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BY MICHAEL ANTONIAK Look your best Whether you’re trying to promote your latest listings or catch the attention of prospects, it’s never been easier to impress, in print or online. There are fewer desktop publishing options today than in years past, but the remaining choices offer sophisticated graphics capabilities and simpler operation, giving everyone from the novice to the experienced desktop publisher an easy way to create professional-quality documents. Whether you’re designing a flyer or postcard, newsletter or brochure, the creative process requires as little effort as placing your text and images into a template. Tutorials help you build more distinctive documents. Vendors are working to make their product the only one you need, regardless of the media in which you display your documents. Since you’re probably trying to reach buyers and sellers as much on the Web as in print, you’ll be glad to know your documents can have multiple lives. Several packages, including Microsoft’s Publisher, Imprev’s Online Design Center, Adobe’s PageMaker, and Quark Inc.’s QuarkXPress, allow you to convert print promotions for sharing on the Web. With the same ease, programs such as Top Producer 7i and Broderbund’s Print Shop Pro also save your desktop files as PDFs. More good news: You can build a wide range of real estate promotions for as little as $100. For companies with more ambitious plans, high-end DTP solutions, such as QuarkXPress and PageMaker, deliver creative control, though these programs offer options that most practitioners will never use. Once you’ve decided how much power you require, the choice is between general DTP software and specialized real estate solutions. In both categories, you can install the software on your computer or build documents online with Web-based solutions, such as Imprev’s Online Design Center, Broderbund’s Print Shop Pro, or Top Producer 7i. Typically, DTP programs that aren’t real estate–specific offer more, both in program features and the range of documents you can create. The software also comes with many more options in templates, design themes, stock photos, and clip art. DTP solutions tailored for real estate, on the other hand, are more responsive to how you market properties and services. Before you buy one of these products, check your computer against the vendor’s recommended system configuration. Hidden within the user-friendly features is complex software that will quickly tax the limits of a system that’s not up to speed. Terms to know Understand these terms, and you’ll have a better idea of what you’re getting in the latest DTP packages.
Design sets or themes: A series of related, professionally designed templates or master documents containing the same graphic elements—borders, color, placement of logo, and so on—to present a consistent look in all materials.
HTML: The Hypertext Markup Language used to format content for display on the Web. DTP solutions that can save documents as HTML allow you to take documents intended for print and post them to a Web site without additional work.
PDF: A Portable Document Format file retains the original document’s formatting regardless of the hardware platform and operating system on which it’s viewed. If your software can’t create PDFs, purchase Adobe Acrobat (www.adobe.com).
Template: A preformatted master document into which you import the text and graphics you want. If the template is customizable, you can change elements of the design.
Wizard: An on-screen software tutorial that guides you through creating a document—a welcome convenience when learning software. You may already have DTP tools Desktop publishing is such an integral tool for business communications that its features are often incorporated into other applications. In fact, if your document needs are pretty basic, you may already have all the DTP power you need in one of the programs you use day to day.
The latest versions of most word processors, for example, allow you to import and add graphics and digital photographs to your text documents. Play with the font size and move things around, and you may have the flyer you want.
Your existing application may also include templates and tutorials for creating common print vehicles, such as simple brochures and newsletters. At the Avery paper Web site (www.avery.com), you can download templates for use in Microsoft Word to print postcards, business cards, and labels on your own printer.
Also explore the features of any graphics or digital camera software applications you use as a possible DTP option. Many let you manipulate illustrations and photos, such as by adding text.
And, just as some DTP software lets you save files as HTML for posting to a Web site, your Web development software may let you save a Web page as a document file.
