The speed of business today requires professional real estate agents to have a level of mobility and knowledge of technology and products available. Agents have been capable for several years to create transaction documents using many different programs.
UELA and ESIGN
In the past, agents would write offers and contracts using online programs and then print or email the documents for their clients to sign. In
recent years, thanks to the Uniform Electronic Signature Act and the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, signatures given electronically are considered valid.
This change in law and improvement in technology has paved the way for paperless transaction management. Initially, the paperless agent received electronically signed documents from clients and then, though saving them electronically for him/herself, made a paper copy to share with clients and office staff. What a waste of great technology!
Ooh, the Cloud!
Agents have turned to many sources to save documents electronically, from CD’s and DVDs to hard drives, and now the cloud. Cloud based storage lends itself to file sharing. Programs like Dropbox and Google Docs are great ways to store and share transactional files. Brokers have jumped into the electronic transaction storage and management arena as well by purchasing products for agent use. Both Sureclose and Back are excep
tional products. These, however, are geared for the broker.
What about the independent broker or salesperson whose broker doesn’t provide a paperless electronic transaction management system? What can this agent do?
Cartavi
The answer is Cartavi.
Cartavi is a cloud based transaction management system owned by DocuSign. It can be used independently of DocuSign or in concert. Each transaction in Cartavi has its own room. All parties to the tr
ansaction, the title company, lender, and cooperating agent may be invited into the transaction room. Each participant has their own login and password. And, each document is customizable as to who has access to it. For example, the buyer and the buyer’s agent can access the contract and pertinent addenda including disclosure notices, but they couldn’t access listing documents.
Cartavi, owned by DocuSign has electronic signature capabilities. Once documents are in Cartavi, they can be added to envelopes for people involved in the transaction to sign.
No more pesky emails!
I’m talking about myself. If you have been involved in a transaction with me you’ll remember the dreaded email, “Can you send me another copy of that document. I can’t seem to find my copy. Cartavi removes the need for my pesky emails. Everyone involved in the transaction can access their documents at any time! Pretty cool, huh?
Email Yourself
One of the biggest concerns I have as a mobile agent is the consistency of sitting at the same desk every day, opening my file and communicating with my client, the cooperating agent, the lender, and all others who are involved in the transaction. Remember those days? The days of completed Communication Logs neatly attached to the inside cover of each file?
In the Pro version of Cartavi (the one you pay for), you get a Cartavi email address. This gives the agent the opportunity to email correspondence into Cartavi. Each transaction room can have a folder setup for email correspondence. The Communication Log is alive for the paperless agent! This is a great feature and should be utilized daily.
Support
No program is complete without a comprehensive support system. Cartavi has short How To videos on a variety of topics. Support is accessible on the toolbar right at the top of the screen.
Support also has a fairly comprehensive FAQ section, a Public Forum, and an email option. I have found that most of my questions have already been asked by others. I typically go to the videos first and then the FAQ’s. I have not had any need to go any further than those two Support areas.
What is in the Future for Cartavi?
In a recent phone call with Glenn Shimkus, Vice President of Product Management at DocuSign, I got the skinny on what’s next for Cartavi. First Glenn and I discussed Cartavi’s philosophy. Until now, Cartavi has focused on an agent-sided approach to the real estate transaction. Cartavi wanted agents to have the transaction tools necessary to work completely as a mobile agent independent of a broker’s set of tools. With Cartavi partnering with DocuSign, they have created a program that integrates electronic signing with transaction management and storage so agents can work independently and in a mobile environment.
With the agent tools and systems in place, Cartavi can now turn its attention towards the broker and real estate company. Cartavi will roll out in 2014 a Broker product with checklists and review. This will allow a company to use Cartavi allowing the broker or manager view and review all transactions uploaded into the Cartavi program.
According to Glenn, Cartavi and DocuSign’s goal is to create a digitally native integration system. Huh? … Imagine starting with zipForm, writing a contract or a listing. So good so far? Within zipForm, documents can be sent to clients for signature and then returned to the zipForm program. From there they can be emailed to other agents. Soon, agents will be able to move those documents right into Cartavi for management and storage. Literally just a click of the mouse!! Cartavi’s goal is to have a seamless consolidation of programs. So stand by for a roll out of this partnership with zipForm in May of 2014.
Wow, Going Paperless is getting easier! Glenn says “Cartavi wants to focus on continuing to listen to the marketplace. We are innovative: always listening and changing to support agents.”
Try Cartavi Free
Cartavi allows three free transactions per account. What a great idea! Once you try Cartavi to help manage your transaction, you’ll be hooked.