I’m right there with you—my “important papers” drawer is basically a time capsule at this point. Last time I went through the process, I tried to be all digital, but the lender still wanted wet signatures on a few things. They did accept scanned copies for most stuff, but I still had to print, sign, scan, and send back. It’s like they’re halfway in the 21st century… but not quite. I keep everything, just in case someone asks for a random pay stub from 2019 or something weird like that.
Yeah, the “almost digital” thing drives me nuts too. I’ve had lenders ask for documents from years ago—random stuff like a 2017 property tax bill or a closing disclosure from a house I sold ages back. I get why they want to cover their bases, but it feels like overkill sometimes. I still keep a backup folder of scanned docs on an external drive, just in case something comes up during underwriting.
Curious if anyone’s actually had a lender accept e-signatures for everything lately? Or is the wet signature still the norm for these down payment assistance programs? I’d love to streamline my process, but I’m hesitant to toss any originals until I know for sure.
Curious if anyone’s actually had a lender accept e-signatures for everything lately? Or is the wet signature still the norm for these down payment assistance programs? I’d love to streamline my process, but I’m hesitant to toss any originals until I know for sure.
Honestly, I wouldn’t get rid of any originals just yet. Even though a lot of lenders are moving toward digital processes, there’s still a surprising amount of paperwork that needs an actual wet signature—especially with these down payment assistance programs. Some lenders will accept e-signatures for most things, but then suddenly require a physical signature on one random disclosure or affidavit. It’s inconsistent and can be frustrating.
I’ve seen clients get tripped up when they assumed everything could be handled electronically, only to have closing delayed because they needed to overnight a signed document. Out of curiosity, has anyone run into issues with scanned copies being rejected? I’ve heard stories about underwriters insisting on “original” documents for certain items, which seems odd in 2024... but maybe that’s just me being overly cautious.
E-signatures are definitely more common now, but I wouldn’t count on them for everything—especially with these assistance programs. Here’s what I’ve run into recently:
- My lender let me e-sign almost all the docs for my refi, but then out of nowhere, they wanted a wet signature on the DPA agreement and one of the income affidavits. No warning, just “we need this mailed ASAP.”
- Scanned copies have been hit or miss. For some things (like pay stubs or IDs), scans were fine. But when it came to the actual grant paperwork, they insisted on the original, ink-signed version.
- I had a friend who thought she was in the clear after uploading everything, only to get a call from her loan officer saying the underwriter wouldn’t accept her scanned signature on the occupancy affidavit. She had to FedEx it overnight, which was a pain.
It’s honestly kind of wild that in 2024 we’re still dealing with this, but I guess some of these programs have old-school requirements because of how the funds are managed or audited. I’d say hang onto your originals until you’ve got final confirmation from your lender that everything’s closed and funded. It’s not worth risking a delay over one missing signature page.
If you’re trying to streamline, maybe ask your lender upfront for a list of docs that *absolutely* need wet signatures. Sometimes they don’t even know until underwriting flags it, but it’s worth a shot. The inconsistency is real, though... I wish there was a better system.
Title: Wet Signatures Still a Thing? My Experience With DPA Docs
I’m right in the middle of this mess with my first home purchase and the DPA process is honestly way more old-school than I expected. It’s kind of wild to me that some docs are cool with e-signature, but then others suddenly need to be printed, signed, and mailed. I had to go hunt down a printer at my office just for the DPA promissory note, which felt so unnecessary compared to everything else I was able to do online.
What’s confusing is how inconsistent it is—even within the same lender. Like, I uploaded my W-2s and driver’s license as scans and nobody blinked. But when it came to the household income affidavit, they sent me this super urgent email saying it has to be original ink, no exceptions. I asked why, and the best answer I got was “underwriting guidelines.” Not super helpful.
I’m also kind of paranoid now about tossing anything out after scanning it. Is there a rule for how long you’re supposed to keep originals? My stack of “just in case” papers is getting out of control. And what happens if something gets lost in the mail? Has anyone actually had a delay because of a missing wet signature doc? I sort of assumed everything would be digital by now, but maybe I was too optimistic.
Not sure if it’s just my lender or if all these assistance programs have weird requirements because of how they’re funded. Does it really come down to audits and government rules? Sometimes I wonder if the folks making these policies have ever actually tried buying a place themselves…
If anyone’s found a way to predict which forms will need wet signatures (besides just waiting for the lender to say so), I’d love to know. The surprise last-minute “mail this ASAP” emails are not great for my stress levels.