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Electronic Signatures Make Signing Real Estate Documents a No Brainer

By William Johnson

Industry Observer with Retired

February 28, 2013 10:33 AM

One of my Sellers suggested that I should write about the benefits of electronic signatures and to advise the Sellers and Buyers out there to understand how easy and unstressed electronic signatures can be and that Buyers and Sellers should also know that their agent is technology literate before signing up with them.

My Seller was telling me today that they were glad I was their agent because I make their efforts so easy in a getting their property under contract.

The ease of using DocuSign to complete the signing and completion of documents is very easy and anyone can sign and initial documents from any devise or computer. When my Sellers had purchased their home 3 years ago, the process was so much more difficult and papers were going back and forth and she said the entire selling process has been made so much easier using Electronic signatures.

I advocate for DocuSign and I think it is the best industry standard. If you are not using this service, you should be. It is very easy, saves so much time and keeps the integrity and clarity of the documents in their original condition when you need to print them. And typically, signatures, initials or dates are not missed by the Seller or Buyer. This is a mistake proof method of signing that if one field should be missed, the Buyer or seller can not complete signing the documents and saving until it is filled in. Think of it as the second set of eyes to be sure the documents are complete.

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Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD

Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Wonderful use of technology unless you have sellers who do not own a computer. Then it is back to basics.

Feb 28, 2013 10:44 AM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Katrina, You are so right. There are so many advantages, we should start listing them and then collect what others perceive as negatives and see how that looks. My guess, it would be no contest, :-)

Feb 28, 2013 10:45 AM

Dorie Dillard Austin TX

Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX

NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Hi William.

OMG I can't imagine not usingDocusign..my son (who is a Broker and in parntership with a small boutique real estate company) told me 4 years ago to get with the system and use electronic signing!! My clients love it and it makes signing offers and Amendments so easy!!! So glad I listened and made my life easier!!

Feb 28, 2013 10:47 AM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Pat, I just realized what the real problem was. The combination of being a lawyer and having had to pass the CA Bar, LMAO. The electronic signatures were so easy, it must have been perceived as wrong, potentially unlawful, and all together just too confusing while trying to analyze the validity of the boilerplate part of paperwork. :-)

Feb 28, 2013 10:51 AM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Margaret, I haven't run into one of these folks as yet but I sure would have no problem deliveing the paperwork and sitting with them while they sign. :-). But I know they are out there. For everyone else, DodcuSign has been a godsend.

Feb 28, 2013 10:57 AM

Sherri Melton

Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners - Evans, GA

Augusta GA Homes for Sale -Search Columbia County

Our company uses DotLoop for paperless transactions and electronic signatures. I find more resistance from other agents than I do my clients. It definitely makes my job easier and my clients like the convenience.

Feb 28, 2013 10:58 AM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Dorie, Me too, I was a certified trainer for our state association in our Standard Forms Advisory, Standard Forms development, forms storage and the use of electronic signatures. It all comes together as nice package of real estate services benefiting REALTORS® and consumers alike.

Feb 28, 2013 11:02 AM

Brian Rugg

Rugg Realty LLC Sun City Texas 512-818-6700 - Georgetown, TX

Sun City TX Real Estate - Georgetown, TX Real Est

Hello William: I was aware of DocuSign a while ago, but I didn't adopt that for all my needs until just last year. Almost all of my clients like it, but there some folks who still want the hard copy with real ink. Good post.

Feb 28, 2013 11:21 AM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Sherri, It will probably help when the different state associations get behind one electronic signature company and promote it industry wide. It is a little surprising that so many in real estate have not embraced the electronic signature concept but you already know the amazing benefits for the professional as well as the consumer. I will check out DotLoop and see how it compares to some of the others that I do know. Thank you so much for commenting.

Feb 28, 2013 11:21 AM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

William

Docusign is a no brainer, IMO, and I use it whenever possible. Too bad the REO and short sales lenders will not accept and even other conventional lenders will not. I have a seller in Japan at the moment and docusign has made having the home in escrow a breeze. Most buyers and sellers I have worked with recently have not used it but loved the idea once introduced. When you have dozens of pages of stuff to be signed it makes life so much easier and faster. No need to worry about having a scanner.

Jeff

Feb 28, 2013 01:04 PM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Brian, I think as time goes on you will notice less and less of that and more embracing the ease of this technology. DocuSign rocks!

Feb 28, 2013 02:04 PM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Jeff, Where there is an exception to using electronic signatures we all notice how much more complicated things are than they need be. I can so imagine the ease of a transaction across the seas. I had a client overseas a number of years ago traveling for business and the cost of the fax I sent to a Hong Kong Hotel was $145. Glad that is no longer needed, :-)

Feb 28, 2013 02:10 PM

Christine Hooks

Pino Agency - Pennsville, NJ

Celebrating 25 Years in Real Estate!

Hi, William. I think it's time for me to investigate this.

Feb 28, 2013 02:16 PM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Christine, Watch the tutorials with DocuSign and you will be rocking in no time flat.

Feb 28, 2013 02:39 PM

Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES

Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL

Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

William, electronic signatures have made our lives and that of our customers much less complicated. Even those without a scanner or faxing capability can now send back signed paperwork without having to drive somewhere just to fax something.

Feb 28, 2013 09:40 PM

Kristine Ginsberg

Elite Staging and Redesign, LLC - Short Hills, NJ

NJ Home Stager

William - I think it's really important to hire a technology savvy Realtor (like yourself) for marketing, internet presence and of course the ability to use DocuSign. It saves time, is "green" and gets the job done so much easier! I'm sure all your clients adore you for so many reasons! Enjoy your weekend!

Mar 01, 2013 12:10 AM

Roy Kelley

Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Good post, William. DocuSign makes life easier for real estate professionals and their clients.

Mar 01, 2013 03:52 AM

Scott Larson

BHHS/Utah Properties - Park City, UT

Park City, Utah Real Estate News

Dotloop here as well, and I wasn't around before electronic signatures except as a consumer. It is so much easier now, was always a pain before even when everything was local.

Mar 01, 2013 07:43 AM

Rene Fabre

ARFCO Media - Renton, WA

Practicing Philosophical Eclectic of the Arts

Hi William, as everything seems to get more complicated for its own sake these days, I am all over electronic signatures and if every institution would adopt the practice it would make closings so much easier for all parties concerned!

Mar 01, 2013 08:54 AM

Cheryl Ritchie

RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD

Southern Maryland 301-980-7566

I have been immersed in Docusign lately. Practice makes perfect. What a great tool. P.S. I decided to post a screenshot a day of my 27 iPad apps screens for the March 2013 write a post a day contest. The CMA Touch you mentioned has my undivided attention lately during a trial period. Make sure you mention me if you go with it, too. Reblogged!

Mar 01, 2013 05:35 PM