April 2014

Mortgage closings today

A preliminary look at the role of technology in improving the closing 

process for consumers
2 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

Message from 

Richard Cordray

Director of the CFPB

A key part of the mission of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is to increase 

transparency in financial markets and to provide tools and opportunities that empower 

consumers to make better financial choices. In line with this mission, we are enthusiastic about 

the potential to improve the mortgage closing experience for American consumers.

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions most people will make in their lifetimes, 

but navigating the closing process can be a challenge. We are well aware of the frustrations that 

consumers feel when they walk into their mortgage closing and face a tall stack of detailed 

documents. I have heard these concerns during my time as Director of the CFPB and while in 

public office in Ohio – and I have experienced them myself as a homeowner. To quote my friend 

Neal Wolin, former Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and a particularly knowledgeable 

consumer, when he vividly described his closing:

"The documents are literally impenetrable...Here I was—former general 

counsel of the Treasury, former general counsel of a Fortune 100 

financial services company—asking my lawyer to help me through 100 

pages of incomprehensible, turgid gobbledygook."1

 

1Chan, S. (2010, April 17) Trench Warfare: Send In the Deputies. The New York Times, available at 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/business/18regs.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&
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This much is clear to me: the package of closing documents is too large, and the process is overly 

complex and stressful for consumers. The CFPB is committed to work on improving the process 

for everyone involved. Last year, we finalized our "Know Before You Owe" rule that integrated 

the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA)

disclosures, which will take effect in August 2015. We are confident that the changes we made to 

the mortgage disclosures, particularly the new requirement to deliver the Closing Disclosure 

three business days before closing, will help improve consumer empowerment and avoid 

surprises at the closing table.

However, our work does not stop there. Throughout this past year, we have been speaking with 

consumers and industry players and collecting input from all involved in the closing process. 

Our goal has been to gain a clearer picture of closing challenges and their root causes – and to 

identify potential solutions. Based on this initial research, we believe that there may be 

opportunities to leverage technology in order to solve some of the issues that cause frustrations 

for both consumers and professionals in the mortgage closing process. Specifically, we

hypothesize that technology-enabled electronic closing (eClosing) solutions have the potential to 

reduce errors, limit surprises, lessen anxiety, and create more time and opportunity for 

consumers to understand their mortgage and make more informed decisions. 

This is why we are excited to announce that we will be launching a pilot program within the next 

year to further explore the opportunities within eClosing solutions and to test additional 

educational tools that can be incorporated to benefit consumers. Our goal will be to determine 

how the eClosing process can be made to reflect the spirit of our "Know Before You Owe" rule: 

increased consumer understanding, fewer surprises at the closing table, and a more empowered 

consumer. 

To be clear, the goal of this project is not to write a new rule. In fact, a key takeaway from our 

first stage of research was the recognition that the CFPB has direct authority over only a small 

portion of the closing package. Rather, we see ourselves as a catalyst and facilitator of change, as 

a convener of government and industry stakeholders, and as an advocate for consumers by 

identifying how new uses of technology can benefit consumers during the closing process.

As stakeholders across the industry continue to integrate more technology into their closing 

processes, we want to work collaboratively to ensure that consumers benefit from this 

technology and avoid any unwarranted risks. We plan to share our initial observations in this 

paper and to investigate the topic further in the upcoming pilot program. By working together, 

we hope to spur improvements across industry that enable consumers to better understand their 
4 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

financial commitment, feel more confident about their role in the process, and ask the necessary 

questions before signing on the dotted line. 

Sincerely, 

Richard Cordray
5 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

Table of contents

Message from Richard Cordray .................................................................................2

Table of contents.........................................................................................................5

1. Executive summary..............................................................................................7

2. Approach and methodology ..............................................................................10

2.1 Background and context......................................................................... 10

2.2 Approach..................................................................................................11

2.3 Data sources and methodology .............................................................. 12

3. Closings today: a process with many forms, regulations, and 

stakeholders .......................................................................................................15

3.1 Documents during the closing process ...................................................17

4. Reported challenges and frustrations: consumers and industry 

are both dissatisfied with current closing process .........................................19

4.1 Consumer-specific challenges and frustrations.....................................22

4.2 Industry-specific challenges and frustrations........................................24

5. Our long-term vision: an empowered, knowledgeable homebuyer 

experiencing a more efficient, consumer-friendly process ............................26

5.1 Reduction / simplification of the closing package.................................28

5.2 Leveraging technology-driven eClosing solutions .................................30
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6. Exploring electronic closings: use and adoption of technology to 

address obstacles in the closing process........................................................31

6.1 What is eClosing? ................................................................................... 31

6.2 What are the potential benefits of eClosing? .........................................36

6.3 What are the potential risks of eClosing?...............................................39

6.4 What solutions are available today?.......................................................40

6.5 Who offers eClosing solutions today? ....................................................42

7. eClosing potential barriers to adoption and myths .........................................44

7.1 eClosing barriers to adoption .................................................................44

7.2 eClosing myths........................................................................................50

8. The road ahead ...................................................................................................53

Appendix A: ...............................................................................................................56

Request for information.................................................................................. 56

Appendix B:...............................................................................................................61

Example interview guide................................................................................. 61
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1. Executive summary

The mortgage closing process is complex and often onerous for all involved. For most 

consumers, closing a mortgage signifies the most substantial financial transaction they will 

complete in their lifetimes. However, the process can be time-consuming and confusing. 

Consumers face a daunting package of closing documents that is too large to absorb and too

difficult to understand. This makes many consumers feel overwhelmed and with little control

over this important process. For industry, the cumbersome process and flood of paperwork 

increases complexity, produces delays, and ultimately adds cost.

The CFPB asked consumers and industry stakeholders for comments in order to understand the 

key challenges generating these frustrations during the closing process. In addition to the 

number and complexity of documents mentioned above, consumers, lenders, settlement agents, 

and others often reported issues with the process itself. In many cases, consumers do not see the 

closing package until they arrive at the closing table, which is usually too late to digest the 

information, ask questions about changes in fees, or correct errors, without delaying the closing. 

Furthermore, consumers often feel alone in the process; some claim that key participants are 

difficult to reach and that they do not know who is available to explain the documents and 

process. As a result of these challenges, consumers are often stressed and confused and do not 

think they can play an active role in their closing process, and industry stakeholders are 

burdened by complexity and a lack of standardization.

According to the CFPB's research, two root causes drive these problems. First, the closing 

package is large and complex due to the high number of federal, state, and local regulations 

requiring disclosures, as well as additional documents added by lenders and investors as part of 

their risk management processes. Second, the closing process has a high level of variability due 

to the number of stakeholders involved and the fact that neither documents nor practices are 

uniform across transactions; this variability often leads to increased confusion and errors.

The CFPB's long-term vision for the closing process is an empowered, knowledgeable

homebuyer experiencing a more efficient, consumer-friendly process. Through its initial
8 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

research and outreach, the CFPB has identified two potential solutions that could contribute to 

this vision and address key challenges and frustrations for consumers and industry:

 Electronic closing (eClosing) has the potential to address challenges by shifting the 

closing experience toward a more paperless process and by facilitating other consumerfriendly improvements. For the purposes of this report, the term "eClosing" refers to a 

mortgage closing that relies on technology for stakeholders to review and/or sign the 

documentation electronically. An eClosing may be a fully paperless process or a process 

that relies partly on paper and partly on technology.

 Reduction and simplification of the closing package to decrease the number and 

complexity of documents and to enhance how they are presented to consumers is a 

second potential solution.2 The CFPB is interested in working collaboratively with 

government and industry partners to encourage the use of documents that are more 

streamlined and consumer-friendly. However, the CFPB recognizes that other 

stakeholders own or regulate the majority of the closing documents. The volume and 

complexity of the documents and actors involved create high barriers that limit 

opportunities for direct CFPB action. Additionally, the need for action at multiple levels 

of government would likely take considerable time to bear fruit. As a result, the Bureau 

will not focus its efforts on this solution over the next year. 

The first solution, moving mortgage closings to an electronic format, will not, in and of itself, 

resolve all the challenges associated with the closing process. But the Bureau believes that 

eClosings, coupled with the Bureau’s vision for additional consumer-friendly features within the 

eClosing process, can reduce complexity and anxiety and facilitate improvements that could

greatly alleviate consumer challenges. For example, eClosing solutions could use technology to 

include new content, such as embedded educational tools, or improve the process by facilitating

earlier delivery of documents. Additionally, eClosing may eliminate process steps and reduce 

errors in manual processes, which could increase overall efficiencies and reduce costs for 

consumers, industry, or both. As industry continues to embrace more technology and paperless 

processes, the CFPB wants to understand how these technologies work and how they could

 

2 Streamlining of documents should always consider the impact on the consumer. In some cases, removing or 

changing a document that informs or protects the consumer could add harm and counteract the CFPB’s vision for this 

project. 
9 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

impact the consumer. For these reasons, this report will focus primarily on the potential for 

eClosings to improve the closing process for all parties involved, with a focus on consumers.

Over the next year, the CFPB will conduct additional outreach and research to understand how 

eClosing opportunities can improve the closing experience for consumers. As a first step, the 

Bureau will seek out innovative technological solutions in the market and work with industry to 

design pilots around these solutions. The Bureau has three core objectives for its pilot program:

 The CFPB will collect data to examine the potential benefits and risks of current eClosing 

solutions and potential new functionalities aimed at helping the consumer play a more 

active role in the closing process. 

 The CFPB hopes to highlight successful solutions in the marketplace to gain a better 

understanding of how these actors have overcome barriers to adoption and to

demonstrate how viable solutions could be adopted more broadly. 

 The CFPB hopes that the pilot will enhance industry dialogue around eClosing, bringing 

stakeholders together to tackle barriers to adoption, dispel myths, and foster greater 

collaboration to improve the closing process.

The purpose of this report is to share the CFPB's preliminary research on the current closing 

process, to lay out a plan for further exploration of eClosing, and to begin the conversation 

among key stakeholders on the benefits, opportunities, and risks of increased eClosing adoption. 

The first portion reviews the Bureau's research on the closing process; the focused discussion of 

eClosing as a potential solution begins in Chapter 6.
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2. Approach and methodology

2.1 Background and context

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act)3 required

that the CFPB publish a single, integrated disclosure for mortgage loan transactions that 

combines the documents required under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and the Real Estate 

Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA).4 In response, the CFPB launched the "Know Before You 

Owe" project to design the prototype integrated disclosures. For two years, the Bureau

conducted extensive quantitative and qualitative testing to produce disclosures that present the 

relevant mortgage loan information in plain language, in a format that is easy to follow, and with

the costs and risks of the loan made clear. In November 2013, the CFPB released the Loan 

Estimate and Closing Disclosure forms, which will allow the consumer to better compare the 

final terms and costs of the loan to the terms and costs he or she received in the estimate. The 

new changes will also help to highlight the most important information, warn the consumer of 

 

3 Pub. L. 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376-2223 (2010).)

4 Dodd-Frank Act section 1032(f); 12 U.S.C. 5532(f); 15 U.S.C. 1604(b); 12 U.S.C. 2603(a).

The Congressional mandate to combine these forms to simplify the mortgage process is not new. In 1996, the 

Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act required the Federal Reserve Board (Board) and HUD to 

investigate combining and improving the disclosures. Unfortunately, the two agencies determined that impactful 

changes were not possible without legislative changes, which they presented to Congress in the 1998 Board-HUD 

Joint Report. By 2009, the Board agreed in a proposed rule on closed-end mortgages to work directly with HUD 

toward integration, but efforts were interrupted by the financial crisis and passage of the Dodd-Frank Act. See also 78 

FR 79730, 79738 (December 31, 2013).
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dangerous products, and limit the types of costs that can increase from the original estimate.5

These disclosures will take effect in August 2015. 

