,  265 ,  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  (See  FIG. 1 j , 13 b   ,  13   bb ,  13   aa ,  16 ) and perform process for buyer to be one or more of prequalified, preapproved, or approved for a mortgage loan, including as described elsewhere herein,  240 ,  270 ,  275 ,  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  (See  FIGS. 1 j , 3 b   ,  18 ) including for example, generating and displaying one or more mortgage loan document information  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  810 ,  45 P (See  FIGS. 1 j   ,  8 ,  17 ), including one or more disclosures, for example, Good Faith Estimate, Truth-in-Lending, Affiliated Business Arrangement Disclosure, HUD Handbook, or other disclosure information  810  (See  FIG. 8 ), loan application information  270 ,  275 ,  1670  (See  FIG. 27 ), or other loan information  371  (See  FIGS. 18, 26   a ); for example, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically change ‘status’ and display for example, ‘buyer financing approved’  445 ,  910  (See  FIG. 4 a , 4 b   ), for example in ‘Buyer-Prospects’ View  435 ,  910 ,  920  ‘Financing Approved-Showing Properties’ as necessary, appropriate or expedient, and for example, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically display screens and prompt buyer to enter property search criteria  240  (See  FIGS. 1 j   ,  13 ,  13   a ). 
     for example when buyer  15  enters process  5 ,  156 ,  157 ,  158 ,  167  (See  FIGS. 1 e   , or enters property search or loan search criteria  240 ,  1330 ,  1630 , or at any time, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate  50 ,  75  or prompt buyer to request  417  one or more quote, bid, order, task or process or service information from one or more sources  20 ,  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75 ,  59  for example for real estate agent or real estate broker services  20 , mortgage loan services  30 , home inspection service, home improvement service  25 , settlement service  35 , employment, loan, deposit or other verification information  340 , credit information  112 , moving and storage information  25 , etc.; for example, the process for automatically generating  45 ,  45 W,  50 ,  75  or prompting buyer to request  417  one or more quote, bid, order, task or process or service information or performing the tasks and processes for generating one or more quote, bid, order, task or process or service information, including prompting buyer to select, or automatically selecting, one or more quotes, bids or service information  45 U.  417 ,  2030  (See  FIGS. 20, 20   a ,  23 ), including those described elsewhere herein, can be performed one or more times, immediately, or later in the process, as appropriate, for example, when property search results are generated or displayed  245 ,  1350  (See  FIGS. 13 a   ,  13   aa ,  FIG. 13 c   ), when loan quote, preapproval or approval information is generated or displayed  265 ,  270 ,  275 , a contract information is generated or displayed  255 ,  1510 ,  1520  (See  FIG. 15 ), or when a service information is generated or displayed or a service is to be performed; and any information from the processes can be saved  45 ,  45 U,  50 ,  75  for later use automatically  45 W as the remainder of the process is performed as described herein. 
     for example, when buyer  15  selects one or more houses  245 ,  1350  (See  FIG. 13, 13   a ,  13   aa ) for viewing, for example, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically send a request for appointment and viewing of home to appropriate party, for example the seller  10  or real estate agent  20 , allowing them to respond to confirm viewing appointment (See  FIG. 7 ), or automatically checking schedules of appropriate parties and confirming by sending messages to one or more users  10 ,  15 ,  20 , or dialing a phone number using for example using VOIP, or calling or notifying a user on a wireless device to immediately communicate viewing details directly to one or more appropriate users  10 ,  20 ; 
     for example, when selecting a home to view  245 ,  1350  (See  FIG. 13 ,  FIG. 13 a   ,  13   aa ,  13   c ), system and process can automatically generate maps and directions  1380  and automatically program directions into for example, wireless automobile, navigation computer, GPS-enabled wireless computing device or cell phone for navigation to selected homes. 
