eSignatures for Real Estate Explained
Things are going digital at a fast pace, and eSignatures in real estate are proof of that. Depending on your agent, she or he may have you sign some of your contracts and disclosures through a secure webpage online. If you’ve ever signed on a pad for a card purchase at a retail store or supermarket, you’ve applied an eSignature.
eSignatures are a digital take on traditional pen-and-ink signatures. When you sign something digitally, it usually involves you typing your name and/or the last four digits of your Social Security Number from your computer (or, on a tablet like an iPad) into a signature field.
When your agent sends over a document, you’ll get a link in your e-mail that sends you to a secure webpage. You’ll log in, review the contract, and then apply your signature. It’s a pretty simple process.
In every state, eSignatures are legally binding in the same ways as a traditional signing. Just like ‘regular’ signatures, eSignatures whether typed or “written” on an iPad (or even at the supermarket) protect both parties involved with the transaction or agreement.
Now that you know a little bit more about eSignatures, you’ll know what to expect if your real estate agent or REALTOR® sends one to you.
