Special offer

As A Keller Williams Agent Why I'm Stickiing with Docu-Sign

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Missy Caulk TEAM

A few months ago, Keller Williams released a new software program called E Edge. It recently won the Innovator Award at Inman Connect in San Francisco.

Included in E Edge is Dot Loop. It is similar to Docu-sign in that it does electronic signatures and is part of the package we pay $15.00 a month for.

Docu sign logoI'm sticking with Docu-Sign

I started using docu-sign a year ago and have used it to write an offer for a buyer who lived on a sail boat in California, he loved it.

That was my first experience and he loved the fact he didn't have to pull into shore, find a print store and print and then scan or fax back.

Now a year later I use docu-sign for all of my transactions.

I have found that even more "mature adults" have no issue with it.

It is safe, user friendly and saves me so much time.

Dot Loop which is part of the KW E Edge package does not have the profile sheets for listing contracts set up.

So if I list a home for sale in the Ann Arbor Area, I can do it all in Dot Loop but then have to go over and do the profile sheet in Zip forms.

Now who wants to do that?

Not me!

What's the point if you have to send two different documents to my clients.

I told my Assistant that I would not be switching to Dot Loop. It is frustrating as I send the listing contract to my clients, they sign, we go in, print it off, then Robert has to scan it in, upload to Dot-Loop and turn in the Green Sheet.

But, that is what we have to do as all transactions must be entered into Dot Loop to get paid.

Data Bases

Someone one told me that the best data base is the one you use. I feel the same way about Docu-Sign, I use it and love it.

The First

When I first started using docu-sign, I heard a lot of WOW from REALTORS in other Brokerages that weren't using it but found they loved it.

Recently the listing agent was away planning her daughters wedding, and I told her "if you give me your clients emails I will send them the document to sign" so you don't have to worry about it while out of town." She did and the sellers and buyers were both able to put in writing what we had agreed to verbally on the counter offer. Had she not done that it would have been 3 days before it was signed. That is something I was not willing to take a chance on.

SOLD

Count me SOLD on Docu-sign.Even if I have to pay the $19.95 extra on top of Dot Loop, I am sticking with what has worked and gets the job done.

Disclaimer: "This post is a submission to the DocuSign/ActiveRain Electronic Signature Stories Contest. It's possible I will win a prize for writing this post. You could win a prize too by going to the Contest Announcement and sharing your own story".

Dot Loop is only one of the features of E Edge and the rest of it is AWESOME!

****************************************************

 

Posted by

 

Missy Caulk, Ann Arbor Realtor

Missy Caulk, Broker/Owner of Savvy Realty Group can be reached at 734-926-9797 or email: Missy@MissyCaulk.com

Our Team of 6 agents are available to help you relocate to Ann Arbor, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, Ypsilanti Township, Clinton, Manchester, Whitmore Lake, or throughout Washtenaw County, MI.

Find Homes for Sale in Ann Arbor
Find Homes for Sale in Saline

Find Ann Arbor Real Estate Information
Get a FREE Home Evalutation of your Homes Value

Missy Caulk Ann Arbor REALTOR® Google Profile



Savvy Realty Group

Move In Nashville

Melissa Caulk Author 

Stay strong, stay faithful, stay honest, stay loving, stay true to who you are, most importantly stay true to who God is as you'll be who you are, and you'll be happy, you'll be you, you'll be free. -Jamie Caulk

 

Comments(49)

Adam Mallory
eBroker Real Estate 619-566-ADAM - San Diego, CA
Broker, ABR, e-Pro

Nice post Missy!  E signatures are great, but don't you find a lot of sellers NOT accepting them?  Personally, I find that almost no Bank's will accept them.  I have Buyer's that are submitting offers on REOs and nearly all say "No e-signatures accepted"

Jul 31, 2011 06:01 PM
Richard Bazinet /MBA, CRS, ABR
West USA Realty - Scottsdale, AZ
Phoenix Scottsdale. Sellers, Buyers & Relocations

Hi Missy, I have been on DocuSign for as long as I can remember...  2 to 3 years maybe. This is an awesome tool, especially since they revamped their interface about 2 to 3 weeks ago. A real time and cost saver that lets you do business at the speed of the internet. I don't understand why more of our colleagues don't use it.

For example, I wrote two contracts this evening before this post, and had them both signed within the hour, right from my desk.

I now cringe when I have to get a hand-written signature on any document.

Jul 31, 2011 06:08 PM
Ruthmarie Hicks
Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605 - White Plains, NY

Hi Missy - to create the green sheets I have no choice.  I dodged as long as I could.  But contact management? THat's just a ploy to make the agent dpendent on the brokerage processes and gives others - poetentially access to my leads.  If I decide to leave - I want to be able to do so easily.  Using e-edge as a web site an then contact management ties you to the brokerage.  NO WAY... I'm happy where I am, but a recent incident has made me rethink whether I want to be there long term.

Jul 31, 2011 08:45 PM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Missy.  I don''t sell enough resales to make it cost effective.  By joining that board as a secondary member, I also got forms and a lot of training. 

Jul 31, 2011 10:05 PM
Hrisco & Associates
Hrisco & Associates - Roanoke, TX
Roanoke Homes for Sale - Roanoke Neighborhoods

Hi Missy, this was very enlightening, thank you for the comparison on Dot Loop & DocuSign, good to know.

Jul 31, 2011 10:10 PM
Cheryl Ritchie
RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD
Southern Maryland 301-980-7566
I am using it way before it is a common practice in this area. I need to find out if this statement is true...on Fannie and Freddie if one person signs all have to use Docusign for it to be valid. This lender stance stopped me the other day.
Aug 01, 2011 12:01 AM
Kat DeLong
Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ
REALTOR

Missy;  I've been using DocuSign since its birth (yrs ago) and when California Association of Realtors brought us "their" version, I checked it out and KNEW right then that DocuSign would remain my electronic signature program.  It is STILL the best.