     For example, system and process can automatically change ‘status’ and screens to for example, show calendar (See  FIG. 7 ) with appointments or show ‘open houses’ of houses selected for viewing by buyer and appropriate users  10 ,  20 . 
     When buyer  15  is, for example driving in the neighborhood, enters information on a property from a for sale sign, or visits a home for viewing  245  or at any time, process and system can perform automatically  45 ,  45 W and where possible simultaneously one or more tasks or processes, for example: system and process  45 ,  45 W can send previously saved information  50 ,  75 ,  245 ,  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  1350 ,  1360 ,  1660  for example text, audio, graphic, video, or driving directions  1380  to a wireless computing device or cell phone; send for example text, audio, graphic or video description or ‘tour’ of the property describing for example the neighborhood and home features to a wireless computing device, cell phone or ‘digital lockbox’  95  with a microphone and speaker; system and, process  45 ,  45 W can automatically prompt buyer  15  or buyer&#39;s agent  20  while they are viewing the house to input ‘feedback’ comments for example into a wireless computing device, cell phone  15 ,  20  or ‘digital lockbox’  95 , which is received and saved in the system and sent automatically, for example, to the seller  10  and real estate agent  20 ; system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically prompt the buyer to make a sale contract offer on the home  255 , for example, displaying sale contract documents or information  255  to buyer which buyer can modify and send to seller  10  and automatically notify the seller  20  of offer  255 , for example by prompting or notifying seller on a cell phone or wireless computing device, allow seller to accept offer or negotiate with buyer, for example real time, and allow parties to negotiate and finalize sale contract  255 . System and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically change ‘status’ and screens to for example, ‘showing property,’ ‘offer/negotiations,’ ‘contract’  435 ,  445 ,  910  (See  FIG. 4 a   ) and move to and display in ‘Buyer—Prospects’ View  435 ,  910 ,  920  ‘Showing Properties’ or ‘Contract’ as necessary, appropriate or expedient; 
     for example, system and process  45 ,  45 W can not allow sale contract document information  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) to be generated, approved or electronically signed  10 ,  15  unless buyer is prequalified, preapproved or approved for a loan  265 ,  270 ,  275  for which buyer will qualify to purchase a particular home; if buyer has not been prequalified, preapproved  270  or approved  275  for a loan, system and process can prompt buyer  15  to perform process  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  110  for buyer to search for  240 ,  265 ,  1630  be prequalified, preapproved or approved for mortgage loan  270 ,  275 , automatically prompt buyer, for example to select a loan quote from one or more choices  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  1660  for which buyer will qualify to purchase a particular home  245 ; system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically enter and display appropriate loan information, for example the loan amount and terms (See  FIGS. 26 a , 28 a   ) into the sale contract documents  255 ,  1510  (See  FIG. 15 ). the terms of which, for example, require the buyer to obtain certain financing as a condition of the sale, including displaying actual settlement costs  130 ,  135 ,  372 ,  1520  and which party  10 ,  20 ,  30  will pay them, or other ownership cost information associated with purchasing and owning a property, for example, directly in the sale contract documents  255 ,  1520  (See  FIG. 15 ), or as an exhibit, including for example the total amount of cash the buyer will need and how much the seller will actually receive  372 ,  1520  at settlement; when contract is generated, process can automatically send, notify or display sale contract document information  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) to all appropriate parties  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35  to the transaction including summary sale information (See  FIG. 14 ) as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     for example, when a sale contract is generated  255 , the system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate change in status to ‘under contract;’ and cancel ‘showing’ appointments and ‘open houses’ (See  FIG. 7 ) and can change ‘status’ and screens to for example, ‘under contract’  445 ,  910  (See  FIGS. 4 a , 4 b   ,  9 ), and display in Contracts View  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  435 ,  920  (See  FIG. 9 ) as necessary, appropriate or expedient. 
