If you work in real estate, you know that the process leading up to a “yes” can be long. It requires many conversations and visits, as well as flexibility and negotiation skills.

Even so, after all the discussions and once the deal has been agreed verbally, you need to act fast before the tenant or buyer changes their mind.

That is why making the contract closing process faster and easier for the client can be decisive for your business, and even for your commission at the end of the month.

But how can you do this in the middle of Brazilian bureaucracy, when you need to send the contract to a guarantor, a witness, and the property owner, go back to the real estate agency, authenticate documents at a notary office, and deal with all the other “buts” that always appear along the way? How can you make this process easier?

The answer is not new and has already been simplifying contract closings for many Brazilian real estate agencies: digital signatures.

After all, what is a digital signature and how does it work?

A digital signature is an electronic method for authenticating acceptance of contracts and documents. This authentication takes place through the verification and storage of digital information related to the acceptance.

This information indicates that the signature and the contract are reliable and valid.

Some of the data collected to provide this reliability includes date and time records, IP address, geolocation, tokens, security keys, and personal information such as email address, date of birth, and CPF, the Brazilian individual taxpayer ID.

But does this really make my contract secure?

Even after understanding the information mentioned above, some questions may still arise: is it possible to prove who signed? How can I know whether the signature is authentic? Is the process secure?

With digital signatures, process security comes from the collection and recording of information that helps identify the signer and prove acceptance of the document. This information includes data such as IP address, geolocation, signature date and time, device information, browser data, and access tokens.

In addition, the signer receives an email with a unique token to confirm access to the document. Tracking cookies may also be used for anti-fraud purposes, strengthening the identification of the person who completed the signature.

After signing, the document undergoes electronic authentication through encryption technologies that generate a unique identification code called a hash. This code makes it possible to check whether the document was changed after signing, since any change to the file modifies its digital identification.

This means that a digital signature does not depend only on an image or visual mark on the document. It brings together technical evidence that helps prove who signed, when they signed, and whether the document remained intact after signing.

How does digital signature benefit my real estate agency?

With a digital signature platform, you can send a document for signature at any time and from anywhere. In real time, your client and the other parties involved receive the document and accept it.

You can also track the progress of the process, receive notifications whenever there is a new update, and share the document with other departments in your real estate agency, without having to send printed files back and forth.

In addition, the entire document storage process is handled online, which increases security and reduces risks such as damage, erasures, or loss.

This means:

• More speed;
• Lower costs;
• Less time spent signing contracts, including purchase and rental agreements;
• Easier contract management and signature tracking;
• Your company available at any time and from anywhere for contract signing;
• Less paperwork;
• Greater convenience for your client.

How can my real estate agency start using digital signatures?

Now that you know what digital signatures are and how your business can benefit from them, the next question is how to start using them, right?

3 simple steps to start using digital signatures in your real estate agency

1. Sign up with Autentique: Registration is quick and easy. Just fill in the fields and you are ready to go.
2. Confirm your email: Access the email account you registered, open the message we sent, and click the confirmation button.
3. Start signing your documents: Done! You can now access the platform, create your documents, and sign them digitally.

You can also add more people to your account by going to Menu > Settings > Organization.

In this section, you can add the email addresses of the people who will have access to your account and define each person’s permission level. As the organization owner, you will also have access to every new document created.

Now you can take advantage of the convenience and cost savings that digital signatures can bring to your real estate agency!