Aug 01, 2011 12:54 AM
Jeanean Gendron
The Address Realty - Redding, CA
Specializing in Selling Unique Properties

Missy, ditto on all levels. Do love it and don't know how I would get by without it. It is a solid product. Nice to visit. Hope you are well. I have had one lender that held up a close for "wet" signatures....but only one. Have a great week!

Aug 01, 2011 01:36 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Missy, I haven't used either one. I will look into DocuSign based on your recommendation. Thanks.

Aug 01, 2011 02:06 AM
David Krichmar
www.DaveYourMortgageGuy.com - Legend Lending - Sugar Land, TX
DaveYourMortgageGuy.com

Docusign is awesome!! I'm surprised the whole real estate transaction hasn't gone to it.  including mortgage documents.  lets save some trees!!

Aug 01, 2011 02:57 AM
Gayle Causey
formerly with Keller Williams Realty Parishwide Partners - Monroe, LA

DotLoop is still so new that many of our KW agents are not familiar enough to comment. It has worked VERY WELL for me, especially when I have customers in different cities or countries. I LOVE IT!

I wrote an offer in DotLoop Saturday, called the list agent to tell her to expect it. Her reply was, "You know, I really haven't had time to get started on this."  My reply:  "Today's the day!"

Whatever works for you is the one to use, but eEdge (My Transactions) works for me.

Have a great day.

Aug 01, 2011 04:32 AM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Hi Missy!  I just had to come back and tell you that I had a conversation with a KW agent today who is VERY upset that she has given into sharing her database with her company.  She is concerned that when she leaves, she looses these folks to them and said she feels 'violated!'  Of course, I told her about you and DocuSign!  Glad you didn't partake!!

Aug 01, 2011 02:47 PM
Franklin & Brentwood, TN Homes Mike Nastri
Keller Williams Realty - Franklin, TN
It matters to us as much as it matters to you.

Missy, it is really easy to upload any document into dotloop and make it part of the loop.  I have some forms on file so it can be added to any loop when it is needed.  Add notes and signature fields where necessary.  Just did it tonight with a relocation package addendum.  Still learning and the system is evolving but all the Docusign endorsments above make me think there is some catching up to do.

Debe, the KW agent is misinformed, her database is hers, she can export her contacts from eEdge and import it into any other data base. Unless you agreed to be part of a team, your leads are yours.  eEdge stays with KW, but your contacts are yours.

Aug 01, 2011 05:09 PM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate
I have not had any banks not accept digital signatures, but I have had a local REO agent NOT accpet them and tell me to do them the old way. So I do. Debe, KW is not like that, they are the only company I know of that is no hassle when you leave, you can take your listings, with no questions asked. Yes I Mike, it is NOT easy, my copy machine, scanner at the office is a nice walk down the hall on the other side of the building, to print, then scan, then email to myself to have it uploaded is not productive. One of my buyer agents uses it and likes it, but she has to invite me in to each loop plus my assistant. Like I said maybe when the profile sheeets for listings, get uploaded I will try again. But, this is our busy season in Michigan so I am all about the fastest, easiest way. yes I have been to 2 glasses on this and I still struggle and I am hardly inept at software.
Aug 02, 2011 01:33 AM
Gwen Banta
Sotheby's International Realty - Los Angeles, CA

Missy, I have been using Docusign for years. It has totally changed my business and simplified my life. I sometimes wonder how I ever did business without it. I was the first in my office to use it, and my old manager discouraged me. He is gone, I'm still here, and so is Docusign!

Aug 02, 2011 10:29 AM
Anne Kohls
Keller Williams-The MORE Group - Commerce Township, MI
REALTOR, SE Michigan - 248-872-7944

Hi Missy,

I totally agree.  I have tried both programs and Dot Loop/E Edge is not as intuitive as Doc U sign.  I also have very mature clients who can figure out the Doc U Sign program.  I have used the E Edge Dot Loop program a few times (4) and only 1 client could figure it out totally.  Also, Doc U Sign auto fills blanks on each document and the Dot Loop program does not.

Aug 03, 2011 06:16 AM
Ann Cordes
Century 21 Randall Morris and Associates, Waco - Waco, TX
Home Ownership is Not a Distant Dream

Texas Association of Realtors just started offering a free version of docu-sign as part of our benefits from state dues.

Aug 11, 2011 07:45 AM
Paula Henry
Home to Indy Team @ HomeSmart Realty Group - Avon, IN
Realtor - Indianapolis Real Estate - 317-605-4174

Missy - I had no idea it was going to become mandatory to use eEdge. That doesn't make me happy at all. I have never put all my contacts in my brokers database and can't imagine starting now. I too, love Doc-U-sign, and haven't even tried DotLoop. Heck, I only signed into eEdge once.

Duplicating efforts is not optimal use of time.

Aug 14, 2011 12:45 PM
Stephanie Anson
Anson Properties - Gainesville, FL
Estates | Homes | Land | Investments

Hi Missy!

 

Docusign is very user friendly, i've been using it and i also have the eEdge Dot Loop, not quite using it, just dor database purposes, because all my transactions are processed with docusign and i will stick with it. Docusign is used by many agents including Ann Arbor Short Sale Agents, and it never turns us down.

Mar 27, 2012 08:14 AM
Kim & Kristine Halverson
Sotheby's & Knipe ERA - Bend, OR
Sisters, Realtors

Hello Missy!

I just recently used it and I find it very easy to use.I find it very helpful .Thank for sharing this excellent blog.You're indeed the best Ann Arbor Short Sale Agent.Best of luck!

 

Apr 09, 2012 01:11 AM