As part of its regulatory implementation efforts, the CFPB has also decided to take a broader 

look at the mortgage process. Improving the closing process will directly serve the CFPB's 

mission of ensuring that markets are fair, transparent, and competitive and that consumers 

receive timely information in order to make informed decisions. This current phase of the 

"Know Before You Owe" project involves engaging a small subset of relevant stakeholders in a 

pilot program with the goals of evaluating the impact of current solutions and helping to spur 

innovations that can further improve the closing process for consumers.

2.2 Approach

The CFPB followed a three-step approach to analyze potential improvements to the mortgage 

closing process:

1. Identify obstacles for consumers and industry stakeholders

2. Identify feasible, impactful solutions to address these obstacles

3. Determine how the CFPB can accelerate implementation of consumer-friendly solutions

Identify obstacles for consumers and industry stakeholders: The CFPB began by 

building a baseline understanding of the closing process as it stands today, including typical 

steps in the process, the stakeholders, and the documents. Then the CFPB identified obstacles

and key challenges in the process for two groups: consumers and industry stakeholders. These 

obstacles were linked to the content, process, and technology involved in the closing process.

Identify feasible, impactful solutions to address these obstacles: The Bureau used a 

hypothesis-driven approach that focused on direct interaction with consumers and industry 

through interviews and through eliciting comment letters. The CFPB used this research to 

 

5 78 FR 79730 (December 31, 2013). Disclosures available at: 

http://www.consumerfinance.gov/knowbeforeyouowe/#disclosure.
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identify potential solutions to the aforementioned challenges and evaluated this list of potential 

solutions for feasibility and impact.

Determine how the CFPB can accelerate implementation of consumer-friendly 

solutions: Finally, the Bureau evaluated how the CFPB can play a role in accelerating adoption 

of consumer-friendly solutions. The CFPB believes that it can act as a leader by launching a pilot 

program to gather additional insights and by convening industry stakeholders to collaborate on 

voluntary improvements to the closing process.

2.3 Data sources and methodology

The analysis relied on seven main data sources, described below:

 Literature review: The CFPB reviewed existing literature to understand the 

regulations impacting the package of closing documents, the history of these documents 

over time, and the general process followed by consumers.

 Analysis of closing packages6: The CFPB reviewed 10 closing packages, roughly 

representative of the market, provided by lenders and settlement agents and evaluated 

each document based on purpose, length, and relative clarity for consumers. 

Additionally, the Bureau compared the closing packages to understand the differences in 

the loans that drove variations in the documents included in the packages.

 Review of consumer complaints7: The CFPB reviewed approximately 3,000 

consumer complaints, analyzing a subset to build and refine hypotheses about key 

obstacles in the closing process identified by consumers.

 

6 Example packages include a conventional fixed purchase loan from North Dakota, a conventional fixed purchase 

loan from Maryland, a conventional fixed purchase co-op stock trust loan from New Jersey, an FHA fixed refinance 

condo trust loan from New York, and a conventional ARM refinance co-op trust co-borrower loan from New York. 

These five packages represent four different lenders.

7 CFPB collected complaints in CFPB database on settlement process from 7/26/11 (onboard date) to 6/30/13 

(n=2995); limited its observation to complaints with verified customer relationship (n=2466); limited its observation 

to a random ~10% sample (n=254); and dynamically created 14 categories for complaints.
13 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

 Preliminary industry interviews8: The CFPB completed more than 20 interviews 

with different industry stakeholders. These interviews captured industry concerns and 

challenges, views on potential solutions, and potential barriers to adoption of eClosing 

solutions. 

 Targeted interviews: After the CFPB identified potential solutions and barriers to 

adoption of eClosing solutions, it collected additional information from consumers and 

stakeholders to further test these hypotheses. The Bureau conducted in-depth interviews 

with stakeholders, including nine consumers that had completed a standard paper 

closing, nine consumers who had experienced electronic closing, and over 20 other

professionals involved in the closing process (e.g., settlement agents, realtors).

 Request for Information (RFI)9: The CFPB published an RFI in the Federal 

Register, open for 35 days, from which it collected consumer and industry comments on 

obstacles in the current process and potential solutions to drive improvements, including 

those leveraging technology. The Bureau received ar0und 450 public comments from a 

broad range of stakeholders, including consumers, lenders, settlement agents, notaries, 

attorneys, industry trade groups, consumer advocates, technology providers and others. 

These comments were critical to enhancing the CFPB's understanding of the key issues

around the closing process.

 Demonstrations with technology companies: The CFPB held discussions and 

product demonstrations with six lenders or technology companies that are spurring 

innovation of eClosing solutions and paperless closing processes.

Leveraging these data sources, the CFPB narrowed down a list of potential solutions that were 

both feasible and potentially able to impact the identified obstacles. The Bureau determined 

feasibility by asking stakeholders about key barriers to implementing a solution (e.g., legal, 

 

8 Interviews included mortgage lenders, technology vendors, settlement closing agents, warehouse lenders, investors, 

government agencies, fair lending, civil rights, and consumer and community advocates, housing finance 

professionals, housing attorneys, brokers and services providers in the residential real estate industry, trade 

associations for bankers, real estate, and settlement closing agents. The number of interviews was limited by resource 

and legal constraints.

9 CFPB collected responses that were sent electronically or mailed into the RFI from 1/3/14 to 2/7/14 (n=449) and 

created 36 discrete buckets of challenges and allocated all challenges mentioned by respondents (n=1480). It 

catalogued consequences based on 5 categories (stress, time pressure, confusion, cost delays) and recorded any 

suggested solutions.
14 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

coordination, and operational barriers) and evaluating the size and scope of these barriers. In 

parallel, we assessed the potential impact of solutions by considering the percentage of 

consumers and industry stakeholders that could be affected by the change and the time needed

to realize change (i.e., long-term vs. short-term impact). As the Bureau narrowed down the 

solutions, it continued to conduct additional consumer and industry interviews to further refine

its hypotheses and findings. 

This paper serves as a preliminary assessment10 of the CFPB's findings for the purpose of 

starting a conversation around opportunities to improve the closing process. The data sources 

reviewed provided sufficient information and public feedback to identify potential solutions and 

map out next steps for the CFPB. Going forward, the CFPB will conduct further research 

through a pilot program to assess potential solutions that could spur progress toward its vision 

for an efficient, consumer-friendly closing process and an empowered, knowledgeable

homebuyer at the closing table.11

 

10 The data collected from the RFI represents a limited sample of the full market and may be more likely to include 

negatively-charged responses.

11 In this paper, the term "closing table" refers to the meeting attended by the borrowing consumer to sign 

documentation to close the mortgage. The other parties at this meeting (e.g., seller, attorney) will vary by state. Some 

states require that an attorney is present at the closing. In other states, there are separate seller and borrower 

meetings, both attended by an escrow officer.
15 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

3. Closings today: a process 

with many forms, regulations, 

and stakeholders

For consumers, mortgages are often the largest financial commitments that they will make in 

their lifetime. In September 2013, consumers who closed conventional loans had an average

housing-related debt-to-income (DTI) ratio of 23 percent, indicating that about one-fourth of 

their future income would be needed to pay off principal, interest, and other mortgage-related 

expenses.12 Mortgages also have a large impact on the U.S. economy – a fact underscored by the 

recent economic crisis when the collapse of the housing bubble sparked the most severe 

recession since the Great Depression.

The closing process is the last step of the mortgage origination cycle, as shown below.13 Most of 

the consumer's direct interaction with the process happens during application and again at 

closing. The closing is particularly important for the consumer because it (1) involves the final 

documents requiring signature and (2) is the point of binding legal commitment. Closing 

presents the last opportunity to educate the consumer about the obligations that he or she will 

agree to as part of the mortgage.

 

12 Ellie Mae (2013, September). Origination Insight Report, available at http://www.elliemae.com/originationinsight-reports/origination-insight-report-september-2013/#?page=4

13 The graphic shows a linear process for the steps of the closing process. In some cases, the process may be more 

circular and/or repeat steps, such as if there are errors or simultaneous processing by two actors.
16 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

The closing process is particularly complex due to the number of stakeholders involved. In 

addition to the borrower and the seller (in a purchase transaction), other key stakeholders 

during the closing include the lender, the settlement agent, and the realtor. Each of these 

stakeholders has specific responsibilities during the process, which vary by transaction and 

state; but some may also play other informal roles, such as advisors to the borrower. 

Additionally government agencies, investors, mortgage insurers, warehouse lenders, document 

preparation companies and technology vendors, among others, can influence the closing 

documents and overall process.

FIGURE 1: ORIGINATION PROCESS
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3.1 Documents during the closing process

The closing process is not only complex because of the number of players involved; complexity

also stems from the number and variety of documents. The Bureau has sought to understand 

what drives the size of the closing package. After analyzing 10 closing packages across lenders, 

product offerings and geographies, and interviewing stakeholders, the CFPB determined that 

the documents in the closing package fall into four categories:

1. Federally-mandated documents: documents to fulfill federal requirements, 

generally for the purpose of collecting information and/or protecting the consumer (e.g., 

Truth in Lending (TIL) Disclosure or HUD-1)

2. State/local government-mandated documents: documents to fulfill state and local 

government requirements, generally for the purpose of collecting information and/or 

protecting the consumer (e.g., Septic System Disclosure, Massachusetts)

3. Contractual documents: core documents forming the legal contract between the 

lender and the consumer (e.g., Note)

4. Lender documents: documents added by the lender to manage risk (e.g., Occupancy 

Affidavit)

The number of documents in each of the above categories will vary between consumers’ closing 

packages. Sample closing packages reviewed by the CFPB ranged from 25 forms (about 40 pages

total) to 50 forms (more than 100 pages total). The Bureau found that the documents in a 

closing package act as a complex set of alternating pieces, contingent on many variables 

associated with the mortgage transaction. For example, one difference between purchase and 

refinance transactions is that a Notice of Right to Cancel is generally only included in refinance 

loans according to TILA (Regulation Z).14 The table below includes a non-exhaustive list of the 

key differentiators that determine which documents are in a particular closing package, 

including loan, property, borrower, and lender attributes.

 

14 12 C.F.R. § 1026.23
18 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

The CFPB's research indicated that two of the largest contributors to the variability of forms, 

based on the number of potential additional forms and percentage of mortgages affected, are (1) 

the state in which the property is located and (2) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or 

Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) loans. Property location is an important variable because

about 95 percent of mortgages are originated in states that require additional state-mandated 

documentation, according to the database of one top lender. FHA and VA loans are also a key 

driver of variability because different versions of forms are sometimes required for

conventional, FHA, and VA loans. The FHA and VA programs accounted for roughly 15 percent

and seven percent of mortgage loans, respectively, in 2012.15

 

15 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) 2012 via CFPB data tool, available at: 

http://www.consumerfinance.gov/hmda/; only includes data for first-lien, owner-occupied, 1-4 family homes 

(including manufactured housing).

Category Variable (not exhaustive)

Loan attributes

 Purchase or refinance

 Conventional, Federal Housing Administration (FHA), or

Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA)

 Fixed rate or ARM

Property attributes

 Property state (e.g., California)

 Property type (e.g., co-op, condo)

 Primary residence vs. non-owner-occupied

Borrower attributes

 Presence of a co-borrower

 First time home buyer

 Trust

Lender  National or state-chartered

 Discretionary forms

FIGURE 2: DRIVERS OF DOCUMENT VARIATION
19 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

4. Reported challenges and 

frustrations: consumers and 

industry are both dissatisfied 

with current closing process

To understand the challenges in the current closing process, the CFPB collected comments and 

feedback from consumers and industry stakeholders through three sources16:

1. Responses to the CFPB's public request for information (RFI) through the Federal 

Register

2. Review of consumer complaints

3. Interviews with consumers and industry stakeholders (e.g., lenders, settlement agents)

Based on these data sources, the Bureau focused on identifying the types of challenges that may

lead to negative experiences or outcomes for consumers. In general, the CFPB identified five 

direct outcomes: confusion, stress, time pressure, cost, and delays.17 The Bureau’s research 

indicated a high degree of consensus among consumers and industry in their beliefs about the

 

16 These data sources provided sufficient information to confidently form and test hypotheses, but they are not a 

representative sample to extrapolate findings to the entire market. 

