Managing Secure E-Signings with Janus Title

January 22, 2022

Digital services have become the norm ever since the initial COVID-19 lockdowns and public health measures. Now, nearly two years on from those first days of the pandemic, the world has adapted to what feels like a constantly changing landscape of digital vs. in-person connections. The things that felt new and unusual just a few years ago are now everyday methods of doing business.

Of course, COVID-19 isn’t the only reason for this. It was simply the gas on the fire that sped up the transition to more digitally focused offerings from businesses around the world. The reality is that this transition was already underway, yet moving much slower prior to March, 2020.

Real estate is one of the industries most affected by the move away from in-person meetings to digital meetings. Digital open houses with detailed video tours are much more commonplace today, while the traditional open house with a communal plate of snacks for visitors are becoming less popular. Even the closing process has gone digital with many milestones being completed remotely and documents being signed digitally. Best of all, with Janus Title, making the transition to e-singings is simple for real estate professionals.

What is E-Signing?

The name e-signing is somewhat self-explanatory. An e-signature is a digital signature on a document designed to replace the need for a signature completed in-person. Pretty simple, right? The fact is that e-signing may appear simple on the surface, but there is a lot going on behind the scenes to ensure an e-signature on an important real estate document is legitimate and legal.

There are a wide range of e-signatures that can be used. Many PDF editing programs include the option to drop in a digital signature to complete documents without the need for printing and scanning. It’s a quick process but, unfortunately, doesn’t hold up in many legal situations. It is a convenience feature added to help process some basic documentation that requires a signature but likely won’t ever require scrutiny in court.

Secure e-signing for legal documents is a little more complex under the hood. The visual signature may look similar to other software programs that enable signing, but the real meat and potatoes is the digital trail that’s documented to prove the person signing the document is, in fact, the person whose name appears on the document. This is done by securing the signing process using encryption and requiring verification from the signer in order to access and complete the signing process.

With the digital proof of receipt and signing, the e-signing services offered by Janus Title through our exclusive Qualia Connect platform meet the verification and security standards to satisfy legal and regulatory requirements.

Why Consider E-Signing?

With an understanding of what e-signing is, the more important question is why real estate professionals would want to use e-signing beyond the current circumstances surrounding the pandemic. After all, pen and paper has worked for years and won’t be outlawed anytime soon.

The reality is that the demographics which make up the largest groups of homebuyers are changing rapidly. Regardless of what COVID-19 is affecting another year from today, the demand for digital services has grown and people buying homes expect a digital experience just like they enjoy when they shop online, order takeout, get a ride to their favorite bar, or stream the hottest new show. Millennials make up over 50% of homebuyers today and Gen Z is entering the market quickly as well.

Not only are consumer expectations changing, cultural norms are changing as well. Remote or hybrid work arrangements have become standard in many businesses. Video meetings have replaced traditional board room meetings. So why should people still need to travel to an office just to apply some ink to a piece of paper when there is a better way to sign documents?

Security Comes First

Of course, with any major transaction being completed digitally, there are bound to be questions about whether or not e-signing is secure. Qualia Connect was built with security and privacy in mind to ensure convenience does not come at the expense of data protection.

As mentioned before, the process to complete an e-signing is more than just drawing a signature on a screen instead of on a piece of paper. The entire process is encrypted and signers must verify their identity using a code or password in order to access, view, and sign the document. Once signed, the document is stored securely.

In some respects, digital signatures can offer even more security than signatures on paper. For example, there’s no risk that a digitally signed document could be dropped and then read by the next person to pick it up.

One Piece of the Puzzle

Most importantly, e-signatures are just one piece of the larger Qualia Connect picture. It is a helpful tool to enable digital closings for clients and offer a higher level of service, but it is far from the only feature offered by Janus Title to partnered real estate professionals.

Along with e-signature capabilities, users also have the ability to instantly request title quotes and place orders, communicate with other parties on a centralized platform, share documents in the secure cloud storage, plan and launch video meetings, as well as get milestone updates. All of these benefits come together as a complete package to set Janus Title apart from the competition.

To learn more about the exclusive Qualia Connect platform and discover how it can make your practice more efficient while also offering better client experiences, contact the experienced real estate professionals at Janus Title today.