Remote Real Estate Paperwork: Signing, Escrow, and Closing

What is the difference between an e-signature and a notarization?

An electronic signature is you agreeing to a document in digital form. Arizona's electronic transactions law (the state's version of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act) provides that an electronic record or signature cannot be denied legal effect just because it is electronic, and the federal ESIGN Act applies as well. That is why so many closing documents can be signed on a screen.

A notarization is a separate act. The notary verifies your identity, witnesses your signature, and records the act. Some documents in a closing require notarization, and for those, the electronic signature alone is not enough. The notary step happens either in person or through Arizona's remote online notarization process, and which one is available depends on the notary and the platform they use.

How does remote online notarization work in Arizona?

Arizona has permanently authorized remote online notarization under state law. Under the current rules, the notary must be physically located in Arizona, must hold an active Arizona notary commission with remote authorization from the Arizona Secretary of State, and must use an approved platform. The notary verifies your identity through credential analysis, knowledge-based authentication, or personal knowledge, and keeps an audio-video recording and an electronic journal entry of the session.

The official source for the current rules is the Arizona Secretary of State, which regulates notaries and publishes the remote notary guidance. The practical availability for your closing, however, is set by your lender and title company: they decide which documents may be notarized remotely and which platform to use. Ask early, in writing, and do not assume a remote closing is available just because the law permits it.

What does lender and title acceptance actually mean?

The lender underwrites the loan and sets requirements for how documents are signed, delivered, and recorded. The title company conducts the closing, collects and disburses funds, and prepares the deed for recording. Both have their own policies on remote signing, and those policies can change by document and by transaction.

Recording is the step where the deed is filed with the county recorder, which is what makes the transfer public. Arizona law allows county recorders to accept electronic documents under standards set by statute, but recording rules and timing vary by county. Funding is when the money actually moves. Closing, recording, and funding usually happen close together, but they are separate events, and a remote buyer should know which one is which so a delay in one does not look like a problem in another.

How do you verify wiring instructions safely?

Wire fraud is the highest-risk moment in a remote closing, and the standard defense is simple: never accept wiring instructions by email alone. Call the title company or closing agent using a phone number you looked up yourself, not one from the email, and confirm the account details verbally. Be suspicious of last-minute changes, urgency, or a new set of instructions arriving late in the process; those are the classic patterns of an attempted fraud.

The FBI and the FTC both publish guidance on real estate wire fraud, and the practical checklist is short: confirm by phone with a number you verified, never reply to an email thread with instructions, and treat any change to the wiring details as a red flag until it is confirmed by a human you trust.

What should you confirm in writing before you plan a remote closing?

This article is educational, not legal advice. If a document, a signature, or a closing step raises a legal question, ask the attorney or title professional handling your transaction.