     For example, when sale contract document or information  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) are generated, or at any time, process and system can automatically prompt  45 ,  45 W one or more users to perform, or perform automatically  45 ,  45 W and where possible simultaneously, one or more tasks and processes, for example: as information is generated  50 ,  75  or service or service information  25  is generated, confirmed or provided, or at any time, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically display service results or information and prompt acceptance or approval by buyer or seller  10 ,  15 , or alternatively system and process can remove automatically one or more conditions or contingencies of the sale contract  255 ,  1510 ,  1520  (See  FIG. 15 ) the terms of which contain conditions or require buyer or seller to do things, for example, if the contract requires the buyer to arrange for or approve a professional home inspection  25 , approve title information  140 ,  368 , a survey, or homeowner association information  96 . 
     For example, if sale contract information  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) is amended by parties  10 ,  15 , system and process can automatically perform and recalculate  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  110  and display to appropriate users  150 ,  10 ,  15 ,  20  amended mortgage loan information  275 ,  371 , legal and title  368 , settlement information and costs  372  other service information  1360 , or other ownership cost information associated with, purchasing and owning a property in the amended sale contract documents  255 ,  1520  (See  FIG. 15 ). 
     For example, when a request  240 ,  1630  for loan quotes  265 ,  1660  preapproval, approval or mortgage loan application information  270 ,  275  is generated, or received by one or more lenders  30 ,  105 , including mortgage investors  345 , or at any time, process and system  45 ,  45 D,  45 J,  45 P can automatically prompt to perform, or perform automatically, simultaneously, or at one or more times. one or more tasks and processes: 
     for example, prompt one or more lenders  30 ,  105 , including mortgage investors  345 , to provide a loan quote or bid information  265  including for example, loan rate, amount, term, and fee information  1660  (See  FIGS. 13 a   ,  13   aa ,  16 ), including automatically generating and incorporating quotes or bids or information from one or more service providers  25 ,  35  or other sources  50 ,  75 ,  59 ,  45 ,  45 D,  45 J,  110 ; process can automatically generate requests for verifications  340 ,  45 D and receive back  15 ,  30  verification responses  340 ; for example, if verification information is not correct, process  45 ,  45 D can automatically stop one or more tasks and processes  255 ,  265 ,  270 ,  275 ,  372  and automatically notify appropriate user  15 ,  30  of possible problems, for example different financial, employment, loan, deposit or other verification information  340 , flood  125 , title  140 , or credit problems  112  and lender can manually underwrite  300  in whole or in part, or underwriting process can automatically underwrite  45 J,  110 , quote, prequalification, preapproval, or approval request or mortgage loan application in whole or in part (See  FIG. 26 ); 
     for example, when loan is approved  275  system and process can one or more of automatically generate and display  45 ,  45 P to one or more appropriate users  10 ,  15 ,  30 ,  35  one or more appropriate loan approval  275  and closing documents or information  371  including, for example commitment, disclosures, note, deed of trust or mortgage, settlement instructions  371  (See  FIG. 8 ), automatically generate mortgage loan funds  365 , automatically order settlement  35 ,  45 W and automatically change ‘status’ and screens for one or more users  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  30 ,  35  to for example, for example ‘under contract,’ ‘financing approved,’ ‘contingencies removed’  435 ,  445 ,  480 ,  920 , ‘approved’  460 ,  2420  (See  FIG. 20 ), ‘settlement scheduled’ (See  FIG. 7 ). 