17 In general, there is some overlap between the outcomes for this analysis. Confusion represents a lack of 

understanding of the document content and terms of the contract. Stress represents general concern about agreeing 

to a contract that the consumer is unable to pay or does not understand. Time pressure represents the feeling that the 

consumer cannot stop to digest the information and ask questions or that the consumer will not successfully complete 

the transaction by a certain deadline.
20 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

key challenges that drive these outcomes.18 The top issues cited by these groups include the 

following:

Timing of document delivery

The timing of document delivery was the most commonly cited challenge in the RFI responses, 

appearing in 43 percent of comments. Specifically, 31 percent of consumers, 51 percent of 

notaries, and 58 percent of settlement agents that responded to the RFI mentioned this 

challenge. Before closing, each document passes through multiple stakeholders. A common 

issue reported by stakeholders was that the previous party at each step of the process sometimes 

delivered documents behind schedule. Delayed document delivery can create a ripple effect 

through the process that can push back each subsequent step. Furthermore, forcing each party 

to rush through the documents to send them to the next party in line can lead to errors and 

stress.

Many documents do not reach the consumer until the closing meeting. With close to 100 pages 

to review and sign during a meeting that is typically no longer than an hour, consumers find it 

difficult, if not impossible, to read and digest all of the documents. For this reason, and others, 

every consumer during the targeted interviews confirmed that they would prefer to receive the 

documents at least two days prior to closing. In particular, consumers wanted to review 

documents to see if the fees and rates on the HUD-1 received at closing match the quotes 

provided in their Good Faith Estimate. In fact, 27 percent of RFI comments from consumers 

mentioned concerns about surprises in costs at the closing table. This challenge was the second 

most frequently cited by consumers in the RFI responses and a common topic during the 

consumer interviews.19 Even if consumers encountered discrepancies that result in unease at the 

closing table, they often felt pressured to sign documents during the allotted time in order to 

avoid risking delays or even losing the house. In the words of one borrower, "since the loan 

documents showed up at the last minute, I had no choice but to sign, even though the terms 

were different than was promised."

 

18 Consumers and industry have unique issues of concern, which are specifically discussed in sections 4.1 and 4.2 

below; this section covers a few areas where concerns of consumers and industry overlap.

19 As mentioned above, these numbers come from a subset of the population. It is important to note that these 

samples may not necessarily reflect the general population of homebuyers. 
21 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

The CFPB has already taken actions to help mitigate this frustration for consumers. The new 

“Know Before You Owe” rule that will go into effect in August 2015 established new disclosure 

requirements and forms for most closed-end consumer credit transactions secured by real 

property. Specifically, this rule requires a new Closing Disclosure form that combines the HUD-1 

and TIL Disclosure. The design of this form is very similar to the Loan Estimate that the 

consumer will receive after application, so it will be easier to compare changes in costs prior to 

closing. Furthermore, the CFPB added new restrictions on which costs can change and by how 

much, limiting surprises at the closing table. Lastly, the new rule requires that the consumer 

receive the Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing, providing more time to 

review and ask questions. The CFPB hopes that these changes in the regulation will incentivize 

earlier delivery of most, or all, of the closing package to further empower consumers.

Errors in documents

Stakeholders also noted the existence of errors in the closing documentation, which can lead to 

additional delays. This frustration was the fourth most commonly mentioned challenge in the 

RFI response, cited by 24 percent of consumers, 31 percent of settlement agents, and 42 percent

of notaries. Even a small error in the paperwork can result in long delays. One document

generation provider20 explained that the most common errors, such as a misspelled name or 

omitted spouse, require closing agents to send back and correct the entire closing package. 

Consumers and industry stakeholders were particularly frustrated if these errors occur at the 

closing table when all parties have reserved the meeting time and expect to complete the 

transaction. One consumer stated that, "even though we had repeatedly noted during the 

paperflow process that one of our last names was spelled incorrectly, the final documents 

came to us with a still-incorrect, albeit differently incorrect, spelling." Stakeholders expressed a 

general concern that additional errors directly result in delays, which may raise costs for all 

parties.

 

20 Document generation providers are vendors that provide a package of documents to lenders and/or settlement 

agents for each individual mortgage. These providers generally have a library of standard documents for each state 

and can add specific custom documents for individual clients. 
22 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

Large number of documents

Another frequently cited challenge was the large number of documents included in the closing 

package. In the RFI responses, 33 percent of all stakeholders stated this issue, including 18

percent of consumers, 41 percent of settlement agents, and 22 percent of notaries. One 

consumer interviewee explained, “I would describe the process as tedious and kind of stressful. 

I was just trying to figure out what it is I was signing and slow the [settlement agent] down a 

little to explain it sufficiently. At the same time though, you also get tired and sick of it, so you 

want to fly through it too.”

Additionally, in both the interviews and the comments, consumers said that they find the sheer 

size of the closing package overwhelming. One homebuyer simply said, “It felt like you’re 

signing your life away.” It is important to remember that when consumers come to the closing 

table, they are at the end of a long, stressful mortgage journey. By this point, they have already 

had to go through pre-approval, application, and underwriting phases, which all require 

consumers to provide and review a large amount of documents. By closing, some consumers 

claimed to be drained before they sat down at the table. According to one interviewee, “By the 

time people close, they can’t wait to get through it.” Even those who started out reading all the 

documents said that they were tired or impatient by the end and stopped engaging. 

Industry participants were also sensitive to this frustration because they deal with multiple 

mortgages every day. They reported that unnecessary duplication was one driver of document 

proliferation. For example, one settlement agent explained that, "there are far too many 

redundant papers and it is overwhelming for most borrowers." Additionally, industry stressed 

that the large number of documents may also cause a higher likelihood of errors.

4.1 Consumer-specific challenges and 

frustrations

In addition to these general challenges, certain frustrations are uniquely relevant to consumers. 

Consumers were particularly concerned about understanding mortgage terms and having 

enough information to enter into a large financial commitment with confidence. Therefore, key 

consumer challenges focused on content comprehension, including the following:
23 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

Documents are difficult to understand

Consumers frequently argued that the documents in the closing package were difficult to 

understand, making it hard to focus on the most pertinent information. This issue came up in a 

majority of the interviews with consumers, and 38 percent of consumer RFI responses 

mentioned confusing documents. Consumers stated that many documents seem designed for 

lawyers and not the average borrower. In particular, consumers identified the Note, security 

instrument, TIL Disclosure and HUD-1 as documents that are heavy with "legal jargon" or 

confusing terms.21 This is critical to highlight because many of the most important borrower 

commitments and requirements are outlined in these documents. In the words of one consumer, 

"the print is font-size 'flyspeck' and the language is boilerplate--not necessarily relevant to the 

closing at hand." In interviews, many consumers said that they did not read most of the closing 

documents at the closing table. Even those who said they started off reading the documents 

confessed that they stopped reading by the end of the stack. They said, “Whatever they were 

putting in front of me and explaining, I just signed.” Industry professionals shared these 

sentiments. One industry professional said, “I feel like most people don’t read [the documents]; 

they either lean on their attorney or don’t have an attorney."

The CFPB conducted extensive consumer research to design the new integrated Closing 

Disclosure in the “Know Before You Owe” rule with a consumer-friendly format, but many other 

forms in the closing package are still difficult for consumers to understand. This lack of 

understanding results in confusion and stress for the borrower at the closing and potentially 

creates future default risk if the borrower is unable to meet the agreed-to obligations.

Lack of available education and resources

In addition to the complexity of the documents, consumers reported that sufficient resources 

were not available to provide explanations or answer clarifying questions. Twenty-seven percent

of all RFI respondents mentioned that no one was available to explain the process or content to 

them, and 18 percent noted that key participants (e.g., loan officers) were difficult to reach

throughout the process. Consumers commented that they felt a power imbalance at closing and 

 

21 As mentioned above, CFPB's recently issued rule integrating disclosure requirements under TILA and RESPA, 

which applies to most closed-end consumer credit transactions secured by real property, will take effect on August 1, 

2015. It will replace current federal disclosure forms with two new forms: the Loan Estimate, given three business 

days after application, and the Closing Disclosure, given three business days before closing.
24 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

recognized that they lacked relevant knowledge. One consumer described an experience: “[He] 

would explain, but not with much interest or effort. Sometimes when I asked for an 

explanation of a form, [he] would blow through it. I was getting impatient.” The lack of 

explanation or education can exacerbate the consumer's feeling of stress given the importance 

and magnitude of a mortgage transaction. Even if they were stressed at the closing table, many 

consumers stated that they still felt pressured to sign the documents. Consumers described 

feeling that there was no advocate at the table to listen to their concerns and fight for their 

position. One homebuyer explained that, “They just shoved the paperwork in my face...It was 

just me against them. I just took it on faith."

4.2 Industry-specific challenges and 

frustrations

Similar to consumers, each group of industry stakeholders (e.g., lenders, settlement agents, 

notaries) reported certain challenges that create unique frustrations for them during the closing 

process. The list varies for each stakeholder, but the challenges most frequently cited in industry 

interviews and the RFI responses included:

Lack of standardization

While consumers likely only need to read and understand one closing package, industry

stakeholders, including lenders, settlement agents, and notaries, need to be familiar with a large 

variety of documents. Because standardization of documents in the closing package is rare, 

documents will vary based on the borrower, loan, property, and lender attributes. For example, 

a settlement agent working with multiple lenders or completing transactions in multiple states 

deals with an exponentially larger set of documents, few of which are standardized. Managing 

thousands of different documents increases cost and effort for these stakeholders, which can 

lead to higher closing costs and delays for the consumer. One interviewee explained that, "the 

reality is that settlement is so detailed. [It has] so many players with different levels of 

understanding and expectations that the chances of nothing going wrong is extremely low."

Perceived legal risk

In interviews with the CFPB, lenders consistently mentioned concerns with perceived legal risk 

throughout the mortgage process. Since the financial crisis and its aftermath, lenders' risk 
25 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

sensitivities have been heightened. As a result, many lenders include supplemental forms in the 

closing package to protect themselves during foreclosure proceedings and ensure that they are 

in compliance with federal and state regulations. Examples of additional lender forms include a 

separate occupancy affidavit that repeats the language in the security instrument or a fee 

itemization addendum to the HUD-1 that presents the closing costs in a different format. In 

some cases, lenders’ risk management processes have prevented them from streamlining closing 

packages. One lender explained that it tried to add a consumer-friendly summary at the front of 

its closing package, but the "legal department was completely against it" – they were afraid to 

supplement the exact forms suggested in the regulations. 
26 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

5. Our long-term vision: an 

empowered, knowledgeable

homebuyer experiencing a

more efficient, consumerfriendly process

Based on a preliminary review of the current closing process, the CFPB believes that 

opportunities exist to improve the current process and address the obstacles felt by both 

consumers and industry participants. The Bureau's long-term vision is for an efficient, 

consumer-friendly process with a more informed homebuyer at the closing table.

To evaluate any proposed changes to the closing process, the CFPB devised a set of defining 

criteria. Successful solutions should:

 Improve consumer understanding of key information at closing

 Empower consumers to ask questions and play an active role in the closing 

 Encourage reduction of the size or complexity of the closing package, where appropriate

 Reduce cost and/or burden for both industry stakeholders and consumers

 Increase the efficiency and convenience of closing for all stakeholders while still 

maintaining the "ceremony" of the event

Equally important, the Bureau created guidelines for what a successful solution should not do. 

