A fellow green-minded real estate professional recently brought to my attention a way to make contract signing completely paperless using electronic signatures.  How?

1) I create the contract online and electronically tag the areas that need signatures and initials.
2) I then email the contract to my client(s) in PDF format or review it with them online, in person.
3) The recipient verifies that they agree to using an electronic signature and they are who they will be claiming to be.  They even get to several choices of font for their signature.  As they review the contract at their own speed they check off each of a the signatures and initials as they agree to them.
4) Once complete, the contract is returned to me in PDF format with their digital signatures and initials in all the right places.
5) My client maintains a PDF copy for their records that they can print if they choose.

Lots of gas, trees and time will be saved.  I don’t have to drive around Northern Virginia to get everyone’s signatures in person.  I don’t have to print the contract before faxing it to them and then again when I receive it, which also helps keep the contract a lot more legible.

Now, the process of making or receiving an offer on a home can be 100% paperless. Even if you are working with another Realtor, you should ask them to provide you this option.

We are also working with a lender who can offer paperless closings, which I will talk about in a future blog.

Please share any ways that you have found to become more paperless.