     When contract sale documents  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) are generated, approved or signed, mortgage loan is approved  275 , or settlement order or settlement instructions, mortgage loan, documents, and funds are generated, sent, received or displayed  371 ,  365 , or at one or more appropriate times, process and system automatically prompt to perform, or automatically perform  45 ,  45 W and where possible simultaneously one or more tasks and processes: 
     for example, system and process  45 ,  45 D,  45 W can automatically prompt one or more settlement service providers  35  to provide or automatically generate one or more of a quote, bid or settlement service information or settlement service task or process  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ), including automatically generating  45 ,  45 W service information from one or more sources  25 ,  35 ,  50 ,  75 ,  59  for example, title insurance, survey, title search, title abstract, court records search  140 , existing loan payoff information, homeowner association information  96 , real estate tax information  130 , utility information  97 , transfer and recording charge information  135 , and land record information  140 ; for example, process and system  45 ,  45 W can prompt settlement service provider  35  to generate or automatically generate  45 ,  45 W one or more title and legal document information, for example title insurance endorsements, requirements, and exceptions, deeds and recording document information  368  (See  FIGS. 31, 35 ) containing sale contract information  255 , loan information  275 ,  371  and service provider information or other information  25 ,  50 ,  75 ,  59 ,  140 ,  135 ,  130 ,  366 ,  374  as necessary, appropriate or expedient; for example, process and system can automatically generate  45 ,  45 W final billing information from, for example, service providers  25 , databases and systems  50 ,  75  or other sources  59 , for example, utility providers,  97 , homeowner association  96 , real estate tax  130  or land record or public systems  140  to render final billing, for example, gas, water, electricity bills  97 , real estate taxes  130  (See  FIG. 33 ); for example, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically enter final billing information into, perform one or more calculations, and generate HUD-1 settlement statement  372  (See  FIG. 32 ) and escrow accounting system  376  (See  FIG. 33 ) tasks and process, or equivalent, as necessary, appropriate or expedient; for example, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically check land or public records  140  for example, for any intervening liens or other changes in land records or in court records and compare with the approved ‘title binder’ or title report  368 ; for example, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate and display one or more final legal, title and settlement document information  368 ,  371 ,  372 ,  485 ,  490  (See  FIGS. 4 c   ,  431 ,  35 ) to be approved or signed by appropriate parties  10 ,  15 ,  20 ; when approved or electronically signed by appropriate parties  10 ,  15 ,  20  process and system  45 ,  45 W can automatically send and record in appropriate land or public records  382 ,  140  (See  FIG. 35 ) any document or information, including for example, deeds, releases  368 , loan closing documents  371  and automatically disburse funds  378  to appropriate parties  10 ,  20 ,  25 ,  75  as necessary, appropriate or expedient, for example for existing mortgage financing, real estate or other taxes  130 , liens  140 , utility charges  97 , homeowner association charges  96 ; for example, process and system  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate confirmation of payment  378  and releases from payees, and generate and file  382 ,  140  releases from, for example existing mortgage financing, real estate or other taxes, liens, or utility charges effecting the property in land or public records  140 , generate confirmation of recording of releases  140 , save and automatically send information, documents, and evidence of recording information to appropriate parties, for example, buyer  15 , seller  10 , real estate broker, real estate agent  20 , mortgage lender  30 , mortgage investor  345 , existing mortgage lender (See  FIG. 36 ) as necessary, appropriate or expedient; for example, the system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically enter information or document information into mortgage servicing systems  50 ,  75 ,  122 ; for example, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically change ‘status’ and screens to for example, for example ‘sold’ ‘recorded,’ ‘funds disbursed’  435 ,  445 ,  460 ,  480 ,  910 ,  920 ,  2410 ,  2420 ,  2910 ,  2920  (See  FIGS. 4, 4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c ,  9 ,  24 ,  29 ). 
     For example, system and process  45 ,  45 W can automatically generate and send ‘just sold’ information about property and sale, for example by e-mail or notifying a computing device including a wireless device, for example, including description, photo of home and map, sale price, real estate agent name, real estate broker name, for example, to prospective customers and property owners in the neighborhood area, for example by subdivision, zip code, street, within certain distance to inform them of the sale, or by posting on one or more Websites, for advertising and promotional purposes. 
