Patent ID: 8606679

Claim:
A computer executing software for processing, auctioning, and managing fractional ownership in real estate assets, wherein the software, when executed, causes the computer to perform steps comprising: accessing electronic information specifying a real estate asset for sale, wherein said electronic information specifies that ownership of said real estate asset includes a right to at least a portion of income from said real estate asset; accessing electronic information specifying a plurality of fractional ownership bids in said real estate asset, wherein each of said fractional ownership bids specifies a bid amount to be paid for fractional ownership in said real estate asset and a corresponding bid yield associated with said bid amount; selecting a first bid from said plurality of fractional ownership bids for a sale transaction transferring a first fractional ownership in said real estate asset, said first fractional ownership being specified in said first selected bid and comprising less than 100% of ownership of said real estate asset, said first selected bid also specifying a first bid yield that corresponds to a first portion of future income from said real estate to be paid over a specified time period to a bidder making said first selected bid, said selecting being based on both the bid amount and the bid yield of said first selected bid; selecting a second bid from said plurality of fractional ownership bids for a sale transaction transferring a second fractional ownership in said real estate asset, said second fractional ownership being specified in said second selected bid and comprising less than 100% of ownership of said real estate asset, said second selected bid also specifying a second bid yield that corresponds to a second portion of future income from said real estate to be paid over said specified time period to a bidder making said second selected bid, said selecting being based on both the bid amount and the bid yield of said second selected bid; and storing an electronic record indicating sale of a first fractional ownership in said real estate asset to said bidder making said first selected bid and an electronic record indicating sale of a second fractional ownership in said real estate asset to said bidder making said second selected bid.