Patent ID: 7640204

Claim:
A method for facilitating a commercial real estate transaction using a commercial real estate transaction software tool operating on a computer, the method comprising: receiving space requirements from a user; searching a commercial real estate database for spaces meeting the space requirements; reporting to the user the spaces meeting the space requirements; receiving from the user selected spaces from among the spaces meeting the space requirements, wherein the selected spaces are spaces for which the user wants to confirm availability; forwarding electronic communications from a user computer to representatives of the selected spaces, wherein the electronic communications request confirmation of availability of the selected spaces from the representatives of the selected spaces; updating the commercial real estate database in response to receiving denials of space availability from the representatives of the selected spaces; reporting, to the user, available spaces from among the selected spaces in response to receiving confirmations of space availability for the available spaces; receiving from the user final chosen spaces from among the available spaces, wherein the final chosen spaces are spaces for which the user wants proposals; forwarding second electronic communications to representatives of the final chosen spaces, wherein the second electronic communications request proposals on behalf of the user for the final chosen spaces; reporting, to the user, the proposals from the representatives of the final chosen spaces; consulting the commercial real estate database to determine locations of the final chosen spaces; receiving, from the user, times to spend visiting each of the final chosen spaces; determining an order in which to visit the final chosen spaces; calculating travel times between the final chosen spaces based on the order and the locations; and determining a tour of the final chosen spaces based on the visiting times and the travel times.