Search Results: go from a friendship to relationship

If there was a girl you found attractive and wanted to date do you think it's better to befriend her and spend time together letting things fall into place naturally over time. Or to state your attraction and intentions sooner in the friendship than later?

Some key points I think:
To spend time with someone and let things progress naturally would perhaps be more genuine and if you actually both enjoyed eachothers company eating out, watching movies, you would be more than friends. However the wait and the limbo of not knowing if they feel the same and if they felt in the end that they did not want to date you it would be crushing. It would be crushing especially if you declined other girls advances as in your mind she was the one.

If you stated your attraction at the beginning it would be a different vibe with most people but if it's after a few times hanging out and getting to know eachother perhaps it would be more casual just letting them know how you feel. You probably wouldn't be going out of your way for them if you didn't think there was a chance would you? So wouldn't you state that as a intention? It might drive them away however.

This might be thought of as being "friendzoned" as many do go into "friendships" but with those intentions of wanting to date in mind. Is it not better than to state your attraction very soon before a window passes? It would also solidify boundaries in your friendship, knowing that they either reciprocate those feelings of attraction or not. Isn't it fake to pursue that friendship for months even years if in your mind you wanted to date them?

I've never been one to wait to date someone I've fancied so my opinion is very one sided from my experience. What does it feel like to fall from friendship into a relationship? And for women, what is more attractive, falling into a relationship with your male friend or dating?

Please give me your thoughts on this, Thank you!