     As further description of another aspect, of the preferred embodiments of the invention, in the case of a home refinance (See  FIGS. 1 b , 1 c , 2 a   ), when the borrower  16  first enters the home refinancing process, for example, through an Internet ‘portal’ or Website  5 , including a mortgage search or lender Website  5  (See  FIG. 1 g   , Ii), indicates they are a borrower for refinancing  160 , or at any time, process and system can among other things automatically prompt borrower to perform, or perform one or more tasks and process automatically  45 ,  45 D,  45 J,  110 ,  45 P,  45 U,  45 W (See  FIG. 1D , and where possible simultaneously, for example: display to borrower pop-up, screen, additional fields, a button, audio message, ‘chat’ screen, VoIP application, video-conference application, or ‘application sharing’ application, send a message, or otherwise prompt borrower  167  (See  FIG. 1 i   ) to enter loan search criteria  240 ,  1630 , and to perform one or more tasks or processes to generate a mortgage loan quote  105 ,  240 ,  265 ,  1630  (See  FIG. 16 ) preapproval or approval  270 ,  275 , or to enter a service search criteria to generate one or more of a quote, bid, order or service information  1920  (See  FIG. 13 b   ,  19 ) and the system and process can perform one or more tasks and processes  45 ,  45 D,  45 J,  110 ,  45 P,  45 U,  45 W (See  FIG. 1 j   ), excluding the processes for searching a property database  50 ,  75 ,  85 ,  90 ,  240 ,  245  or sale processes  20  ( FIG. 3 a   ) as elsewhere described herein, for borrower to search for  240  and one or more of generate  45 D,  45 J,  110 ,  45 P,  45 U a mortgage loan quote  105 ,  265  (See  FIGS. 3 b , 3 e   ,  16 ) to be prequalified, preapproval, or approved for mortgage loan  270 ,  275  (See  FIGS. 3 b , 3 e   ,  17 ,  18 ), and generate  1920 ,  421  (See  FIG. 19 ) one or more quotes, bids. order or service information (See  FIGS. 20 a   ,  21 ,  22 ) for example from one or more systems and databases  50 ,  75 , service providers  25 ,  30 ,  35 , or other existing programs  59 ; service information can be for one or more of, for example, individual or bundled services, home inspection information, home improvement information  25 , settlement service information  35 , title information, title insurance information, employment, loan, deposit or other verification information  340 , credit information  112 , etc.; for example, the processes for ordering and generating service information described elsewhere herein can be performed including displaying and prompting borrower to select, or generating and selecting automatically  45 D,  45 J,  110 ,  45 P,  45 , one or more bids, quotes  2030 ,  421  (See  FIGS. 20, 20   a ), or service information (See  FIG. 23 ), one or more times, immediately or later in the process  45 ,  45 W as appropriate, for example, when a service is to be performed; for example, any data or information from the foregoing processes can be saved  50 ,  75  for later use automatically  45 ,  45 W as the remainder of the refinancing processes as described elsewhere herein is performed. 
     Alternative Preferred Embodiments 
     There are numerous alternative preferred embodiments for automating, simplifying, combining and streamlining one or more of the sale, loan, and settlement processes. One or more of the foregoing tasks or processes described elsewhere herein or represented in the various drawings can be varied. arranged in different order, combined, eliminated, replaced or enhanced by other tasks or processes; different underwriting criteria, databases  50 ,  75  and database structure can be employed; one or more tasks and processes can be performed simultaneously, at different times or at more than one time; information to buy a property, make a loan, provide a service, provide a settlement service or transfer title to a property  50 ,  75  can be generated from different sources. 
