What is E-Signing, and Can I Trust It?

In our increasingly digital world, it is becoming more common to sign documents electronically online, rather than having to sign the old-fashioned way, with pen and paper.

But can e-Signing truly be trusted when you’re dealing with a property transaction?

From a legal and compliance perspective, e-Signing been permitted for use in conveyancing for many years. The first electronic signatures were completed with all parties meeting face-to-face and signing documents using an electronic device.

Since July 2016, remote signing in real estate transactions has been allowed under the Electronic Transactions Act (SA) which has greatly improved efficiency and security for both vendors and purchasers.

Remote electronic signatures enable documents to be shared with the relevant parties securely and quickly via cloud-based software. This can speed up the process and help avoid lengthy delays, especially if one or more parties are in regional areas, interstate or overseas.

An electronic signature is effectively a visible representation of a person’s name, placed by a person on a document or in a communication by electronic means, to identify the person and indicate their acceptance of or agreement to the content of the document.

Electronic signatures can be applied in many different ways, including a person typing their name in an email or word document, pasting a digitised image of their physical signature, selecting an option in e-Signing software, signing a soft copy of a document with a stylus or finger on a touchscreen, or using another form of biometric identification.

In the case of conveyancing and property transactions, e-Signing software is used to protect the integrity of the document, prevent any changes being made, and maintain confidentiality and privacy.

At Cornerstone Conveyancing we use trusted e-Signing software to facilitate the signing of each document required for your property transaction.

Each party to the transaction will go through a verification and validation process and will be required to have their own unique email address. This ensures that each person only has access to the documents relevant to their role in the transaction.

You can click here to read more about the identity verification process we use at Cornerstone Conveyancing, and how it protects you.

After e-Signing each document, you will receive an electronic copy for your records.

At Cornerstone Conveyancing we embrace technology like e-Signing and the PEXA Key App to streamline our processes and enhance communication, while providing every client with the highest level of security. Please get in touch today for a confidential and obligation-free chat, so we can answer any questions you may have about the technology we use, and how we can guide you through a stress-free property transaction.