Going forward, the CFPB will carefully consider these limits to ensure that solutions do not 
27 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

create "change for the sake of change" or result in harmful, unintended consequences. The 

Bureau believes that solutions should not:

 Remove language or documents that help the consumer understand key information

 Implement technologies that eliminate opportunities for consumers to ask 

questions/gain information or remove the "ceremony" of the closing process that 

indicates the importance of the transaction (i.e., a faster closing or a remote closing22 is 

not necessarily a better closing)

 Implement technologies without offering a "hard copy" alternative for consumers who 

are not comfortable with an electronic process or do not have access to necessary 

technology

 Add complexity, confusion, or cost to other stages of the origination process (e.g., 

remove purposefully identical language across application and closing documents)

Through its interviews and research, the CFPB identified seven potential actions to address key 

obstacles in the closing process, which it evaluated using the above criteria. The potential 

actions include:

1. Simplify and streamline documents

2. Reduce number of documents

3. Standardize forms

4. Digitize the process

5. Alter order/presentation of documents

6. Improve process and timing

7. Add educational tools

To assess these potential actions, the CFPB considered its ability to meet most, if not all, of the 

criteria for successful solutions. As a result of this exercise, the Bureau grouped these actions 

 

22 "Remote" closing refers to a mortgage closing in which the borrower does not physically attend a meeting to review 

and sign documentation. In some cases today, the borrower attends the meeting via audio and/or video conference.
28 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

into two broader solutions. First, it combined (1), (2), and (3) into an overarching solution of

reduction/simplification of the closing package. The Bureau focused the second solution 

on (4), which it defined as leveraging technology-driven eClosing solutions. The CFPB 

expanded this second solution to include the remaining actions, (5), (6), and (7) because it

believes these actions could be successfully incorporated into eClosing solutions. For example, 

altering the presentation by grouping documents (e.g., all lender discretionary forms at end), 

facilitating earlier delivery of documents to consumers, and providing interactive educational 

tools are all potential functionalities of an eClosing solution. 

The following sections provide a further evaluation of the feasibility and impact of these two

combined potential solutions.

5.1 Reduction / simplification of the closing 

package

Reducing or simplifying the package of documents associated with closing a mortgage could 

ease the information overload that consumers face at closing. To be clear, the CFPB believes that 

removal of a document simply to reduce the number of pages may not be a good solution if the 

document informs or protects the consumer. However, removal of duplicative or confusing 

information is likely to have a beneficial impact on consumer stress and confusion during 

closing.

As discussed previously, the CFPB's preliminary research included an in-depth review of 10 

closing packages in order to understand the key drivers of the number and complexity of 

documents. The graph below shows examples of two closing packages that the CFPB analyzed 

during its research23:

 

23 Package 1 is a conventional fixed purchase loan from North Dakota. Package 2 is a conventional ARM refinance coop trust co-borrower loan from New York. Both packages are from the same top 5 lender. Document counts do not 

include additional copies of identical documents or additional copies for separate borrowers.
29 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

The Bureau also spoke with stakeholders about the obstacles to reduction and simplification. 

This research, paired with a subsequent exercise of evaluating barriers and potential actions, 

netted key insights about the potential impact and feasibility of this solution. 

First, it is clear that the CFPB has direct authority over only a small portion of the documents 

found within a closing package. Examples of documents under the CFPB's authority in the above 

graphic include the HUD-1 and TIL Disclosure (which will be combined into the new Closing 

Disclosure), the Notice of Right to Cancel, and the Initial Escrow Account Disclosure. A 

substantial majority of the remaining forms are legally controlled or regulated by other entities

and require both willingness and coordination of these actors to remove, edit, or standardize the 

forms.

For documents outside the CFPB's direct authority, there may be other challenges to reduction 

and simplification that depend on the document's owner. For example, changing federal 

documents may be challenging if it would require statutory changes (e.g., US Patriot Act form), 

or if the documents also have non-mortgage uses (e.g., 4506-T IRS form). Attempts at 

standardization of state-mandated documents are also challenging given the specific needs and 

geographical differences across states (e.g., homestead laws in Texas). The CFPB's research

revealed that lenders generally add documents, as a result of legal risk assessments, to protect 

themselves during foreclosure proceedings and to ensure the loans are sellable on the secondary 

20

25

3

4

0

2

2

2

5

5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Package 1 Package 2

# of documents

CFPB

Federal (non-CFPB)

State

Contractual

Lender

FIGURE 3: DOCUMENTS CONTROLLED BY EACH ACTOR IN SAMPLE CLOSING PACKAGES
30 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

market; but practices vary greatly by lender. In one example, a lender required about 100 pages 

in a closing package for an identical loan (e.g., same loan program and state) that only required 

40 pages for another lender. Additionally, the cost of change may deter some lenders from 

reducing documents. One large lender indicated that any changes to documents require about 

three months of time and resources, accounting for legal review, departmental approval, and 

technology implementation.

Finally, the CFPB's research clearly indicated that the market does not have a "typical" closing 

package. The list of documents that appear in every mortgage, in the same format, is extremely 

limited. For example, a ubiquitous document like the Note still has varying text depending on 

the state of origin and mortgage program (e.g., conventional or FHA). One document generation 

vendor claimed that its mortgage database contained about 5,000 different documents due to all

the various combinations of mortgage characteristics and lenders. Therefore, streamlining or 

simplifying the closing package in a way that positively impacts a large number of consumers 

will require commitment and cooperation across a large number of stakeholders.

5.2 Leveraging technology-driven eClosing 

solutions

While conducting research with industry on options to reduce/simplify the closing package of 

documents, the CFPB encountered a number of examples of how a more paperless process could 

contribute to the broader goals for closing. To be clear, simply moving the 100-plus pages in a 

closing package online will not address all of the identified problems. However, electronic 

solutions could be an important building block toward the Bureau's vision for a process that 

empowers consumers via education and transparency. A more paperless process could change 

how and when the consumer receives the documents by providing them electronically for review 

before the closing, which may reduce anxiety and surprises at the closing table. Additionally, 

eClosing may provide new opportunities to embed educational tools into the closing process in 

order to increase understanding and further enable the consumer to play a more active role. The 

use of technology could also reduce time and burden for industry, which could yield savings for 

consumers. For all of these reasons, the CFPB will focus efforts over the next year on further

investigating eClosings and their potential to improve the closing process. The remaining 

sections in this report outline more details about these solutions and the next steps for the 

CFPB.
31 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

6. Exploring electronic closings: 

use and adoption of

technology to address 

obstacles in the closing 

process

6.1 What is eClosing?

The term "eClosing", or electronic closing, refers to a mortgage closing that relies on technology 

for stakeholders to view and/or sign documents electronically. This report will refer to eClosing

solutions as any solution that shifts closings toward a paperless process by utilizing any or all of 

the following technology components:

eDocuments

The key difference between a traditional and an electronic closing is the use of electronic 

documents. Electronic documents can be as simple as a scanned PDF version of the traditional 

paper documents or as sophisticated as a SMART Doc®.24 SMART Doc® is a standards-based 

 

24 SMART Doc® is a registered trademark of MISMO, the Mortgage Standards Maintenance Organization.
32 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

document view like PDF, HTML or TIFF that is complemented with specific document level 

meta-data, tamper-evident seals, audit trails, electronic signature attributes, and easily 

accessible data. An example of an eDocument is an eNote, which is an electronic version of the 

Note; it differs slightly from the paper form because it contains additional information and 

language regulating electronic transfer.25

eDelivery

In an eClosing, documents can be electronically delivered by email or by the consumer accessing 

an online portal within the vendor platform. eDelivery impacts two stages of the closing process. 

First, documents can be sent electronically to the consumer prior to closing for review and 

acknowledgement of receipt. Second, documents, particularly the eNote and security 

instrument, can be delivered electronically after closing from the settlement agent to 

downstream stakeholders, including the lender, investor, and county recorder. Interviews 

conducted by the CFPB indicate that eDelivery is still not widely available for the closing 

process. However, one limited industry study indicates that eDelivery is more common across 

the industry during other stages of the mortgage process, including for delivery of disclosures to 

consumers during the application stage (57 percent of industry survey respondents) and delivery 

of closing documents from lenders to settlement agents prior to signature at the closing (54 

percent).26

eSignatures

During an eClosing, the consumer can electronically sign the documents that are traditionally 

signed by hand with "wet signatures". eSignatures can be collected in multiple ways, such as 

using a digital signature pad or by clicking to add a computer-generated graphic signature. The 

 

25 Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac accept eNotes that follow certain criteria outlined in guides to selling electronic 

mortgages, available at: https://www.Fannie Maemae.com/content/technology_requirements/emortgage-deliveryguide.pdf and http://www.Freddie Macmac.com/singlefamily/elm/pdf/eMortgage_Guide.pdf.

26 Xerox Mortgage Services (2013, Volume 9). The Path to Paperless: 2013 Industry Barometer on Paperless 

Mortgages (n=72), available for purchase at: http://www.xerox-xms.com/resource-library/.

Note: limited research and data is available in the market today on the use of electronic processes in mortgages, 

particularly in the closing process
33 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

closing agent collects the electronic signature and electronically "attaches" it to each of the 

forms. The legal framework governing electronic signatures is the Electronic Signatures in 

Global and National Commerce Act (“ESIGN”) and the Uniform Electronic Transaction Act 

(“UETA”). 27 Additionally, a group of industry leaders created the Standards and Procedures for 

Electronic Records and Signatures (SPeRS)28 to articulate guidelines for following ESIGN and 

UETA.29

eClosing platform

In a traditional mortgage, the consumer meets with the settlement agent and other parties at the 

closing table to complete the transaction by wet signing all of the documents. This in-person 

meeting to walk through the documents still usually occurs in an electronic closing, but the 

parties will complete the transaction through an eClosing platform based in either a software 

program or online, rather than by exchanging paper documents. In this platform, the documents 

are electronically reviewed and signed at the closing table. In many cases, the consumer can 

access this electronic platform prior to closing to preview the documents.

eNotarization

On certain closing documents, such as the security instrument, the borrower's signature 

requires notarization. In a traditional mortgage, a notary will apply his or her seal directly to the 

paper documents. However, notaries can also apply these seals electronically in certain 

jurisdictions. Regulations and requirements for eNotarization of electronic documents vary by 

state. Areas of variability include requirements to earn eNotary certification, the physical 

location of the notary during the transaction, and how an eNotary affixes the tamper-proof seal 

to the eDocument.

 27 UETA was issued in 1999 by the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) and was adopted by 47 states. ESIGN is a federal 

law enacted in 2000 and codified at 15 U.S.C. §§ 7001-7031. Both UETA and ESIGN provide for creating an 

electronic record with the equivalent enforceability of a mortgage note. 

28 SPeRS is a technology-neutral set of guidelines and strategies for industry use in designing and implementing 

systems for electronic transactions under the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act 

(ESIGN) and state adoptions of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA).

29 SPeRS guidelines are available for purchase at http://spers.org/spers/SPeRSOrderForm.htm.
34 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

eStorage

Most end-to-end solutions utilize a secure eVault to store the documents; this eVault can be 

accessed by consumers, lenders, investors, and other downstream stakeholders. For example, a 

lender can register an eNote with Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS)30 and store 

the Note in its eRegistry. Any time an eNote transfers to a different eVault, the movement and

ownership is tracked by MERS.

The graphic below depicts an example of a potential end-to-end eClosing process that would 

include all of these components:

 

30MERS is a public company that operates a national electronic registry system that tracks the changes in servicing 

rights and beneficial ownership interests in mortgage loans that are registered on the registry. Additionally, it 

operates a national database that provides free public access to servicer information for registered home mortgages.

FIGURE 4: EXAMPLE ECLOSING PROCESS
35 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

Electronic closing solutions are not a new concept in the mortgage market. Prior to the financial 

crisis, various players in the mortgage industry started to examine and develop eClosing 

solutions. A few lenders implemented full eClosing solutions, and some of the country's largest 

originators started to build internal capabilities. Fannie Mae received its first electronically 

closed mortgages in 2000, and signs indicated that the market would shift quickly toward 

paperless processes. In fact, in a 2007 Fannie Mae survey of 169 lenders, 72 percent expected 

their companies to adopt eSignatures, and 44 percent expected them to adopt a full eClosing 

solution.31 Furthermore, in a March 2007 interview, Mark Oliphant, Fannie Mae's director for 

the single-family mortgage business, stated that Fannie Mae consulted with external industry 

analysts on the adoption of eClosing processes, and the consensus was that broad adoption was 

about three to five years away.32 Despite this strong optimism, adoption slowed when the 

housing market crashed and industry diverted its energy and resources toward weathering the 

financial crisis.

