The digitization of financial transactions is picking pace; just as electronic payments overtake cash, digital mortgage processes are replacing traditional paper mortgage processes. The rate at which organizations are embracing electronic financial transactions is promising. MERS eRegistry shows a tremendous increase in eNotes compared to the past years’ numbers. Since the initiation of MERS eRegistry, there have been over 1.1M eNotes registered. The number of corporations utilizing MERS eRegistry is escalating with a dramatic 127% year-over-year increment.
The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority historically stood as the first housing finance authority to embrace, purchase and dispense eNotes to the market in March 2021. Fannie Mae received CHFA’s initial eNote transaction, which was acquired as part and parcel of a pilot program. Hopefully, this will inspire other HFAs to promote their eNote programs. It is exhilarating to bask in such achievements as corporations combine efforts to take the industry to a more digital-convenient digital process. With lenders continuing to revise their operations with the objective of digitization, the industry’s future looks bright and will continue reaping benefits.
Migrating from Hybrid eMortgages to Full eClosing
The marketplace realism is that customers demand digital solutions to create a pleasant home purchasing experience. The customer is always right, and allowing real estate transactions to migrate towards digitization is a solid step in the right direction. Although eNotes are thriving, many lenders want to evolve from hybrid eMortgage to full eClosing processes. It is customary for lenders to evolve with technology to satisfy their consumers’ demands adequately.
A hybrid eMortgage refers to a loan that involves executing documents using eSignatures, printing other documents, and signing them in ink. For instance, the ancillary loan documents and disclosures have eSignatures, while the security instrument and promissory note have the ink signature. This scenario is expected because the signing of the security instrument requires the presence of a notary. In cases where remote online notarization isn’t an option, the documents are printed and signed in ink.
Most lenders know that if the consumer has to sign some documents in ink, paper is also appropriate. In such scenarios, the lender might want to benefit from the efficiencies associated with utilizing an eNote with the paper security instrument. The eNote remains beneficial to lenders even when using the paper security instrument. They include increased liquidity arising from the lower timeframes for delivering an eNote into the market. An eNote eliminates the chances of misplacing a paper note and the tedious process of producing the lost note.
One can easily retrieve data from eNotes, ensuring data quality and saving the time used in checking for possible errors via data automation. The utilization of eNotes guarantees transparency and minimizes loan production timelines. An eNote execution ensures the presence of all the required signatures, eliminating the problems related to missing signatures. When incorporating eNotes in their activities, companies must have eVault (an electronic depository) for management and easy delivery of eNotes.
Tamper-evident seals enhance document integrity and enable lenders to achieve a secure audit trail recording each action taken on each loan file. The benefits of using eNotes are numerous, without forgetting that electronic signing ensures a pleasant borrower experience. Lenders often believe that a paper note is convenient if a paper security instrument is necessary; in any case, the unavailability of RON obliges the customer to sign the document in ink in the presence of a notary.
But with careful consideration of the potential benefits of utilizing eNotes, lenders recognize that going “e” is worth the trouble. The implementation of eNotes will also be able to save money, speed up mortgage digitization, and improve efficiency.
A considerable number of industries are embracing eNotes, including the mortgage sector. The initiation of eNotes simplifies the mortgage processes and reduces the struggle associated with working with third parties and sales agents. The benefits of migrating from paper to eNotes are immeasurable, especially considering the inevitable lending scenarios during the pandemic. eNote technology promotes a contactless digital loan experience while ensuring transparency, speed, data quality and accuracy. Additionally, the technology reduces the chances of misplacing a lost note that would take time to regenerate. Using eNote simplifies the mortgage processes, making it effortless and efficient.
