What's the best way to sign real estate contracts electronically?

1 What are e-signatures?

E-signatures are digital representations of your handwritten signature that you can use to sign documents online. They are legally valid and enforceable in most countries, including the US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia, and others. To create an e-signature, you can use a device like a mouse, a touchpad, a stylus, or a finger to draw your signature on a screen or upload an image of your signature. Alternatively, you can use a pre-made font or script to generate your signature.

2 How do e-signatures work?

To sign a real estate contract electronically, you need to use an e-signature platform or software that allows you to upload, edit, and share documents online. These platforms usually have features like templates, fields, annotations, and audit trails to help you create and manage your contracts. You can also invite other parties to sign the contract by sending them a link or an email. The platform will then verify the identity of the signers, capture their e-signatures, and store the signed documents securely.

3 What are the benefits of e-signatures?

Using e-signatures to sign real estate contracts online offers many advantages for agents and clients, such as speed, convenience, cost savings, security, and compliance. Signing and sending contracts can take minutes instead of days or weeks for paper documents to arrive. Plus, you can do it from anywhere at any time with an internet connection. You can also save money on paper, ink, postage, and storage costs while reducing the risk of losing or damaging documents. Furthermore, you can protect your contracts from unauthorized access, tampering, or fraud with digital certificates and encryption. Additionally, you can ensure that your contracts comply with local laws and regulations with audit trails and timestamps.

4 What tools can you use to sign real estate contracts electronically?

When signing real estate contracts online, there are several e-signature platforms and software to choose from. DocuSign is a leading platform that offers a range of features and integrations for real estate professionals. HelloSign is a user-friendly option with a free plan that allows up to three documents to be signed per month. SignNow is secure and affordable, with a real estate-specific plan that includes unlimited document sending, team management, custom branding, e-notary, and more. Adobe Sign is another powerful and versatile e-signature platform that integrates with Adobe Acrobat and other Adobe products. It also has a real estate plan that includes unlimited document sending, PDF editing, cloud storage, e-notary, and more.

5 How to choose the best e-signature tool for your needs?

When selecting the best e-signature tool for your real estate needs, it’s important to consider pricing, ease of use, compatibility, and support. Compare the costs and features of different plans and platforms, and look for discounts or free trials if available. Choose a platform that is easy to set up, navigate, and use, and ensure it works well with your devices, browsers, and software. Additionally, seek out a platform that offers reliable and responsive customer service and technical support. By using e-signatures, you can save time, money, and hassle while ensuring the validity and security of your contracts. Explore the different e-signature platforms that are available to find the one that best suits your needs.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?