In the years since the recovery, the mortgage industry has renewed interest and adoption of 

eClosing solutions. Therefore, the Bureau wants to fully understand how eClosing can best work 

for consumers. The following sections include the CFPB's current hypotheses about how 

eClosing may affect consumers; additional research will be needed to examine these points more 

fully.

 

31 Fannie Mae (2007, January), eMortgages: Research Findings on the State of Industry Adoption. From 

presentation by Fannie Mae to the Mortgage Bankers Association eMortgage Adoption Task Force on January 29, 

2007.

32 Garritano, A. (2007). The Business Value of eMortgages. Mortgage Technology, 14(2).
36 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

6.2 What are the potential benefits of

eClosing?

6.2.1 Consumers

The CFPB believes that eClosing solutions could contribute toward the long-term vision of 

improving the closing process and providing specific benefits to consumers. These benefits 

include the following:

Increased understanding and empowerment

The Bureau's long-term vision is for an educated and empowered consumer who feels in control 

throughout the mortgage process. eClosing solutions could potentially provide these benefits for 

consumers in three different ways. First, electronic delivery could increase the flexibility to 

provide many of the documents to the consumer prior to closing, since there is no time delay to 

mail documents between stakeholders and the consumer. Early delivery can give the consumer 

more time to read the documents and consult with family members or professionals, which will 

empower them to ask questions and play an active role at the closing. Second, electronic 

documents could provide an opportunity to embed educational tools that highlight key 

information or link to additional resources (e.g., Ask CFPB) for consumers. Consumers would be 

able to reference these tools when reviewing the documents both before and during the closing. 

Third, customers that utilize an eClosing solution are likely to have access to an eVault 

throughout the life of the loan, allowing for easy document retention without needing to locate a 

paper copy if they need to refer to the documents.

Increased convenience

Technology could also make the closing process less arduous and more convenient for the 

consumer. If consumers receive the documents in advance, they can review them at home and 

on their own schedule. Effectively, eClosing allows consumers several days to do some of the 

tasks that would otherwise be condensed into an hour-long meeting at the closing table, such as 

reviewing the documents and asking questions. 

eClosings also open the door for remote closings. Remote eClosings may be an attractive option 

for certain populations who cannot attend physical closings, such as members of the military on 

deployment. However, there are benefits to an in-person meeting that are missing in a remote 

closing. For example, by not traveling to an office for a formal meeting, a consumer may miss 
37 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

out on the "ceremony" and/or importance of the transaction and they may be less inclined to 

play an active role.

Decreased delays and cost

Another benefit of shifting to an electronic process is an increase in consistency and accuracy 

throughout the closing process. The automation of electronic processes can result in fewer 

errors and easier detection of discrepancies compared to a manual process. Errors and delays 

were frequently-cited frustrations expressed in interviews and public comments. These process 

improvements could reduce the amount of time required to close and decrease the cost of 

closing for industry participants; these cost savings may be passed on to the consumer in the 

long-term.

Reduced consumer anxiety

Another advantage of eClosing is that it could transform the closing experience in ways that may 

lead to less anxiety for consumers. The large stack of complex documents is clearly a source of 

stress for many people, who indicated that they often do not read part or all of the documents 

set in front of them but are concerned about what may lurk within the contents. The volume of 

documents also tends to obscure which items are more crucial to the process and can lead to 

confusion or oversight amidst all the “fine print.” A less anxiety-inducing closing process could 

lead to increased understanding and a more positive consumer experience.

6.2.2 Industry participants

In addition to these potential improvements for consumers, the CFPB believes that benefits can 

also exist for other industry participants (e.g., lenders, settlement agents, notaries). These 

benefits include the following:

Increased efficiency and decreased cost

The CFPB believes that a more paperless process could generate efficiencies and reduce costs. 

First, it is easier to send documentation between lenders, investors, and other stakeholders if the 

forms are already in electronic form before and after they have been signed. Since an electronic

process eliminates certain steps, there could be tangible monetary benefits for lenders. One 

technology vendor estimated during an interview that 30 percent of the loan cost comes from 

post-closing activities, which could be minimized through automation with an eClosing solution. 

For example, lenders can eliminate the step of scanning paper documents to send the loan file 
38 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

and can automate some time-consuming quality control checks. Stakeholders can also decrease 

costs simply by reducing paper. According to a leading title company, an individual mortgage 

generates on average about 6,000 pieces of paper across all stakeholders from start to finish. 

The paper and storage costs for this title company amount to $20 to 30 million annually. 

Furthermore, lenders that sell to the secondary market may benefit from additional cost savings. 

Since investors could review eClosing files prior to purchase, the time to fund the loan could 

decrease, which reduces reliance on warehouse lines of credit.33 Additionally, lenders have more 

control and visibility over an electronic process leading up to the closing table. This may allow 

lenders to switch from a "best efforts" pricing to a "mandatory delivery" pricing structure with 

investors.34 In some cases, the lender may pass these potential cost savings onto consumers. 

One lender who spoke with the CFPB claimed that his company used the reduction in postclosing costs and improved secondary market pricing from eClosing to reduce prices for its

customers.

Increased automation

As mentioned above, one of the potential results of increased use of technology in the closing 

process is increased automation of process and documentation. This can be helpful for industry 

because it would reduce operational errors and increase data quality compared to a manual 

system, potentially leading to monetary and legal benefits for the stakeholders involved. For 

lenders, in particular, it may be easier to explain automated business processes to regulators 

during exams. 

 33 A warehouse line of credit is used by mortgage originators to fund a loan during the time between closing with the 

borrower and selling the loan to a secondary market investor. The warehouse lender will hold the mortgage note as 

collateral until the investor completes its review and provides funds to pay off the line of credit. A typical cycle can 

range from 10-20 days, but is often shorter for eClosings largely due to the speed of sending electronic documents.

34 With "mandatory delivery" the lender agrees to deliver a certain amount of loans to the investor on a specific date 

in exchange for a lower price on the loan due to lower interest rate risk. With "best efforts" pricing, the lender has 

fewer terms to meet for delivery, but also often receives a higher price.
39 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

6.3 What are the potential risks of

eClosing?

Depending on how it is handled, eClosing may also create additional risks to the consumer 

during the closing process. Interviews with and comments from consumer advocacy groups 

raised concerns that providers should address if eClosing is to achieve its potential as a 

consumer-friendly process. The CFPB will encourage further research to assess these concerns 

and test potential mitigation strategies.

Decreased time reviewing documents

Although many consumers indicated that they do not read part or all of the documents that are 

presented to them in a traditional closing, there is a risk that switching to an electronic process 

could reduce the amount of time consumers spend reading and understanding the closing 

documents. In a typical eClosing process, the consumer reviews and/or acknowledges receipt of

the documents in his or her home in advance of the closing, though the consumer also has the 

option of waiting to review them at the closing table. It is possible that the consumer will simply 

"click through” the documents to acknowledge receipt without fully reviewing the material. Most 

consumers today are accustomed to seeing a lot of information in an electronic format through 

work or browsing the web, so they may be inclined to skip through documents quickly. This 

presents a risk to consumer understanding, particularly if the settlement agent does not fully 

review the documents with the consumer at the closing table.

Consumer consent to electronic process

Some consumer groups have highlighted the potential for additional risk to the consumer from 

the use of eSignatures. For example, ESIGN requires that a consumer “consent electronically, or 

confirm his or her consent electronically, in a manner that reasonably demonstrates that the 

consumer can access information in the electronic form that will be used to provide the 

information that is subject of the consent."35 However, a consumer consenting in this manner, in 

 

35 15 U.S.C. § 7001(c)(1)(C)(ii).
40 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

compliance with ESIGN, could be at risk if he or she loses the ability to electronically access 

documents after the transaction. For context, the 2011 Census data showed that the "digital 

divide" is shrinking, but 16 percent of the US population still does not have a computer at home 

and does not have access to Internet elsewhere.36 In addition, while mobile options are 

narrowing the digital divide, the small screen format of mobile devices (i.e., smart phones) may 

present particular challenges for eClosings. Some consumer groups are concerned that if 

consumers cannot access their documents and do not otherwise have the terms of their 

transaction readily available, there could be increased opportunities for unscrupulous lenders to 

commit fraud and less of an ability for consumers to seek recourse against these lenders.

Document access and security

The impact of eClosing solutions on document access for consumers is two-sided. On the one 

hand, there are risks to paper storage since consumers can easily misplace or damage paper 

documents. On the other hand, there is a different set of risks for electronic storage. For 

example, depending on the format of storage, there is a risk that the consumer's computer may 

crash or the consumer will forget the necessary identification and password information to 

access the documents. There is also a risk of that the software necessary to open or access the 

documents could become outdated throughout the life of the loan. Furthermore, electronic 

solutions bring risks to document security since consumer information could be hacked. Many 

of the closing documents contain personally identifiable information, which is why eClosing 

platforms and eVaults currently in the market go to great lengths to ensure data security and

minimize these risks.

6.4 What solutions are available today?

Various eClosing solutions are available in the marketplace today. In some cases, lenders have 

partnered with settlement agents to design an end-to-end solution. To date, most lenders that 

 

Note: 15 U.S.C. § 7001(c)(3) states that the “legal effectiveness, validity, or enforceability of any contract executed by a 

consumer shall not be denied solely because of the failure to obtain electronic consent or consent or confirmation of 

consent by that consumer in accordance with paragraph (1)(C)(ii).”

36 Internet use is no longer a yes or no question given the variety of methods of connectivity – there is a spectrum of 

connectivity. See US Census Bureau (2013, May), Computer and Internet Use in the United States: Population 

Characteristics (Thom File), available at: http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-569.pdf.
41 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

provide eClosing solutions are small and medium-sized originators. However, many different 

types of lenders have expressed interest in exploring paperless closing solutions. A number of 

technology vendors have created solutions and are actively marketing them to industry 

participants with an interest in more paperless processes. MERS reported that 11 technology 

systems were integrated with their eRegistry as of October 2013.37

The CFPB's interviews with eClosing vendors and users reveal three key points of variability

among most of the solutions currently used across the market. 

 First, solutions vary in the level of access that they provide the consumer prior to closing. 

Some systems allow the consumer to view the documents before the closing and 

acknowledge receipt of them at the closing table, while others allow for 

acknowledgement of documents at home. Additionally, the time between document 

receipt and the closing table varies by system from one day to about one week.

 Second, eSignatures are applied to the documents in a variety of ways. Some systems 

utilize a signature pad similar to the technology used at a grocery store, and others rely 

on a graphic image of the signature or click-to-sign. Depending on the system, the 

signature can be applied to all documentation with one click or it could need to be 

applied separately to each document. Most systems today that only require one physical 

signature still require that the borrower click to accept each document. Generally, when 

lenders add this requirement, they do so based on their assessment of risk, and to meet 

the demands of downstream investors. 

 Third, different forms of technology can be used to access the closing platform. Some 

technology vendors present the documents on a generic computer or tablet, while others 

have a proprietary viewing table designed specifically for the closing experience. 

Furthermore, the program for the eClosing platform may be based in desktop software or 

an online site. 

In addition to these differences, some lenders may use a fully electronic solution, while others

turn to paper documents for a few signatures to avoid certain document-specific barriers. For 

 

37 MERS (2013, October). Technology System Providers Integrated with MERS® eRegistry. Available to MERS 

members at: http://www.mersinc.org/.
42 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

10%

29%

1%

25%

35%

eSignatures at the closing table

Implemented 2013

Evaluating 2013

Planned for 2013

2014 or later

No plans

example, some lenders use paper documents for the Note and security instrument, but provide 

the consumer with a paperless eClosing experience for the remainder of the process.

