KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Sellers and title firms are rapidly embracing paperless closings thanks to major gains in speed, flexibility, and client satisfaction.
- Remote online notarization (RON) simplifies the notarization process, especially for seller-side title transactions.
- NotaryLive helps sellers and title companies streamline closings through fast, secure, and remote notarization. The platform provides the tools that title professionals need.
Audio Summary:
This blog is for buyers, sellers, title companies, real estate agents, and signing companies. It covers seller-side title work.
The Challenge:
Traditional closing processes still face travel logistics, document delays, and errors with wet signatures.
These issues slow everything down.
Since 2019, title operations offering digital closings have surged by 228%.
A clear signal that the industry is moving quickly past paper bottlenecks.
More states now require tighter security around identity and notarial acts. Title professionals and sellers need a better solution.
About 79% of REALTORS use e-signature as their most-used tool. Nearly half say clients respond positively to added technology.
Clients set expectations for secure, paperless options well before closing day.
Remote online notarization (RON) and paperless workflows solve these problems.
NotaryLive helps title professionals and sellers use these tools effectively.
Why sellers love paperless closings
What sellers may not realize about digital closings
- Parties may complete the closing from any location, including overseas
- If you are out of state or deployed, remote notarization still works.
- Signers do not need to travel to complete the signing
- With a remote notary, you can sign online through NotaryLive.
- This is helpful for deeds and powers of attorney.
Approximately 40% of RON sessions involve sellers only. This flexibility allows sellers to sign from anywhere, which matters most to them.
Less stress, more control
Many sellers do not realize they can review and sign documents digitally in advance. Doing so shortens the final session considerably. Sellers do not need to search for “notary near me” or coordinate schedules with notary signing agents.
Digital surveys show that just over half of respondents report faster closings with RON. Handling more documents ahead of time drives these faster closings. About 43% cite measurable cost savings versus paper workflows.
Better understanding = better outcomes
CFPB research indicates that eClosings increase consumers’ sense of control and understanding.
For sellers, the format provides additional time to review documents, such as:
- Closing disclosures
- Lien releases
- and seller affidavits
- and to ask questions before signing.
NotaryLive’s video sessions enable real-time questions and answers.
eClosing pilots showed improvements over paper closings. Understanding increased by 7%. Sense of control increased by 15%.
Efficiency rose about 17% for these companies. Documents arrive earlier for review. Title professionals do not hand over documents at the table when time is short.
Secure, trackable, and compliant
NotaryLive records every remote online notary session. The platform stores the recordings and encrypts them.
Each session includes ID checks and an audit trail. The notary applies the stamp and seal as your state requires.
You gain legal backing and peace of mind. You do not need to store paper files.
Why title companies and real estate pros approve
Firms need more than convenience. They need performance, compliance, and scale.
Faster closings = more business
Switching from paper to RON cuts notarization time from more than 30 minutes to 10–14 minutes. Title teams using NotaryLive process more closings each day. They serve clients faster and improve margins.
Cut courier costs and avoid mistakes
Traditional closing packages use printed documents, mailed copies, and physical stamps and seals. These steps add errors and delays. Digital notarization automates many steps. It reduces missed signatures, empty fields, and lost paperwork.
Expand your reach to absentee sellers
A seller may live in California and own property in Texas. Remote notaries handle that scenario easily.
Online notarization lets firms serve remote sellers across the country. Some states also allow international sellers. RON gives title firms a strategic advantage as they expand their footprint.
Built-in security and compliance
NotaryLive provides secure document storage, tamper-evident seals, and recorded sessions.
These features meet applicable Secretary of State requirements, including commission-expiration rules.
For title professionals, this reduces liability and helps ensure each notarial act is valid.
More satisfied sellers = more referrals
Title companies using NotaryLive report fewer reschedules.
They see faster turnarounds and better client feedback. In a referral-driven business, that is a measurable win.
Agents confirm that about 45% of clients respond positively when technology optimizes the buying and selling process. This goodwill carries through to closing.
How seller-side title workflows map to RON
Let’s break down some real examples of seller-side title documents you can now process paperlessly:
- Deed: Transfer ownership from seller to buyer
- Affidavit of Title / Seller’s Affidavit: Confirm ownership, disclose defects
- Power of Attorney: Notarized for signers acting on behalf of the seller
- Bill of Sale: For personal property included in the sale
- Settlement Statement / Closing Disclosure: Financial details, reviewed digitally
- 1099-S: Some states require notarization for tax documentation
- Lien Release: The lender issues a lien release to confirm that you have fully paid off your mortgage or other debt
- Signature Affidavit: Validates the genuineness of signatures
- Title certificate: Official ownership record in some property or vehicle transactions
- Quitclaim deed: Common for intra-family transfers or title corrections
For many sellers, using remote online notarization is now the normal way to handle documents.
How to notarize a document online with NotaryLive
The notarization process is straightforward:
- Upload your documents (deed, POA, seller affidavit) to NotaryLive
- Verify the identity with secure ID checks and knowledge-based questions
- Join a live video session with a remote notary
- Sign during the session, no printing or scanning
- Receive your notarized document with a valid notary stamp/notary seal and commission expiration date
- Send back to your title company instantly
No mailing. No waiting. Lower risk of missed or incorrect notarizations.
How much does a notary cost?
Pricing varies by state & provider.
Most online notaries bill per session or per notarization. NotaryLive bills only when your session is complete, so you never pay for failed attempts or add-ons.
Doing high-volume notarizations at your company? Title firms can set up commercial accounts to centralize billing, see real-time status, and optimize spend.
Brokerages and agents routinely spend about $50-$250 per month on transaction tech. RON slots naturally into that existing budget as it consolidates postage, print and time costs.
Can you notarize your own documents?
You cannot notarize your own legal documents with your own notary public stamp. U.S. state laws bar notaries from notarizing their own documents or any document where they have a financial interest.
Online notary services like NotaryLive enforce this rule in their workflow.
Only qualified, third-party notaries may provide their notary public seal.
How NotaryLive’s platform supports high-volume title work
Here’s how NotaryLive helps title companies and real estate agents serve clients better:
- Document management and upload: Send complete closing title packages in a single workflow.
- Multi-signer support: Handle powers of attorney or co-owners without extra steps
- API integration: Connect with your title production system
- 24/7 access: Sellers can notarize when it fits their schedule
- Recorded video sessions: help resolve disputes and ensure compliance
- Digital return of notarized docs: instantly accessible after the session
About NotaryLive
NotaryLive is a leading provider of digital notarization and eSign solutions. The platform is secure and user-friendly. NotaryLive enhances business efficiency and meets customer needs. By offering innovative tools for electronic signatures and online notarization, NotaryLive empowers professionals to manage documents easily, anywhere, any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How to notarize a document online with a remote notary?
A: Upload your document to NotaryLive and verify your identity. Join a video call with a commissioned notary and sign the document. You’ll receive it back with a valid notary seal/notary stamp.
Q: What types of documents require notarization in a real estate sale?
A: Deeds, power of attorney, seller affidavits, 1099-S forms, and lien releases are among the most common, important documents. State law or the secretary of state determines requirements, which vary by state.
Q: Is online notarization legal in my state?
A: As of 2024, over 44 states allow some form of remote online notarization (RON). Remote notarization availability depends on state law, document type, and state rules.
