As eClosings start to become commonplace, Equity National Title launched an “eClosing hub” for mortgage lenders to help navigate the types of digital closings available at a zip code level.
The website, e-Ways, will advise users on whether the key authorities in each zip code accept none, all or some combination of the four existing types of closing: fully digital; hybrid; remote notary or traditional.
“Although the promise of the digital mortgage closing is powerful, the reality is that we’re confronting a lot of complexity in what can and cannot be achieved state by state and county by county,” said James O’Donnell, president of Equity National Title, a national title/settlement agency that offers title and settlement solutions for the mortgage industry.
For example, North Carolina is famous for making eClosings a priority. Tim Anderson, director of eServices with DocMagic, previously explained that it's significant that the state of North Carolina completed an eClosing since it’s an attorney state where they usually get a lot of push back. Plus, the state's eNotary law is more stringent as to what must be done to be legally credentialed to be an eNotary.
This new website from Equity National Title attempts to help users understand the risks, costs and confusion associated with trying to decipher e-capable markets
“Some counties may allow for some levels of e-signing but they may not allow a full e-closing. Other counties may not be aligned with state directives when it comes to remote notarization, or they might require the parties to make use of only one specific e-provider,” said O’Donnell.
“For lenders wanting to execute an e-closing strategy, especially over a wider geographic footprint especially, it can be dizzying,” he added. “That’s why we designed e-Ways. It simplifies their decision making.”