6.5 Who offers eClosing solutions today?

Despite the variety of technologies available, industry adoption of eClosings is still moving at a 

slow pace. Available data on eClosing adoption is limited, but Xerox conducted a limited study 

(n=72) in 2013 on the use of paperless mortgages. The results, in the graph below, shows that 

only 10 percent of mortgage industry employees surveyed worked at institutions that already 

offer eSignature at the closing table.38

While a sizable increase from the seven percent of respondents in the 2012 version of the study, 

the 10 percent figure underscores the challenges that remain in order to broaden market 

adoption. Further, the percentage with "no plans" to implement eClosing only dropped from 36 

 

38 Xerox Mortgage Services (2013, Volume 9)

28%

15%

1% 14%

42%

eVault with MERS eRegistry 

connectivity for eNotes

FIGURE 5: INDUSTRY ADOPTION OF ECLOSING
43 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

percent to 35 percent.39 A larger percentage of respondents (28 percent) work at institutions 

with an eVault connected to the MERS eRegistry for eNotes – a substantial increase from just 13 

percent in the prior year.40 According to MERS, about 45 lenders currently integrate fully with 

the eRegistry and can deliver eNotes (including two of the top banks) with about five other 

lenders publically involved in integration.41 These numbers have continued to increase, and the 

Bureau is interested in exploring eClosing further to understand why lenders do and do not 

choose to adopt eClosing solutions. 

 

39 Xerox Mortgage Services (Volume 9, 2013)

40 Xerox Mortgage Services (Volume 9, 2013)

41 MERS (2013, October). Lenders & Investors Integrated with MERS® eRegistry. Available to MERS members at: 

http://www.mersinc.org/.
44 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

7. eClosing potential barriers to 

adoption and myths

The previous section described the benefits and risks of eClosing solutions and outlined 

promising technologies available in the marketplace. However, adoption of eClosing solutions is 

still fairly limited. During its research, the CFPB spoke with lenders, investors, settlement 

agents, and other stakeholders about the barriers preventing them from adopting a paperless 

process. These barriers fall into three categories: legal, coordination, and operational. The 

following section outlines seven specific barriers that the CFPB believes to be most noteworthy. 

While not inclusive of all barriers, tackling these hurdles could drive significant progress toward 

broader adoption of eClosing solutions.

It is important to note that while some of these barriers apply to all eClosing solutions, most are 

only obstacles to what might be considered a "fully paperless" closing in which the consumer 

electronically signs all documents. In fact, several successful eClosing solutions in the market 

today are "mostly paperless," with the exception being that the consumer signs the Note and/or 

security instrument by hand – a wet signature. The use of a wet signature on these contractual 

documents, which constitute a very small portion of the overall closing package, is a successful

way to circumvent several of the barriers that are outlined below.

7.1 eClosing barriers to adoption

7.1.1 Legal barriers

Barrier 1: Different state laws and requirements

The first legal barrier to increased adoption of eClosing is the heterogeneity of relevant laws 

across states. The variety of legal structures creates complexity and confusion, particularly for 
45 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

large lenders and other stakeholders that operate in many states. Key differences include the 

legal framework that states have adopted around eSignatures. In particular, states have different 

regulations around electronically enabled notarization and are at varying points of 

implementation. For example, the commonwealth of Virginia allows the use of a remote notary, 

but other states expressly restrict this practice. This example represents a small fraction of the 

variation, which needs to be well understood by stakeholders and built into their internal 

mortgage processes in order to implement an electronic solution across states.

Barrier 2: Understanding and defensibility of eSignatures

Despite the existence of laws that clearly articulate the legality of electronic signatures, including 

ESIGN and UETA, the mortgage industry has not fully adopted eSignatures in closing 

documents for two reasons. First, a gap still exists between the legal framework and its 

perception or understanding by industry. According to a survey conducted by one industry 

vendor, some settlement agents still believe that eSignatures are not fully legal in their state. In 

fact, eSignatures are legal in every state; but some stakeholders may not understand the legal 

framework surrounding eSignatures. For example, during interviews conducted by the CFPB, 

some industry stakeholders explained that the legal framework is particularly unclear in the 

situation in which an electronically signed document is printed for hand delivery.

Second, some downstream stakeholders have indicated that they are concerned about the 

defensibility of eSignatures in cases when there is uncertainty as to whether the original closing 

followed proper procedures, such as obtaining consumer consent consistent with applicable 

legal requirements. These stakeholders do not want the responsibility of monitoring the actions 

of other parties in the transaction. Some downstream investors and sub-servicers avoid this risk 

by simply not accepting electronically signed documents. Generally, the concerns of these 

stakeholders relate only to the two key contractual documents – the Note and the security 

instrument.

7.1.2 Coordination barriers

Barrier 3: Lack of data standards

The lack of mortgage data standardization across the industry, coupled with the multitude of 

actors involved in the mortgage closing, results in coordination challenges. To establish an 

eClosing system, a lender needs to integrate data across various technology platforms including 

the customer portal, loan origination system (LOS), and document generation system. All of 
46 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

these systems need to communicate and transfer information with an eClosing platform, which 

acts as a central repository for all closing documents. 

The interaction between the lenders and title companies adds another layer of complexity, 

resulting in a web of relationships between lenders and title companies, as shown in the graphic 

below. Since the market does not have a clear integration standard, these stakeholders need to

build separate integration systems to support each platform, which is both costly and 

technologically challenging. The organic emergence of a strong first-mover or actions by an 

industry body, similar to MISMO42, could successfully establish these standards. Most eClosing 

lenders today circumvent this barrier by only using eClosing with a certain title company or 

training multiple title companies to use their platform.

Barrier 4: Required coordination across many players

The large number of actors that deliver and receive documentation in an electronic closing 

creates a significant barrier to adoption. All parties need to be both willing and able to handle 

electronic documentation in order to launch a "fully paperless" closing solution. For example, if 

a lender can produce, register, and deliver legal eNotes, but its sub-servicer is unable or 

 

42 The Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO) is a voluntary technology standards 

development body for the residential and commercial real estate finance industries. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of 

the Mortgage Bankers Association. The standards allow mortgage stakeholders to exchange real estate finance-related 

information and eMortgages more securely, efficiently and economically.

FIGURE 6: INTERACTION OF MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS
47 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

unwilling to accept eNotes, the lender cannot use a "fully paperless" process. To date, it has 

generally been easier for smaller lenders to overcome this barrier since they are more likely to 

have a smaller network of third-party participants (e.g., fewer title companies or one subservicer).

Again, it is important to note that this barrier does not restrict lenders from implementing a 

"mostly paperless" process. In most paper transactions today, the lender scans the loan file and 

sends an electronic version to downstream parties. Generally, the only exception is the Note, 

which the lender mails in a paper format to preserve the wet signature. Therefore, many lenders 

who do eClosings today avoid this barrier by simply producing paper copies of a few key 

documents for the borrower to wet-sign after electronically signing the large majority of the 

closing package.

Barrier 5: Differing standards for GSE requirements

The government-sponsored entities (GSEs), which include Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have 

different requirements for the sale and delivery of electronically-signed mortgages. For example, 

Freddie Mac will only accept mortgages with a paper security instrument, but Fannie Mae will 

accept both an eNote and an electronic security instrument. The result of this variation is that 

some lenders are only able to sell electronically-signed mortgages to either Fannie Mae or 

Freddie Mac. These lenders are less likely to use eClosing solutions since they have fewer 

options in the secondary market and may be forced unwillingly to keep a mortgage on their 

books. As evidence, 74 percent of industry employees that responded to a 2013 study claimed 

that limited acceptance of eNotes on the secondary market limited their plans to implement 

electronic platforms.43 Also, each of the GSEs has different requirements for transferring the 

location and control of eNotes, which is critical to resolve when the authoritative copy of the

Note and proof of its current ownership need to be presented in foreclosure court. This dual

system leads to confusion and complexity for lenders during foreclosure. But similar to the 

previous barrier, this obstacle is largely relevant to the Note, so it will not hinder the 

implementation of a "mostly paperless" eClosing solution in which the consumer signs the Note 

by hand.

 

43 Xerox Mortgage Services (Volume 9, 2013).
48 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

7.1.3 Operational barriers

Barrier 6: Limitations to expansion of eRecording

During its interviews, the Bureau found that many lenders are unwilling to convert to eClosing 

because all counties in their jurisdiction do not have eRecording capabilities. The map below 

shows that some form of eRecording is currently available in about 1,100 counties covering 65

percent of the population.44 The following chart shows that the number of eRecording

jurisdictions has steadily increased over the last four years, and industry experts expect this 

trend to continue.45

 

44 Of the 1,100 counties that offer some form of eRecording, only 230 offer a "level 3" eRecording system that is 

capable of recording electronically signed and notarized documents that never existed in paper form. The remaining 

counties have a "level 2" eRecording system that can record scanned copies of wet-signed documents.

Property Record Industry Association (2014, February). List of eRecording Counties, available at:

http://www.pria.us/files/public/Committees/Technology/eRecording_XML/eRecordingCountyListPublic.xlsx.

45 Property Record Industry Association (2014, February).

FIGURE 7: CURRENT COUNTY ADOPTION OF ERECORDING
49 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

Despite this growth, some operational barriers are hindering the expansion of eRecording to all 

counties. While it usually does not cost counties anything to enter into an agreement with an 

eRecording vendor, their internal system needs to be compatible, which may require hardware 

and software upgrades. Furthermore, some counties are reluctant to change their processes 

because staff is not comfortable using technology, the county wants to avoid personnel changes, 

or they have other perceived concerns with eRecording. Most eClosing solutions today avoid this 

barrier by using wet signatures on the security instrument, which needs to be recorded with the 

county.

Barrier 7: Time / cost of change

Another barrier for stakeholders is the time and cost required to shift processes and policies to 

accommodate eClosings. Any large-scale operational process change is difficult, particularly for 

larger institutions that have multiple mortgage departments, a large number of vendor 

relationships, and complex internal technologies. A shift toward eClosings would require many 

steps including compliance and legal review, department approval, executive approval, and IT 

expansion, testing, and implementation. For context, a small financial institution that 

implemented a "mostly paperless" process took more than a year to transition. This timeline can 

390 423 448 467 496 518 549

589 622 653

702 715

778 800 832 862 895

960

1022

10611096

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

# of eRecording jurisdictions

FIGURE 8: TREND IN COUNTY ADOPTION OF ERECORDING
50 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

vary depending on various circumstances (e.g., size, technology infrastructure). Furthermore, 

lenders will likely need to maintain their paper processes for customers that are not comfortable 

with an electronic process or do not have access to the necessary technology. 

Despite these costs, each of the eClosing providers in the market today decided that it was worth 

the investment of resources to build and maintain these solutions. In fact, the CFPB heard from 

many lenders that they are interested in adopting eClosing solutions, but some do not feel that 

they have the resources available to make these changes given regulatory and compliance 

pressures. According to a limited recent study, 88 percent of industry participants surveyed 

claimed that their move toward a paperless mortgage process was restricted by continued 

regulatory and compliance priorities.46 Of note, the "Know Before You Owe" integrated 

disclosures rule that will go into effect in 2015 may provide a well-timed opportunity for lenders 

and vendors to shift toward a paperless, consumer-friendly process while they have their

origination systems open to complete the required regulatory changes. 

7.2 eClosing myths

Though these barriers present legitimate challenges to further adoption of eClosing, the 

Bureau's research also revealed several myths that are prevalent across the industry. These 

myths effectively create false barriers to further adoption of eClosing.

