A system and method prepare real-estate contracts by gather information using simple questions. Based on the answers, contract clauses are selected and added to the contract. Information such as legal description, tax information, and realtor information can be pulled from outside databases and included in the contract. Signature collection is automated and recorded. Effective dates of the contract are calculated based on the signatures. The system can export deadlines and contract information to closing agents. The result is “hard” contracts that do no fail for lack of signature, improper legal description, or being improperly filled-out.