Digital signatures in property transactions: what they are and when they are used
Buying or selling a property requires signing several documents: the purchase offer, the preliminary contract, any amendments or additions. Until a few years ago, doing this remotely was complicated — you needed to be physically present, or rely on slow and cumbersome procedures.
That is no longer the case. A digital signature allows you to sign legally valid documents from anywhere, using a smartphone or computer. It is a tool we use regularly, and it has become particularly valuable with clients who live far from Sanremo or abroad.
What a digital signature is
A digital signature is a system that allows you to sign an electronic document with full legal validity — equivalent in every respect to a handwritten signature on paper.
It is not a simple scan of your signature, nor a click on “I accept”. It is a certified process that identifies the signatory uniquely and guarantees that the document has not been altered after signing. In Italy it is governed by the Consumer Code and the European eIDAS Regulation, which defines its technical and legal requirements.
How it works in practice
The platform we use is Adobe Acrobat Sign. The process for the signatory is as follows: first you sign on a blank sheet of paper, photograph your signature and save the image on your phone or computer. This is a simple step that adds an additional layer of security.
Adobe then sends an email to the signatory with the document to open. Opening it requires a password, which is sent separately by SMS to the mobile phone number. You follow the on-screen instructions: when the programme asks how you want to sign, you select ‘image’ and import the photo of your signature. You confirm the steps and within a few minutes the document is signed, certified and available to both parties.
No software needs to be installed. We have successfully had documents signed by elderly people and by those with little familiarity with technology — the step-by-step guided process leaves no room for doubt.
When it is useful in a property transaction
In a property transaction, the digital signature does not replace the notarial deed, which by law must be signed in person before a notary. But it is used for all documents that precede the deed: the purchase offer, the preliminary contract, and formal communications between the parties.
It is particularly useful in three situations: when the seller and buyer are not in the same city; when one of them is abroad — a frequent situation in Sanremo, where many buyers come from other countries; and when timing is tight and waiting for a physical appointment could slow the negotiation down.
It is also used for tax code applications for foreign clients. The Revenue Agency accepts the form signed digitally: the completed document is sent via Adobe, the client signs it from home within minutes, and the turnaround is considerably shorter than with paper-based handling.
A real example
A deed signing is scheduled for Tuesday. The clients are Polish — the purchase is being made by the wife, who had already been issued an Italian tax code in the earlier stages of the transaction. On Friday it emerges that the couple have joint marital property, and that the wife wants to purchase using money from the sale of a property that was hers before the marriage. This is possible, but requires the husband to be present at the deed. Problem: the husband does not have an Italian tax code. The deed signing is on Tuesday.
On Friday itself the application form was completed, sent via Adobe to the husband in Poland, signed within a few minutes and submitted to the Revenue Agency. The wait is now on to see whether it arrives in time for Tuesday.
Without the digital signature, that document would have left on Monday at the earliest — probably too late.
Is it secure?
Yes. A certified digital signature offers greater guarantees than a handwritten signature on paper: the identity of the signatory is verified, the document cannot be modified after signing, and every operation is precisely tracked.
The platform we use complies with the European eIDAS standards and Italian law. Signed documents have full legal validity and can be used in any formal procedure.
What you need to sign
To sign a document digitally you only need two things: an email address and a mobile phone number to receive the confirmation code by SMS. Nothing else.
No particular technical skills are required. The process is guided step by step and takes a few minutes.
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