Electronic signatures have been legal and enforceable since October of 2000 when the Electronic Signatures in Global and International Commerce Act (ESGICA) was enacted.  There are several great blogs and websites which go into the details of the technology involved in creating and validating signatures, here are a few if you are really interested in the technical side of electronic signatures: AZ Secretary of State, DircectoryM Articles, How Stuff Works

On a more practical side, Julie and I have been using DocuSign for several months now and have had nothing but positive feedback from our clients and other professionals we interface with.

Let's face it, sometimes our real estate contracts would get faxed up to 8 times before they were considered fully executed.  Then they need to be delivered to title, escrow and various brokers.  It is very common to have to deliver not only the executed contract but 1 or 2 drafts of the contract before all terms were agreed to, just so that lenders and title could try to decipher what was on page 8 before it was faxed the 5th time.

Banks Like Contracts With Electronic Signatures better than Contracts With Faxed Signatures

If you are trying to purchase or sell a short sale or bank-owned home (foreclosed home) then you want to sign your documents electronically if at all possible.  It is imperative to send over a complete and 'clean' package to the bank.    We NEED to make things as simple and forthcoming for the overburdened negotiator with 200 other files on his desk.

If you had 200 files on your desk which of contracts would you want to tackle first?

Convenience

If you can access your email and the internet, then you can sign a document electronically.  You can access your document online, view it, sign it, download it and save it AT YOUR LEISURE.  No Realtors showing up at your house at 9pm to get signatures.  No fax machines, or scanners to figure out.  

Electronic signatures works great with:

·         out of state buyers

·         Signatures that need to be signed late at night

·         couples getting separated or divorced that would like to sign separately of each other,

·         people that work nights and sleep during the day or have non-traditional work schedules

·         people going on vacation

·         people on business trips

·         people that write or respond to multiple offers at one time

Electronic Signatures Save Time and Eliminate Steps

DocuSign facilitates almost instant communication.  If you complete your signature while at work, you don't have to fax the document to your spouse at home to sign, docusign immediately delivers it to them as soon as you finish. Once your spouse has signed the document Julie and I are alerted within a minute or two that your document envelope is complete.  Within minutes we can have the document forwarded to the co-operating agent, lawyer, title company, brokers and the bank.  Time is always of the essence when putting together deals and getting the deals closed.

Electronic Signatures Are EASY

If you can do this, you can sign a document electronically:

Electronic Signatures Cost You Nothing