Media Releases

Published on  April 4, 2010 in the Sunday Honolulu Advertiser

Federal Housing Administration to Accept DocuSign for Real Estate Contracts Nationwide

Buyers, Sellers, Agents and Lenders will save Significant Time and Money on Mortgage Document Approvals with DocuSign eSignature Service

Seattle - April 8, 2010 - Docusign, the leader in on-demand electronic signature solutions, today annouced that e-signed third-party documents, including real estate contracts, are now being accepted by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).  DocuSign spearheaded an industry-wide effort to move the FHA to formally recognize e-signed third-party documents.  The April 8, 2010 dated FHA mortgagee letter is the first in what is expected to be a series of responses to this initiative.  With this policy statement from the nation's largest mortgage insurer, real estate professionals can use DocuSign to get real estate contracts, addenda, and other documents signed electronically, and their buyers can apply for FHA insurance with confidence.  The FHA mortgagee letter can be found at http://nhl.gov/offices/admin/hudclips/letters/mortgagee/files/10-14ml.pdf

"We commend FHA's action today.  By clarifying its position on electronic signatures, the process of buying, selling and financing of homes across the country will be greatly improved," said Ken Moyle, chief legal officer at DocuSign.  "Buyers, sellers and agents can use DocuSign's online process to eliminate the time, expense and environmental impact of printing, delivering and signing large stacks of paper documents, and mortgage lenders can take comfort in knowing that DocuSign's e-signature process is designed for legal compliance in all 50 states and is fully evidenced by a comprehensive audit trail."

Real estate agents can quickly access the DocuSign e-signing service from any laptop with internet access, drag and drop familiar yellow StickEtabs onto the contract and send the envelope. The receipent immediately receives an email notification that can be accessed through a computer or any Web-enabled mobile device, including Apple iPhone, RIM Blackberry, Google Android, Windows Mobile, adopts an e-signature and signs the document.  Once completed, an email notification is sent to all parties with a link to the final executed document.  The result is a legally binding, fully ESIGN-compliant document supported by a comprehensive audit trail. 

CHRISTIE'S GREAT ESTATES SURVEY SHOWS CONTINUED STRONG PERFORMANCE FOR HIGH-VALUE REAL ESTATE

Christie's Great Estates is Largest International Network of Real Estate Brokers Specializing in the Marketing and Sales of High-Value Properties

 SNAPSHOT: SIGNS OF GLOBAL HOUSING MARKET RECOVERY (February 2010)

SWITZERLAND: Wetag Consulting Immobiliare in Ticino reported that prices remained steady in 2009.  Eighty percent of this year's buyers are from overseas - a direct result of the tax laws in neighboring countries.

GERMANY: According to von Poll Immobilien, the German property market is stable, and prices are continuing to increase.

BRAZIL: Property prices have grown steadily in last 2009, reports Judice & Araujo Imoveis.  Demand for property in Brazil has increased since Rio de Janeiro was awarded the 2016 Olympics.

NEW YORK CITY: While the median price for Manhattan apartments fell over the past year, the rate of decline in the third quarter was lower than earlier in 2009 and signs of improvement are showing, according to Brown Harris Stevens. 

 SIGINIFICANT SALES FROM CHRISTIES GREAT ESTATES NETWORK

The sale of a Euro 61,200,000 (US$89,000,000) estate was recently annoucened by Sibarth Real Estate, the Christies Great Estates affiliate on St. Barthelemy in the French West Indies.  The price is three times the previous record for the Caribbean and establishes what is believed to be the highest price in 2009 for a private residence worldwide.  "Trophy properties continue to command the attention of buyers around the globe," says Kay Coughlin, President of Christie's Great Estates.  "This sale affirms that our carefully selected internaitonal affiliates are indeed the leading high-value real estate experts in their local markets."

Other recent sales from the network include:

• Ingmar Bergman's estate in Faro, Sweden, which served as the setting for many of the three time Oscar-winning director's filsms. 
• The Former King Vidor Estate in Beverly Hills, California, listed at US$19.95 million, was sold by Hilton & Hyland Real Estate.
• Villa Delfina in Peter Bay, St . John, US Virgin Islands, listed for US$8.495 million, was sold by John Foster Real Estate.

HIGH-END HOME TRENDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

MACHO MATTRESSES - Manufacturers around the world are now creating "guy-friendly" beds with iPods docks, temperature control properties, and safes.  One such bed - The Sphere by Hollandia International, features a 32-inch flat screen television, a champagne holder, a black vanity mirror, and the company's signature massage system.  Price: US$50,000 (queen)

PAINT THE UNEXPECTED - Unexpected coloe combinations will be a key feature of home decor in 2010, predicts high-end Canadian paint producers, Sico.  Their design team predicts walls, furniture, and accessories will mix punchy colors with pastels shades, or vibrant colors with very dark tones and pair them with neutrals - shades that wouldn't ordinarily be out together, but complement eah other well.

RECLAIMED WOOD FURNITURE - Merging eco-friendly design with cutting-dge craftmanship, many furniture designers are turning to reclaimed wood for inspiration.  Former wine barrels, bowling lanes, old canoes, and fallen trees -such as Brazilian artist Hugo Franca's bench made from fallen Pequi Trees - are now available as re-purposed furniture at high-end homeware stores around the globe.

About Christie's Great Estates

Christie's Great Estates is the largest international network of real estate companies dedicated to the sale and marketing of luxury homes and a subsidiary of Christie's, the world's leading art business. Christie's clients who buy and sell works of art often request real estate services. To satisfy this demand, Christie's Great Estates, founded by Kay Coughlin in 1987, was acquired by Christie's in 1995. Today, the Christie's Great Estates global network spans more than 42 countries with 800 offices and approximately 35,000 brokers. Committed to the auction house's two-century-old tradition of exceptional customer service and expertise in high-value marketing, the network achieved total combined sales in excess of $125 billion.

Admittance to the Christie's Great Estates network is offered by invitation only to those real estate companies with proven records of success in high-value home sales and who exemplify Christie's traditional value of service. Once awarded affiliate status, brokers may then display the coveted Christie's brand and use the proprietary marketing services of Christie's Great Estates, which has successfully marketed high-value real estate around the globe for more than 20 years. Exceptionally skilled local real estate specialists, a client-focused approach, and strategic global marketing to a qualified audience of proven luxury consumers are the hallmarks of Christie's Great Estates.

The Star Bulletin

Awards and Certificates

Honolulu, Hawaii (October 3, 2007) Christie's Great Estates has selected Caron B Realty International as an exclusive affiliate. The network is the largest international luxury network of real estate brokers specializing in the marketing and sales of high-end properties. Caron Broederdorf has been representing and marketing estate and investment properties on Oahu for nearly 20 years and has been named one of Oahu's Top 10 Boutique Brokers and one of Hawaii's Top 35 woman Owned Businesses.