Myth 1: eNotes are not legally valid

Some industry stakeholders are concerned that eNotes are not legally valid. However, the law is 

clear under ESIGN and UETA: eNotes can be originated, validated, and enforced on a 

nationwide basis, assuming stakeholders follow the legal requirements. 47 To date, all states have 

 

46 Xerox Mortgage Services (Volume 9, 2013) 47 Requirements for an electronic record to be a negotiable promissory note include:

• Contains only the same terms and conditions that are permitted in a note governed by Article 3 of the UCC

• Contains an electronic signature

• The issuer of the record has agreed that it should be treated as a transferable record under the UETA

• The method used to record, register, or evidence a transfer of interests in the transferable record reliably 

establishes "control".
51 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

adopted the version of UETA approved by the Uniform Law Commission, a modified version of 

UETA, or another law that governs the general use of electronic records and signatures.48

Furthermore, both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchase eNotes, assuming the lender follows 

their respective eMortgage selling guides. At the end of 2013, the MERS eRegistry held 320,324

eNotes, and the number is continuing to grow.49

Myth 2: eClosings are not cost-effective for lenders until all counties accept 

eRecording

As described above, some lenders have reported that they have not seriously considered a shift 

toward electronic closings because they cannot be implemented in all counties. Lenders express 

concern that a dual process will be required for applicable and non-applicable counties, leading 

to significant additional processes and cost. In reality, only some contractual documents (i.e., 

security instrument and applicable riders) need to be recorded with the county. These constitute 

a very small portion of the documents in the overall closing package. Lenders can choose to 

implement a "mostly paperless" eClosing solution that utilizes eSignatures except for some

documents, which are hand-signed by the consumer. During its research, the Bureau 

interviewed several lenders that claimed to have a successful, cost-effective solution by creating 

dual processes for these few documents or using some paper documents for all consumers to 

avoid any double processes.

Myth 3: eSignatures are not accepted for VA or FHA loans

During its research, the CFPB encountered some lenders and settlement agents that would not 

invest in eClosing solutions because they believed that electronic signatures were not accepted 

on VA secured or FHA loans. In the case of VA loans, this belief was a myth. For many years, the 

Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) accepted eSignatures, but had not issued a statement 

articulating this policy to industry. This changed on August 22, 2013, when the DVA released a 

 See Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO®), the Electronic Signature and Records 

Association (ESRA), and the American Land Title, Association (ALTA), Case Closed: eNotes are Legal, An Analysis of 

eNote Enforceability Nationwide, available 

at:https://settleware.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/12/eNoteWhitePaper.pdf.

48 MISMO®, ESRA, ALTA, the Electronic Signature and Records Association (ESRA), and the American Land Title, 

Association (ALTA), Case Closed: eNotes are Legal, An Analysis of eNote Enforceability Nationwide.

49 MERS (2014, March), MERS eRegistry Registrations. Available to MERS members at: http://www.mersinc.org/.
52 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

circular clarifying their acceptances of eSignatures. 50 It was true that the Department of 

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) did not accept eSignatures for FHA loans. However,

HUD recently made a policy change, announcing on January 30, 2014 that it would accept 

eSignatures on most FHA loans effective immediately. HUD released a Mortgagee Letter (ML 

2014-03) to inform lenders that the new policy "applies to FHA Single Family Title I and II 

forward mortgages and Home Equity Conversion Mortgages".51 But, there may still be a process 

delay before Ginnie Mae is prepared to accept eSignatures on the Note. Given that 74 percent of 

industry participants had said in a recent study that HUD's previous lack of eSignature 

acceptance hindered plans to transition to paperless mortgages52, this will be a key step towards 

wider adoption of electronic solutions.

 

50 Department of Veterans' Affairs, Circular 26-13-13, Use of Electronic Signatures in Conjunction with Department 

of Veterans Affairs (VA) Guaranteed Home Loans (August 22, 2013), available at:

http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/documents/circulars/26_13_13.pdf.

51 Department of Housing and Urban Development, Mortgagee Letter 2014-03, Electronic Signatures (January 30, 

2014), available at: 

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/administration/hudclips/letters/mortgagee.; CFPB 

press release available at, http://www.consumerfinance.gov/newsroom/cfpb-commends-huds-action-to-improvemortgage-closing-process/

52 Xerox Mortgage Services (Volume 9, 2013)
53 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

8. The road ahead

Additional research into the feasibility and impact of eClosing solutions is warranted. The CFPB 

aims to work with consumer and industry partners to facilitate innovative solutions to some of 

the problems outlined in its research. Therefore, as a next step, the CFPB will work with 

industry to launch a pilot program later this year to test the ability of eClosing solutions to 

educate and empower consumers at closing while simplifying and standardizing the process for 

all parties involved.

The pilot program will aim to work with a small set of partnerships that include lenders, 

technology vendors, settlement agents, and/or others who provide an eClosing solution to 

consumers. Each partnership will run its pilot for three months in collaboration with the CFPB 

who will compile and release findings to the public in 2015. 53 The CFPB will structure its pilot 

program for the purpose of answering three questions regarding eClosing:

(1) How can eClosing contribute to the vision of a more efficient, consumerfriendly closing process?

The CFPB's future vision is an empowered, knowledgeable homebuyer experiencing a more 

efficient, consumer-friendly closing process. The Bureau intends to conduct further research to 

determine how eClosing solutions can help achieve this vision. The first goal of the pilot will be 

to determine how particular types of eClosings can be positive solutions for consumers and how

providers can mitigate the related risks. To answer these questions, the pilots will aim to have 

controlled experiments with multiple test groups, including consumers engaging in paper 

closings and eClosings. In addition to testing the impact of current eClosing features as they 

 

53 All tests during the pilot will still utilize the current HUD-1 and TIL federal disclosures. The new Closing Disclosure 

will not be tested during the pilot since institutions are not authorized to use the form until it is effective in August 

2015.
54 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

compare to paper closings, the CFPB will encourage pilot participants to add new features and 

functionalities to test during the pilot. These additions will likely include tools that incentivize 

and empower consumers to take a more active role in the process and/or increase consumer 

understanding such as embedded educational materials. The Bureau is optimistic about the 

types of innovative solutions that already exist in the marketplace, albeit on a small scale. 

However, the CFPB believes that the pilot program will continue to encourage industry to 

explore further advancements that will benefit consumers and improve their overall closing 

experience.

(2) Is broader adoption feasible? Does it make good business sense?

If the pilot program helps determine how eClosings can achieve the vision of an empowered, 

knowledgeable consumer, widespread adoption may still not be feasible. Legal, coordination, 

and operational barriers are preventing industry from broadly adopting paperless solutions. 

Therefore, the CFPB will also utilize the pilot program to research how eClosing providers are 

overcoming these barriers and implementing cost-effective solutions today. These results will 

help current and future industry participants understand how eClosing solutions can work 

within their individual circumstances.

(3) How to best drive industry action?

The CFPB believes that the pilot program can serve as a vehicle to spur industry action and 

improvements around eClosing solutions. The CFPB hopes to use the results of the pilot to 

foster dialogue throughout industry on the benefits, opportunities, and risks of eClosings. In 

addition to starting the conversation, the CFPB hopes that the pilot can improve the quality of 

dialogue around eClosings. The pilot may help dispel some of the aforementioned myths about 

eCl0sing solutions and find new solutions that can further increase the goals set by "Know 

Before You Owe": a closing process that improves consumer understanding, reduces surprises at 

the closing table, and places the consumer more in control of his or her closing process.

During the pilot program, the CFPB aims to fulfill two roles in the effort to improve the 

mortgage closing process. First, the CFPB will act as a source for educational content. The 

Bureau's mission as an advocate for consumers uniquely positions itself to support the creation 

and sharing of educational tools. These tools can work in conjunction with the CFPB's existing

initiatives to ensure that consumers have the information they need to make informed decisions

at every stage of their mortgage journey. Additionally, the CFPB hopes to act as a convening 
55 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

organization and a promoter of new solutions, to bring all stakeholders together to work for 

coordinated change that improves the closing process. 

The CFPB is focused on highlighting promising practices in the marketplace and driving 

additional research toward eClosing solutions. But the CFPB cannot succeed without sustained 

collaboration with its partners in industry, the consumer community, and government. The 

Bureau has already seen genuine enthusiasm, thoughtful analysis, and a promising willingness 

to explore new opportunities within eClosing solutions. With continued research through the 

pilot program and deeper industry engagement, the CFPB is optimistic about the potential for

further expansion of these efforts to improve the closing process for consumers.
56 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

APPENDIX A:

Request for information

Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection

[Docket No.: CFPB-2013-0036]

Request for information regarding the mortgage closing 

process

Agency: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

Action: Notice and request for information.

Summary: This notice requests information from the public about mortgage closing. 

Specifically, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) seeks information on key 

consumer “pain points” associated with mortgage closing and how those pain points might be 

addressed by market innovations and technology.

The CFPB seeks to encourage the development of a more streamlined, efficient, and educational 

closing process as the mortgage industry increases its usage of technology, electronic signatures, 

and paperless processes. The next phase of CFPB’s Know Before You Owe initiative aims to 

identify ways to improve the mortgage closing process for consumers. This project will 

encourage interventions that increase consumer knowledge, understanding, and confidence at 

closing.

This notice seeks information from market participants, consumers, and other stakeholders who 

work closely with consumers. The information will inform the CFPB’s understanding of what 

consumers find most problematic about the current closing process and inform the CFPB’s 

vision for an improved closing experience.

Dates: Submit comments on or before February 7, 2014.
57 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

Addresses: You may submit responsive information and other comments, identified by Docket 

No. CFPB-2013-0036, by any of the following methods:

 Electronic: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting 

comments.

 Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Monica Jackson, Office of the Executive Secretary, 

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20552.

Instructions: The Bureau encourages the early submission of comments. All submissions 

must include the document title and docket number. Because paper mail in the Washington, DC 

area and at the Bureau is subject to delay, commenters are encouraged to submit comments 

electronically. Please note the number associated with any question to which you are responding 

at the top of each response (you are not required to answer all questions to receive consideration 

of your comments). In general, all comments received will be posted without change 

to http://www.regulations.gov. In addition, comments will be available for public inspection 

and copying at 1700 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20552, on official business days between the 

hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time. You can make an appointment to inspect the 

documents by telephoning 202-435-7275.

All submissions, including attachments and other supporting materials, will become part of the 

public record and subject to public disclosure. Sensitive personal information, such as account 

numbers or Social Security numbers, should not be included. Submissions will not be edited to 

remove any identifying or contact information.

For further information contact: For general inquiries, submission process questions or 

any additional information, please contact Monica Jackson, Office of Executive Secretary, at 

202-435-7275. 

Authority: 12 U.S.C. 5511(c).

Supplementary information: Buying a home is often a consumer’s single largest financial 

purchase. According to the latest numbers from the National Association of Realtors, the 

median price of homes purchased in the United States is now $207,000. By comparison, the 

median household income is about $51,000, according to the Census Bureau. It is crucial that 

consumers consider the numbers carefully before making this potentially long-term 

commitment, and closing is often their last opportunity to do so.
58 CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

However, closing can be stressful and confusing for consumers. The CFPB plans to conduct 

several initiatives in order to test and study various ways in which the closing process might be 

improved. This information will help inform those initiatives.

The Bureau encourages comments from the public, including:

 Consumers;

 Mortgage lenders and loan servicers;

 Housing finance professionals;

 Brokers and service providers in the residential real estate industry;

 Real estate agents;

 Housing attorneys;

 Fair lending, civil rights, and consumer and community advocates;

 Providers of financial and housing counseling;

 Settlement closing agents; and

 Other interested parties.

The Bureau is interested in responses in the following general areas, as well as specific questions 

below. Please feel free to respond to any of the questions outlined below.

Consumers and Closing

1. What are common problems or issues consumers face at closing? What parts of the 

closing process do consumers find confusing or overwhelming?

2. Are there specific parts of the closing process that borrowers find particularly helpful? 

3. What do consumers remember about closing as related to the overall mortgage/homebuying process? What do consumers remember about closing

4. How long does the closing process usually take? Do borrowers feel that the time at the 

closing table was an appropriate amount of time? Is it too long? Too short? Just right? 
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5. How empowered do consumers seem to feel at closing? Did they come to closing with 

questions? Did they review the forms beforehand? Did they know that they can request 

their documents in advance? Did they negotiate? 

