With zipForm® Plus, users have access to the built-in Digital Ink® e-signature solution or, thanks to zipLogix’s partnership, can integrate DocuSign’s platform. All zipLogix products are designed for compatibility with any RETS-compliant software in the real estate industry. Partnerships such as this serve to further increase zipLogix’s value with its users.
Barnett is happy to be able to offer his members a choice. As he explains, “It comes down to personal preference. Some are perfectly happy with zipLogix Digital Ink®, some find DocuSign to be a more robust offering. The overarching point is that digital signatures are becoming the standard.
“We’ve been happy with the fact that zipLogix is keeping up with modern technology and not getting stagnant,” adds Barnett.
The Practitioner Point of View
Clearly, associations and MLSs are quick to offer zipLogix solutions to their members, as digital tools are critical to successfully conducting business in today’s real estate environment. Brokers and agents in the trenches can attest to this.
With 34 years in the real estate business, Bill Jones is not only the broker/owner of Accent Real Estate in Texas, he is also vice chairman and commissioner for the Texas Real Estate Commission. He was first introduced to zipLogix in the mid ’90s.
“These are some of the greatest folks to work with,” says Jones. “I’ve been to their corporate offices and their Board of Directors meeting. These folks are focused not on what makes them great, but what makes their products great for the client.”
According to Jones, digital solutions like zipForm® Plus allow real estate professionals to do more business more efficiently.
“The zipLogix tools allow us to move at a much faster speed,” says Jones, “and cover more distance. For example, we are very close to Fort Hood, and electronic signatures allow us to transact with people all over the world. Whether they’re in Baghdad or Saudi Arabia, someone can sign a document and get it back to us at the speed of light. zipForm® makes it seamless so the agent can go through the process without thinking about Fed Ex-ing or faxing documents. This gives them more time to concentrate on the quality of their work and the quality of their relationship with clients.”
Not only do Jones and his agents take advantage of zipForm® Plus, they also consider zipLogix’s Form Library critical to their business. Enabling users to add customized sets of forms to their zipForm® software, the Form Library allows real estate professionals to add even more efficiency to the process while maintaining compliance.
“We’ve added form libraries from the Texas Real Estate Commission and the Texas Association of REALTORS®, ” says Jones, who has also added his firm’s custom forms, including those related to his commercial real estate and property management divisions, and broker/agent agreements. Doing so has allowed Jones to make sure his agents are in compliance.
Real Estate One offers zipForm® Plus and zipFormMLS-Connect® (which allows agents to import MLS data directly into a transaction) to its 45 offices and 1,800 agents. According to Dines, these products are included in the firm’s technology fee. Many agents have also chosen to pay extra for zipLogix’s relay® Transaction Management program along with zipForm® Mobile. Like Jones, Dines also takes advantage of the Form Library option.
“The support at zipLogix has been outstanding,” says Dines. “We have hundreds of forms they maintain for us, including custom forms. They’ve worked out ways for us to manage forms without it costing us a ton of money.
“When it comes to productivity, agents who create form templates save a tremendous amount of time,” says Dines. “They can fill out the form one time with the static information and then go and put in the dynamic information. They can then go back at any time and review and make changes. Agents who do business this way have huge productivity gains.”