GENERAL SOLUTIONS CorelDraw Essentials | | $79
Corel Corp., www.corel.com, 800/772-6735 | | A software bundle including graphics, DTP, and photo-editing applications. Includes tools for document layout and design and for creating graphics and illustrations. The Photo-Paint application creates and enhances images for use in print or on the Web, and the Photo Panorama feature combines several images into one panoramic view. | Print Shop Pro Publisher Deluxe 15 | | $99
Broderbund, www.broderbund.com, 800/395-0277 | | Special version of popular, inexpensive DTP software with thousands of design templates for creating business documents on Windows PCs. Wizards guide users through the process of building customized documents or using templates. Package includes Web-design tools. Photo Workshop editing module allows working with digital images; MovieShop Express lets users edit videos; program creates PDF files for sharing documents online or transmitting to copy center for professional printing. Web-based broadband version also available. | Publisher 2002 | | $129
Microsoft Corp., www.microsoft.com/publisher, 800/426-9400 | | Easy-to-use software for creating documents on Windows PCs for print or the Web. Includes customizable templates for business documents and marketing materials and design sets for maintaining consistent look throughout documents. Easy integration with Microsoft Office applications for importing, exporting, and formatting content. Saves document files as HTML for posting to Web site; Pack and Go feature prepares and compacts documents for sending to a commercial printer. | PageMaker 7.0 | | $499
Adobe Systems Inc., www.adobe.com, 800/833-6687 | | Professional-level publishing solution for creating all types of printed documents on Mac or Windows PCs. Fully customizable page-layout and design features; templates for most common types of business documents and marketing materials; easy integration with Photoshop and Illustrator for importing, exporting, and editing graphics and photos; and support for documents created in other DTP applications. PDF conversion feature creates files for display on a variety of devices, including laptops and PDAs. | QuarkXPress 5.01 | | $899
Quark Inc., www.quark.com, 800/676-4575 | | Sophisticated DTP solution for companies with dedicated graphics staff. High-end software for use on Mac or Windows systems. Create documents for use in print, on the Web, or as PDFs. Documents can measure up to 48 by 48 inches; publications can be as long as 2,000 pages. Control all elements of design, graphics, and text formatting; import and export files in all popular formats; create forms for gathering information on a Web site. |
REAL ESTATE SOLUTIONS
Instant Flyers 3.0 | | $79.95
Information Products, www.instantimpactgold.com, 818/986-9295 | | Quick solution for creating flyers and other promotional materials. More than 100 design templates. Drop in text and digital image files to create instant flyers; automatically convert flyers into door hangers or postcards; export files as PDFs; save designs as image files for use in other graphics applications. | Real Estate Document Assistant 2 | | $99
Hewlett-Packard, www.hp.com/go/realestate, 800/888-9909 | | Customizable DTP application for creating common real estate print promotions using Windows PCs. Functions as a plug-in to Microsoft Word; includes 230 design templates as well as image gallery with real estate stock photos, graphics, and logos. Enter contact and company information once and it’s available in all documents; save files as PDFs. | Silent Flyer | | $99
RPIS Inc., www.rpis.com, 800/755-7747 | | Easy-to-use real estate flyer creation program for Windows PCs. More than 100 flyer styles; fully customizable; point-and-click interface simplifies creation process. Enter or import property information, and the software builds the flyer; resize flyers for use as postcards or print advertisements. | The Imprev Online Design Center for Real Estate | | $199 per year
Imprev Inc., www.imprev.com, 800/809-3356 | | Subscription-based document-creation solution accessible through any Web browser. Includes templates for printed brochures, flyers, and postcards; tools for building virtual tours and Flash presentations. Subscription price includes hosting a Web site containing up to 10MB of content. Downloads files as PDFs for printing. Link from Imprev Web site routes documents to Express Copies service for overnight printing and delivery. | Digital Office Suite Residential | | $479
ProForce Software, www.proforcerealestate.com, 800/651-5520 | | Comprehensive library of more than 2,000 customizable forms and documents commonly used by residential practitioners for printing or electronic distribution. Includes forms, contracts, flyers, newsletters, brochures, and a clip art and graphics library. | Top Producer 7i | | $34.95 per month for new users
Top Producer Systems, www.topproducer.com, 800/444-8570 | | Web-based salesperson productivity software with flyer design module. Customizable flyer/print promotion module with built-in templates and design themes; merge feature automatically places photos, property information, and salesperson info in flyer. Automatically publish flyers and marketing materials to the Web; save flyers in PDF format. Store flyers in marketing links library for quick inclusion in e-mail messages. Company also offers flyer creation features in Top Producer 6i software. |
Prices are the manufacturers’ suggested retail prices and are subject to change. This list isn’t comprehensive; NAR doesn’t evaluate or endorse these products and isn’t responsible for changes in company info.
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