     Another example of combining functions or streamlining the process would be to combine the tasks and process of several virtual offices or desktops  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 . For example, since the process can be so highly automated  45  it is possible to combine screens, tasks and process of the Virtual Real Estate Office  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ), the Virtual Mortgage Office  30  (See  FIG. 3 b   ) and Virtual Settlement Office  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) to be performed by fewer users; for example, one or more sale  10 ,  15 ,  20 , loan  30 , service  20 ,  25 ,  35 , settlement  35  or other  59  tasks or processes described as being performed manually by one or more users can be performed automatically including by the application, system and processes  45 ,  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  45 W, substantially reducing if not totally eliminating many of the manual tasks and process of virtual real estate office  20 , virtual mortgage office  30 , virtual settlement office  35 , and service provider virtual offices or desktops  25  and their personnel, and except for certain tasks which need to be performed physically, such as for example the home or pest inspections, having the system and process  45  perform virtually the entire automatically. 
     While the preferred embodiments, as described above, preferably includes one or more common application servers  45  and databases  50 ,  75 , other embodiments can include a system which operates in combination, and is integrated with one or more extrinsic real estate, mortgage, settlement and other programs or systems  59  (See  FIG. 1 d   ) whereby processing information and performing one or more tasks and processes may be performed by one or more of the application servers  45  and one or more extrinsic real estate, mortgage loan, settlement and other programs  59  (See  FIG. 1 d   ); and, for example, users may view, enter, receive, manipulate and send information and perform functions in one or more of the application (See  FIG. 1 ) and one or more extrinsic real estate, mortgage, settlement and other programs or systems  59  (See  FIG. 1 d   ) to perform one or more of the tasks and processes described above. 
     Yet another example may include in some markets some of the tasks and processes of the real estate agent  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) such as, for example, preparing the sale contract documents  255  (See  FIG. 15 ) and receiving and holding the escrow deposit from the buyer  285  being performed, for example, by an attorney who will also perform the tasks and processes of the settlement company  35  (See  FIG. 3 c   ) in closing or settling the sale. 
     Yet another example of modifying the process is a ‘self-help’ system for a buyer or seller to use, for example, a ‘for sale by owner’ FSBO solution, without the help of a real estate agent or sales person  20  in the sale process. For example, such a system would eliminate the Virtual Real Estate Office  20  (See  FIG. 3 a   ) and include certain functions in the Seller and Buyer Virtual Desktops  10 ,  15  such as, for example, entering property information into a property database  210 ,  50 ,  75 ,  85  searching the property database  240 ,  245 , creating and negotiating a contract  255  (See  FIGS. 13 a   ,  13   aa ,  13   c ,  15 ) directly between buyer and seller, ordering all services  385 ,  421  including those which the agent might order  235 , etc. 
     The buyer  15  could also perform an entirely automated loan process without a Virtual Mortgage Office  30  directly with an automated loan application, verification and underwriting process  45 ,  45 D,  45 J,  45 P,  45 U,  45 W,  105 ,  110 . 
     Still other modifications could be used on a kiosk in a public location, for example in a shopping mall, or could be adapted to be used with a ‘move consultant or ‘transaction coordinator,’ or equivalent, to help track the sale, order services, notify parties of deadlines, etc. Such ‘move consultant or ‘transaction coordinator’ would have features for ordering services, tracking transaction progress, and performing one or more tasks and processes for one or more users  10 ,  15 ,  20 ,  25 ,  30 ,  35 . 
     Commercial Real Estate 
     While the preferred embodiment as described the home sale, mortgage and settlement process, the process can be also used, with any modifications necessary, for the commercial real estate market including, for example, the buying and selling of commercial buildings, apartment buildings and land. 
     Other Markets 
     The system design, the workflow, (See  FIGS. 1, 1   a ) virtual office (See  FIG. 4 ) and virtual desktop (See  FIGS. 5, 6 ) can be adapted for use in other markets or industries. Some other markets or industries can include, for example, international trade and shipping. The seller, buyer, real estate agent, mortgage lender. settlement and service provider functions, activities, and documents could be changed to provide functions, activities, and documents, for example, for the manufacturer, shipping agent, shipping company, customs agents, bank financing, insurance and bonding, warehousing, etc. all of whom are in diverse locations worldwide. 
