The Digital Shift: Streamlining the Closing Table: Blog 3 of 4
President Trump’s Executive Order on Mortgage Credit Discussion Part Three
As part of The Commonwealth Group’s series of posts on the March 13, 2026 Executive Order – “Promoting Access to Mortgage Credit (Federal Register :: Promoting Access to Mortgage Credit ) – today’s post is a look at the directives for modernizing and streamlining closing mortgage documents.
(See our blog post Breaking Down the New "Promoting Access to Mortgage Credit" Executive Order - The Commonwealth Group for a general discussion of the Executive Order and for part 2 regarding Capital and Liquidity Requirements click here.)
The final hurdle of any real estate transaction—the closing—is often the most cumbersome stacked with hundreds of pages of physical documents and requiring everyone to be in the same room at the same time, the traditional "wet-signature" closing is a relic of the past. Section 7 of the Executive Order, Digital Mortgage Modernization, aims to finally move the "ink and paper" era into the digital age. Leaders I the industry have supported these initiatives for many years:
"We have long believed that the mortgage process can be faster, more accessible, and less expensive for everyone involved, and this Executive Order is an exciting step toward making that a reality," said Pat Kinsel, CEO of Proof. "The administration's commitment to promoting remote online notarization and digital closing practices across federal housing programs is a win for borrowers, lenders, and the housing market." ( The President’s Executive Order Is a Win for Digital Closings | Proof )
For borrowers and home buyers, this means a faster, more flexible, and significantly less stressful path to mortgage loans and homeownership in general. Here are how these digital mandates change the game:
1. Eliminating the "Wet-Signature" Requirement
The order directs the Secretaries of Agriculture, HUD, and VA, along with the FHFA, to consider eliminating unnecessary physical signature requirements.
Disclosures and Applications: Buyers can now move through the early stages of the loan process entirely through secure digital portals.
Closing Documents: The push is to remove the requirement for physical ink on final loan documents, allowing for a fully electronic experience.
2. Standardization of Remote Online Notarization (RON)
One of the biggest pain points for buyers - especially those relocating - is finding a notary. The EO promotes:
Remote Online Notarization: Moving toward a standard acceptance of notarizations performed via secure video call.
E-Notes and E-Signatures: Standardizing how electronic notes and signatures are accepted across all federal housing agencies to ensure a seamless "paperless" trail.
3. Modernizing the Right to Rescission
For certain refinances, the "right to rescission" (the cooling-off period) has historically relied on physical mail and manual counting of days. The order suggests:
Digital Rescission: Enabling increased secure electronic and digital forms and processes for exercising these rights.
Streamlined Refinancing: Exploring exemptions from rescission rights for simple rate-and-term refinancing to get buyers into better rates faster.
The Commonwealth Group Takeaway
In today’s market, buyers expect the same "one-click" convenience in their mortgage that they find in the rest of their financial lives. By promoting Digital Mortgage Standards, this order doesn't just reduce the administrative burden on lenders—it drastically improves the customer experience. For lenders, developers, buyers, sellers, and real estate agents, this means fewer delays at the closing table and happier clients moving in on schedule.
At The Commonwealth Group, we believe these digital efficiencies are the key to a more liquid and accessible housing market and we applaud the President Trump and his administration taking these long overdue actions. For more information on how the Executive Order as well as The Digital Mortgage Standards will affect the mortgage and homebuying transaction, follow this blog for future updates.
And for information on the suite of services (Contract Underwriting; Contract Processing; Quality Control; and Technology Services) offered by The Commonwealth Group, contact Martin Luplow at [email protected] .
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