6. What, if anything, have you found helps consumers understand the terms of the loan? 

Errors and Changes at Closing

7. What are some common errors you have seen at closing? How are these errors detected, 

if at all? Tell us about errors that were detected after closing.

8. What changes, diverging from what was originally presented at closing, often surprise 

consumers at closing? How do consumers react to changes at closing? 

Other Parties at Closing 

9. How, if at all, do consumers typically seek advice during closing? In person? By phone?

Online? 

10. Where and to whom do consumers turn for advice during closing? Whom do they 

typically trust? 

Closing Documents

11. What documents do borrowers usually remember seeing? What documents they 

remember signing? 

12. What documents do consumers find particularly confusing?

13. What resources do borrowers use to define unfamiliar terms of the loan? 

Improving Closing

14. What, if anything, would you change about the closing process to make it a better 

experience for consumers? 

15. What questions should consumers ask at closing? What are the most important pieces of 

information/documents for them to review? 

16. What is the single most important question a consumer should ask at closing? 
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17. What is the single most important thing a consumer should do before coming to the 

closing table? 

Dated: December 13, 2013.

_________________________

Christopher D’Angelo

Chief of Staff, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
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APPENDIX B:

Example interview guide

Illustrative interview guide for eClosing consumers - different variations used for paper 

consumers and industry stakeholders

Mortgage Closure Process, Stack, and Technology

a. Introduction (5 minutes)

b. Discussion Area 1: Shopping for a Mortgage (15 minutes)

c. Discussion Area 2: Negotiations and Working with a Broker (15 minutes)

d. Discussion Area 3a: Preparation/Description of the Closing Process (15 minutes)

e. Discussion Area 3b: Experience with the Stack (15 minutes)

f. Discussion Area 3c: Technology in the Closing Process (15 minutes)

a. Introduction (5 Minutes)

Hello, thank you for taking the time to meet here today. My name is [INSERT] and I will be 

leading this interview today. I will be asking you to answer some questions about your 

experiences with shopping for, purchasing, and closing a mortgage. 

I want to mention a couple of things before we get started. We are making a video recording of 

this session. The recordings are used as a memory aid for me so I can go back later to recall what 

happened during each session. Only those of us associated with this project will see the 

recordings, and we will not share your name or personal information. There are a couple people 

observing from the other room, and they are just there to help take notes. Even though people 

are observing, please speak openly about your opinions and experiences.
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As we talk today, I want to emphasize there are no correct or incorrect answers to the questions 

I ask you. I’m here to listen to you and get your perspective. We want to learn from you, so it is 

important that you share your honest opinions.

During the interview we may also pull up some materials online, or I may show you some 

prototypes so we can get additional feedback. If there are any questions that you feel 

uncomfortable providing an answer for, please let me know and we can move onto something 

else.

Do you have any questions so far?

This interview is going to be broken up into a few sections. Before we begin each section, I’ll let 

you know what the topic area will be. The discussion areas are going to be:

1. Shopping for a mortgage

2. Negotiations and working with the broker/lender

3. Preparations for closing

4. Closing documents

5. Technology in the closing process

b. Discussion Area 1: Shopping for a Mortgage (15 Minutes)

To begin today’s discussion, let’s talk about shopping for mortgages. 

1. First, tell me about your process when you obtained a mortgage. 

a. Had you started to look at homes before you talked to lenders? 

b. How did you know what price range to consider? 

c. Did you already have a realtor before finding a mortgage broker? How did your 

realtor help you in finding a lender? 

d. If you had already started to look at homes, was the price range you considered 

before finding a lender higher, lower, or about the same as the range you 

considered after finding a lender? 

e. Describe how you searched for your mortgage from start to finish?
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f. How did you look around at different lenders?

i. Did you look around at different lenders online, in-person, or both?

ii. How many lenders/brokers did you get a quote from?

iii. What led you to request a quote from each? 

g. What factors did you compare when you were searching for your mortgage?

h. How did you decide on your lender/broker? 

i. Did you ever have thoughts about switching lenders after you started the 

process? [Probe about feelings by asking “Tell me more about that” –

Trying to understand if they were uncomfortable, unhappy, etc. and if 

they understood that they could change.]

ii. Did you switch lenders? Tell me about that experience [why or why not].

2. Did you do any background research before you started contacting lenders?

a. What resources did you use to help you define unfamiliar terms? Who/what?

b. What was the most helpful information that you encountered?

c. What was the least helpful/most confusing?

3. What/who influenced your choice?

a. Did you utilize friends and family? How?

4. In what state did you purchase your home? 

a. What type of mortgage did you choose?

5. Is there anything else you want to tell me about this process that you haven’t mentioned 

so far?

c. Discussion Area 2: Negotiations and Working with a Broker

(15 Minutes)

Thank you for all of this feedback so far. Next I’d like to talk about the work that you did with 

your mortgage company after you chose them, but before you closed.
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1. We talked about how you chose your lender. Now I would like you to tell me about your 

experiences actually working with your mortgage company. Describe the process and 

how you felt about the different stages or parts of the experience. 

b. What was the hardest part about working with your mortgage company?

c. What was the easiest?

2. How did the loan officer convey information to you? 

a. How did you feel about the way he/she shared information with you?

b. Did he/she explain things in ways that made sense to you?

c. Was there anything that you felt was left unexplained or that was unclear? [If yes] 

how did that make you feel?

3. How did you feel about the amount of knowledge the loan officer had? Can you elaborate 

on that?

a. Too much or too little? 

b. How confident were you in your loan officer and the information he/she provided?

c. Did you feel like the information you gave to them was secure?

4. What did you think about the amount of time it took to get through the process?

a. What did you wish you had more time to work on?

b. If you had more time what would you have done?

c. What do you wish went faster, if anything?

5. Do you feel like you understood all the terms of your loan?

a. Did someone help you understand the terms? [If yes] who?

b. Was there anything that you were still confused about or that you are still 

confused about?

6. What do you now know that you wish you knew before you sat down with your mortgage 

lender at closing?
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7. Is there anything else you want to tell me about working with your lender before closing 

that you haven’t mentioned so far?

d. Discussion Area 3a: Preparation/Description of the Closing 

Process (20 Minutes

Next, we’re going to talk generally about your understanding of the mortgage closing process, 

any preparations you made, and what you would recommend for others.

1. Can you describe how you prepared for closing day?

c. Did anyone help you prepare for the closing process? Describe that process [for 

both if they received help or did it on their own]. 

d. Did you review any forms before the closing began? [yes] Which ones? Why?

e. How far in advance did you receive those forms? And when did you read them? 

[e.g., when they received them or the morning of closing]

2. Did you have any questions when you were reviewing your documents at home?

a. Who did you seek answers from? How? 

b. What could have been done to help you feel more prepared for closing?

c. How far in advance would you have liked to receive these documents to review at 

home/your leisure?

3. Now I would like you to describe your closing process. Tell me about your experience on

closing day. [Probe about who was present.]

a. Why did you choose e-closing? Was it presented with other options?

4. Now that you’ve been through the process, what questions would you recommend 

someone ask at their closing or while they are reviewing their documents?

5. What could have helped you feel more prepared, if anything?

a. How prepared do you think you would have felt if you did not go through eclosing?

6. How would you describe the closing process to someone who has never done it before?
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a. What do you remember most about closing?

b. What advice would you give to a friend?

c. What are the most important pieces of information for them to review?

7. What is the most important thing a person should do before coming to the closing table? 

Why?

8. Is there anything else about how you prepared for closing that you would like to tell me 

about?

9. I’m going to give you a list of parties typically involved in the purchasing a mortgage. I’d 

like you to indicate how much you trusted that party during the closing process. If you 

are not sure what role a particular party plays, you can just leave it blank

a. [Follow up with ALL responses] Why do you trust [PARTY] at [TRUST LEVEL]?

e. Discussion Area 3b: Experience with the documents (15 

Minutes) 

Now I’d like to talk a little bit about your experience with the documents that you encountered 

on closing day.

1. Did you have any questions at closing? 

a. Where or from whom did you seek information/advice? Why did you go to this 

person? [Probe about calling anyone who was not present.] 

b. You mentioned that _____ were present at closing. Who did you turn to with 

your questions? How did you choose this person?

2. Where there any forms that you paid particular attention to? 

a. Why did these ones stand out?

3. On what platform did you review your documents? What did you think of that 

presentation?

4. Were there any documents you remember that were particularly confusing?

a. What were some “real estate” terms that were hard to understand?

b. Were there any documents that were clear and easy to understand?
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5. How long did the closing process take? 

a. Do you feel that the time at the closing table was an appropriate amount of time? 

Was it too long? Too short? Just right?

6. Did anything unexpected happen/did any numbers change at your closing or while you 

were reviewing your documents beforehand? 

a. [If yes] What was it and how did you learn about it?

b. How did you work past it? How do you think that could have been avoided? What 

should have happened to make sure that problem didn’t occur?

c. What were some other issues that you faced?

7. Did you ever think about leaving? 

a. Did you know that you could leave a closing? Did you know you could negotiate at 

closing?

b. [If yes] Why? Can you tell me more about that?

c. [If not] Why not? [Probe about whether they knew they could leave.]

8. Describe the hardest part about closing? 

9. I’m going to give you a list of emotions, and I’d like you to indicate how much you felt 

each of those emotions during closing.

a. [Follow up with all responses of 4 or 5 or if time, with ALL] Why did you feel 

[INSERT EMOTION]?

b. At what part in the process did you feel [NEGATIVE EMOTION]? 

i. How should that be changed?

10. Do you remember seeing forms like this? [Show promissory note, deed, HUD-1]

a. What was particularly confusing about these forms?

b. If this was an online document, can you highlight where you would want to click 

for more information?

c. Can you highlight some confusing terms?
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d. Is there anything here that is still not clear to you?

11. Is there anything else about the documents that you would like to tell me about?

f. Discussion Area 3c: Technology in the Closing Process (20 

Minutes)

Ok, we are almost done. I have a few more things I want to touch on. You used e-closing, 

correct? 

1. You mentioned _________ that seemed to be difficult parts of the process. How would 

you improve these? What would you change?

a. What would make this a better experience for you?

2. How do you imagine the perfect closing process?

a. What tools might help you prepare for closing?

b. How did e-closing meet or not meet your expectations?

c. What could have worked better? What worked well?

3. Can you describe the e-closing platform that you interacted with? 

a. How did you learn how to use this platform?

b. When did you use the platform? For long chunks of time? At your leisure? At your 

office?

4. What do you think about when I say e-signature? How about electronic signature? 

[Probe: like checking a box on a website or on tablets at retailers]

a. How did you sign your documents at closing? Did that feel secure?

b. Did you sign any paper documents at your closing? Can you tell me why you 

signed paper documents?

i. What do you think about electronic signatures? Do you think they are 

legal? 
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ii. Should they continue to be used in the closing process? [If not] What if 

they saved you time at closing? How much time would they have to save 

to make you want to use electronic signatures?

iii. Did you feel any ceremonial aspect during your e-closing?

iv. What could be done to increase trust for people who do not believe that 

e-signatures are valid?

5. Do you feel like one form of closing (e-closing vs. paper) is better than the other? Can you 

explain?

a. What did you like about your closing process?

b. Have you been part of a tradition closing before? How did it compare?

6. What type of closing would you recommend for first time home buyers? What’s making 

you think that?

a. What if it was the only way to close? (i.e., there were no more paper signatures) –

how would you feel about that?

7. How would you feel about using an e-closing tool on a tablet or smartphone? 

a. Do you think you would use this on a mobile device, like a tablet?

b. How do you think this type of e-closing process impacted your experience? What 

would you change for the next time you e-closed?

c. What would you keep the same?

d. What was the best part about e-closing?

e. What was the worst?

This brings us to the end of the interview. Thank you for your willingness to participate today. 

The feedback that you’ve provided is very valuable. Do you have any last questions, or is there 

anything else you want to say before we wrap up the session?