     Unobviousness, Synergy and Unexpected Results not Suggested by Background 
     REFERENCES 
     The Invention Meets the ISR Tests of Synergy and New and Unexpected Results 
     As required by KSR, the present invention provides a “new synergy” doing “more than the individual components would in separate, sequential operation,” and “does more than yield a predictable result,” producing many valuable, new and “unexpected results.” 
     For example, one example of this “new synergy” is a greatly simplified process for a home buyer to search for a home while simultaneously generating highly accurate and competitive pricing for a loan, services and costs of buying and owning a home at the beginning of the buying process. Using this information, the process then automatically generates documents and automatically performs subsequent sale, loan and settlement tasks and process immediately, at one or more appropriate times later in the sale, loan and settlement process. This clearly streamlined and simplified sale, loan, settlement and service process is a significant advance over any former process and provides a “new synergy” clearly doing far more than the individual components of the sale, loan, settlement and services processes could do in “separate, sequential operation.” 
     In addition, the invention produces many new, valuable and “unexpected results,” including: the comprehensive design greatly simplifies a complex process; it results in a system that is less costly to build, operate, maintain, change, and upgrade; it eliminates numerous gaps in tasks and processes, particularly gaps in basic, tasks and processes fundamental to the sale, loan and settlement process; it greatly reduces the need for manual tasks; it allows a much greater degree of automation for the entire process, particularly automating basic, tasks and processes fundamental to the sale, loan and settlement process; it allows basic, tasks and processes fundamental to the sale, loan and settlement process to be performed interactively and in conjunction with each other; it allows tasks and processes to be performed automatically in unique and unanticipated configurations; it allows user screens, tasks and processes to be combined to allow the process to be performed by fewer users; it allows for tasks to be performed quickly and efficiently multiple times, in different orders, simultaneously or at different times; the invention adds certainty to a process traditionally characterized by uncertainty; the process can be simplified, streamlined and made more user-friendly by combining or eliminating functions or steps, or presenting information or allowing functions to be performed in a more understandable and simpler way. 
     A particular “unexpected results” is that the invention quickly generates highly accurate, complete information at the beginning of the buying process, including generating competitive pricing for loans, services and the costs of buying and owning a home, allowing for a more fully informed homebuyer, and a more automated and streamlined over-all sale, loan, and settlement process. 
     In summary, the invention provides tremendous “new synergy” and “unexpected results,” with the elements working together in an unexpected and fruitful manner, doing more than yielding a predictable result. 
     Objects and Advantages 
     In some preferred embodiments, some advantages that may be achieved, if desired, (such as, e.g., with a comprehensive computer system for the entire home sale, mortgage loan origination and settlement process according to some embodiments described herein) can include, among other things, for example one or more of the following and/or other advantages: 1. generate complete, accurate pricing and ownership costs of purchasing and owing a property at the beginning of the home buying process, or at other times; 2. automatically filter for homes, loans and other costs a purchaser can afford; 3. generate competitive pricing including quotes or bids from multiple lenders, service providers or other sources; 4. promotes competitive use of ‘discount real estate brokers’ in lieu of “6 percent brokers;” 5. allows lenders to quickly determine the creditworthiness of the borrower and the value of the security for a loan; 6. buyer can receive a loan ‘prequalification,’ ‘preapproval’ and ‘approval’ based on actual ‘underwriting’ results and rates while searching for a home and other services; 7. will reduce costs for both the home buyer and seller; 8. allow the buyer to see a more complete picture and the ramifications of selecting a particular property and type of loan prior to signing a binding contract rather than finding surprises later; 9. automatically generates accurate disclosures required by RESPA and other regulations such as the ‘Good Faith Estimate’ (GEE) and truth-in-lending (TIL) at the very beginning of the sale process; 10. is of particular importance and value because selling or purchasing a home is the largest single financial decision for most families; 11. is of particular value for low- or moderate-income families with limited knowledge and sophistication; 12. allow any information to be automatically saved and used for further home searches or used later in the sale, mortgage and settlement processes; 13. automatically enters property, loan, service