Mike Antoniak is a freelance journalist, who writes
frequently on technology.
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Software publisher sells state-of-the-art
Adobe™ Acrobat fillable contracts and forms on
a CD-ROM.
BY MICHAEL ANTONIAK
Ever find yourself fumbling through your briefcase or
car for a contract, only to be embarrassed you haven't
brought it along?
If you have had, or fear, such an experience
you may want to check out Digital Contracts 4.0, a comprehensive
collection of real estate contracts and forms just launched
on CD-ROM by software publisher ProForce Corp.
"We're putting more than 400 different
contracts on one CD-ROM," explains ProForce president
Steven Smith. Included are forms and contracts for purchases,
closings, financing, commercial property, disclosures,
HUD, listings, leases, property management, rentals,
valuation and appraisal, title, settlement, and VA loans.
"Ninety percent of these contracts
bridge the gap between states, because there's no difference
in the type of contracts required for things like commercial,
title, settlement, HUD or VA loans," notes Smith.
"But where there are differences in the requirements,
particularly in residential contracts, we've included
versions for each state. Customized forms, which may
be required for submission to local MLS boards, can
be developed as needed."
Each was drafted based on content in legal
encyclopedias and law books and submitted to a Minneapolis
law firm for review and approval. A search engine and
help menus are included in the software as aids for
selecting the appropriate documents.
Do 'instant contracts' mean, less work
for the lawyers? It could, but at least not initially.
Michael Thiel, deputy counsel for the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF REALTORS®.
All contracts and forms were created as
Adobe PDF (portable document format) files to retain
the integrity of the original documents. To view or
print a PDF file, use the software application Adobe
Acrobat, which is included on the disk. Theoretically,
PDFs should be usable on any operating platform.
Within each contract and form, ProForce
has created fields where users enter information specific
to a contract, like names, addresses, and pricing.
Smith says the documents are ready to
accommodate digital signatures when the U.S. Congress
approves their use in contracts. In addition, contracts
can be personalized with company logos or information
on the individual agent.
ProForce sells the set for $199, and will
market updated sets every two years for an additional
$99.
"The typical real estate professional
probably spends a couple of hundred dollars a year for
paper documents," sums up Smith. "Here's a
way they can cut those costs dramatically, have all
the contracts they need at their disposal, and print
laser-sharp legal documents, with their logo, whenever
they need them."
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