Sixty percent of homebuyers experience frustration during the mortgage process, a survey recently conducted for Snapdocs shows.
The survey of more than 2,000 U.S. homebuyers reveals the mortgage process was confusing and inaccurate, inconvenient, or more costly than expected—with the majority of issues occurring during the closing.
Key factors borrowers identified as negatively impacting their experience included document errors, lengthy in-person appointments, and unexpected caretaking and travel costs.
Borrowers who were given the option to close digitally, or even just preview the documents digitally, reported higher satisfaction with their mortgage process.
As per the survey results, one in four borrowers had errors in their closing documents, with a significant portion having to re-sign their documents due to these mistakes. Borrowers who closed in person were 25% more likely to report that needing to re-sign documents negatively affected their overall homebuying experience, compared to those who closed digitally.
About 60% of borrowers report that it took more than 3 hours off work to attend their closing appointment in person, and nearly 40% lost wages during that time.
About 35% say they incurred additional non-mortgage expenses, such as caretaking and travel, in order to attend their in-person closing appointment. Millennial-age and first-time homebuyers were twice as likely to incur these costs than any other demographic.
The survey also uncovered that borrowers who closed digitally experienced a smoother, more efficient closing process, as technology prevented errors and reduced signing appointment time.
In fact, 93% of borrowers said the ability to digitally preview closing documents before their appointment gave them more confidence in the homebuying process.
While most borrowers took over three hours off work to attend their closing, many who opted for a digital closing took less than an hour. These survey results mirror what lenders are prioritizing—streamlining the mortgage process and enhancing the borrower experience through digital closings.
“Borrowers don’t remember everything about the mortgage process, but the closing is our opportunity to leave a lasting impression,” says Stephanie Zinsmeister, executive vice president of operations for AnnieMac Home Mortgage, in a release. “We’re committed to providing a positive, celebratory experience for borrowers, and we’re able to accomplish that by offering them digital closings.”
Additionally, the survey found that fully digital closings, or remote online notarization (RON) transactions, offer a valuable opportunity for lenders to increase borrower satisfaction.
Respondents who completed a RON closing reported higher levels of satisfaction—with 72% expressing they were “very satisfied,” compared to 59% for in-person closings.
Nearly 40% of respondents who completed a RON closing stated that a lender’s ability to offer a RON closing influenced their decision in selecting a lender. After interest rates, the ability to provide a RON closing was the second most important factor in lender selection for these borrowers, suggesting that offering fully digital closings is likely to drive more referrals and repeat business.
Photo: John Schnobrich