and other information into the entire sale, loan, settlement and services process and documents and automatically generates and displays information and documents; 14. automatically orders and performs one or more service tasks; 15. automatically prompts one or more users to perform or performs one or more sale, loan, service, settlement or other tasks automatically; 16. preempts and overcomes resistance to change by traditional real estate, mortgage, and title industry; 17. allows lenders and service providers to sell mortgage products and services at the earliest point in the home sale and buying process thereby preempting other vendors from capturing business; 18. it reduces work by all parties allowing the process to be more highly automated, eliminating and reducing work currently being performed manually; 19. it reduces redundant and repetitive tasks of manually entering the same information numerous times in different computer programs, so information can be entered once for the entire transaction, not just portions of the transaction; 20. it reduces work, time, cost and chances of error associated with having to manually rehandle information numerous times, first having the real estate personnel reenter information to perform tasks or transfer to more than one program, having the mortgage personnel reenter information to perform tasks or transfer to other programs, and then having the settlement personnel again reenter or transfer information to other programs; 21. it allows transaction information to be instantly available to immediately perform additional tasks anywhere in the process automatically; 22. it allows transaction information and status information to be instantly available to all parties as appropriate, thus reducing confusion, delays, uncertainty and chances of errors in the process; 23. it reduces the cost of completing a transaction; 24. it reduces the number of personnel necessary to complete a transaction; 25. it reduces or even eliminates waiting time and reduces the overall time required to complete a transaction; 26. it provides greater reliability in the process; 27. it assures that important sale and mortgage disclosure information and documents required by laws or regulations be given to the seller or the buyer, or the refinancing home owner, on a timely basis; 28. it greatly reduces the cost, complexity, unreliability, and design limitations of trying to ‘patch together,’ or ‘integrate’ different computer systems, one for the real estate sale personnel, another for the mortgage company personnel, and another for the settlement company personnel, etc.; 29. it results in a system with greater and more functional features for users; 30. it provides a much more highly automated system without gaps in the process; in other words, for example, the instant the loan officer does something to approve the loan, the documents can be automatically prepared and sent to the settlement company and the borrower in seconds; 31. it is easier and cheaper to change or modify, add features, or upgrade the system from time to time; this is important with ever-changing technology and constantly changing market conditions; 32. a comprehensively designed system is more reliable and less likely to malfunction or ‘crash’; 33. it is less costly to build and maintain; 34. the process can be simplified, streamlined and made more user-friendly by combining, eliminating one or more functions or steps, or presenting information or allowing functions to be performed in a more understandable and efficient way: and/or 35. it provides a smoother, simpler, continuous process from the beginning to the end of the entire home sale, mortgage origination and settlement process. 
     Broad Scope of the Invention 
     While illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described herein, the present, invention is not limited to the various preferred embodiments described herein, but, includes any and all embodiments having modifications, omissions, combinations (e.g., of aspects across various embodiments), adaptations and/or alterations as would be appreciated by those in the art based on the present disclosure. The limitations in the claims are to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims and not limited to examples described in the present specification or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive. For example, in the present disclosure, the term “preferably” is non-exclusive and means “preferably, but not limited to.” Means-plus-function or step-plus-function limitations will only be employed where for a specific claim limitation all of the following conditions are present, in that limitation: a) “means for” or “step for” is expressly recited: b) a corresponding function is expressly recited; and c) structure, material or acts that support that structure are not recited. In addition, in this disclosure, the terminology “invention” is intended to encompass numerous independent inventive aspects. References to the “invention” in this disclosure can refer to one or more of the various aspects of the invention. The use of the language “invention” or “present invention” should not be in any way construed as limiting the broad reach of the claims and/or in any way limiting the scope of the claims and/or all aspects of the invention.