Do I need to get signatures on the copies of the contract and disclosures that I give to them. As we are supposed to give copies at the time of signing and most of the time it is in their home or at a vacant home where there is no copy machine. I always bring copies with me to give to them, but it seems like a lot of signing? Thanks to all who share their knowledge I and I'm sure many others really appreciate it:)

Multi part forms work round here if you don't have them sign on a tablet PC and email or fax them a copy. In VA you are required to provide yout clients with copies of everything that is signed. It could be next day if you don't have the technology to deliver immediate copies.

Nigel

I always email copies of everything to people. If they don't have an email of fax, i drop one in the mail.

I scan and email everything too. It makes life so much easier.

I scan and e-mail as well.

Most people are more comfortable if you give them copies of what they just signed. Have them sign duplicates and put their mind at ease.

I scan and email the copies. If they really really want a copy right then, I don't have a problem having them resign everything for their copy.

I may be wrong, but I don't think it's wise to have duplicate contracts. The duplicates are not "copies", they are actual contracts. Even writing "copy" on the second contract wouldn't reassure me. You've got ink on both contracts.

I make sure that as soon as I'm back at the office or back to our home office, I either scan and email, or fax a copy to the clients, or make a copy and put it in the mail.

Are electronic signatures valid????

Can't think of the name right now, but there is an online service where you can store all documents related to transaction and grant access to only the parties you want for each document. Keeps everything in one place and you just have to email other agent when contract is ready or whatever. You can give access to other agents, clients, title company etc on document by document basis...Maybe search Realtor.net for this - I think is in our benefit package.

Great Point!!!

Yes. The Electronic Signature Act, passed in 2000 make all forms of electronic signatures legally binding.

Anyone have a Gateway Tablet PC that can teach me how to sign a document on it??

I have saw agents in my area that had problems having the client sign 2 copies.

When the market was hot here thier was a ton of greedy sellers - Now that everything has cooled off - you hear horror stories

I know of one incident that an agent sold a golf course condo to a guy and did the 2 copy thing - anyway thier ended up being a different in the 2 offers - the one the buyer had also included a free golf membership. The one the agent had didn't include the golf course membership.

anyway long story short - the buyer ended up buying the condo and expecting this golf membership that is normally about $10k.

The agent ended up buying it for him.

Well I don't have a Gateway tablet, I have a Toshiba, but if you have windows journal, you can print the contract in that which brings it on the screen and you can sign it and save it. The contract comes up on the background and cannot be edited from that point forward, but the pen will work on the signatures and initials. I got deskPDF which was a $20 program that will print any document to a pdf file. So after it's signed in Windows Journal, I print it to a pdf file and that is how I email it so anyone can open it even if they don't have Windows journal.

So what do you do? Tell the client No, you can not have a copy of what you just signed, wait till I send it to you? I've only had a couple of people that wanted copies at signing, and did not have access to email (they were blind buyers, literally). The fastest way was to rewrite the contract so they could show it to a sighted relative. Everything I do is scanned, and archived anyways and always available for reproductions. Its an offer on a property, not the deal set in stone.

I have a Gateway Tablet PC and I until recently printed to Windows Journal and then converted it to a PDF and it was cumbersome and often quality suffered.

Now I print to the also included Microsoft Note -- in the Education Pack part accessible from the Start button. I take the contract and print to the Send to note -- I start a file for that transaction/prospect and it does two things, I can maintain a digital file in one place and also e-mail from there easily.

If you have further questions ... PM me and I can help out. I've had my Tablet for 2 years now and just found this solution that's all encompassing.

You should always do this kind of paperwork at your office where you have the necessary equipment. However, one way around the "no copy machine " problem is to sign the original in blue ink and use black ink for the copy.

The agent ALWAYS keeps the original.

States that require an immediate copy be given to the client/customer will have carbons, or if using Winforms, will say whose copy it is on each page.

This is a very good way to have contracts. Your broker can get on the internet and review it and print it out, your client can sign it with their mouse and print a copy forthemselves.
Everyone, buyer, seller, agent, broker, title company and lender, who has a right to access the contract can do so with a password. It's the way of handling all contracts and documents in the future.

http://www.ctmecontracts.com/eContracts/wp/index.htm