Can I use electronic signatures for closings?

Yes in most cases. ESIGN (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA permit electronic signatures for contracts and many real estate documents; however, certain formalities such as notarization or witness requirements remain governed by state law and may require additional steps.

Are remote notarizations acceptable?

Many states allow Remote Online Notarization (RON) with identity proofing and audio-video recording; check the state notary commission for specific rules and retention requirements before relying on RON.

What if a signer's name doesn't match their ID?

Mismatched names can delay recording and create tax reporting issues; require government ID and correct the document before recording or payment processing.

How long must I keep closing documents?

Follow federal minima such as IRS three-year rules (IRC §6501(a)), and extend retention for tax, real estate, or HIPAA obligations as required by federal and state law.

What authentication level is needed for large deals?

Use stronger authentication (SMS code, ID upload, or KBA) for high-value transactions and escrow instructions to improve attribution and reduce fraud risk.

Who signs the Store Plan itself?

Authorized executive or broker signers with delegated authority should approve the plan and document their authority; include date, printed name, title, and a retention custodian for the approved version.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Real estate
Real Estate Store Plan

Real Estate Store Plan

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

REAL ESTATE STORE PLAN

This Real Estate Store Plan (the "Plan") is made and entered into as of between the parties identified below for the purpose of documenting the permitted use, build‑out, operational responsibilities and financial terms applicable to the retail store premises described herein.

PARTIES

Landlord / Property Owner Landlord Address Contact Phone / Email Tenant / Operator Tenant Address Contact Phone / Email

PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION

Premises Address Suite / Unit / Floor Parcel / APN Number Legal Description Sale / Lease Area (square feet) Permitted Use Site Plan / Layout Summary

BUILD-OUT, TENANT IMPROVEMENTS AND MILESTONES

Tenant improvement allowance from Landlord: $ payable in accordance with the disbursement schedule below. Final acceptance shall occur upon completion of punch list items and issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, where required.

Allowable Improvements Description Improvement Completion Deadline Inspection / Acceptance Period (days)

FINANCIAL TERMS

Base Monthly Rent: $ payable monthly in advance on or before the day of each month.

Security Deposit Additional Charges (CAM, Taxes, Insurance) Description Late Fee / Interest on Unpaid Rent

OPERATIONS, UTILITIES AND SERVICES

Utilities responsibility: Landlord will be responsible for ; Tenant will be responsible for .

Hours of Operation / Access Security / Alarm Responsibilities

MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS

Routine maintenance of the interior premises shall be the responsibility of Tenant. Landlord shall maintain structural elements, roof and exterior, except to the extent damage arises from Tenant negligence. Tenant shall not make structural alterations without Landlord's prior written consent.

Alterations Approval Threshold

INSURANCE, INDEMNITY AND LIABILITY

Tenant shall maintain commercial general liability insurance, naming Landlord as additional insured, with minimum limits of per occurrence. Tenant shall maintain property insurance for Tenant's FF&E and personal property.

Indemnity Clause

COMPLIANCE, PERMITS AND CERTIFICATES

Tenant shall obtain, at Tenant's expense, all licenses, permits and approvals required for Tenant's intended use, including any health, fire, building or signage permits. Landlord shall cooperate reasonably to facilitate permits and inspections.

Certificate of Occupancy Responsibility

DISCLOSURES

Lead-based paint on the Premises: Yes No

Visible mold or moisture issues: Yes No

Prior structural damage or major repairs: Yes No

If any disclosure is Yes, describe remediation or condition

DEFAULT, REMEDIES AND CURE

If Tenant fails to pay rent or otherwise materially breaches the Plan, Landlord shall provide written notice and Tenant shall have days to cure such default. Remedies shall be cumulative and include termination, recovery of damages and reasonable attorneys' fees.

GOVERNING LAW; ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Plan shall be governed by the laws of the state in which the Premises is located. This Plan, together with any incorporated exhibits or schedules, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes all prior negotiations and understandings.

Additional Terms or Special Conditions

Landlord — Printed Name:

Landlord Name:

By:

Date:

Tenant — Printed Name:

Tenant Name:

By:

Date:

What a Real Estate Store Plan Is and When It Applies

A Real Estate Store Plan is a written operational and compliance blueprint for a real estate office, storefront, or sales hub that documents business structure, licensing, transaction flows, and recordkeeping procedures. It typically covers lease or property use, staffing and signatory authority, consumer disclosures, marketing and sales process steps, and required supporting documents. For regulated transactions it also identifies notarization, witness, and tax-reporting obligations. The plan is used by brokers, franchisees, property managers, and legal teams to standardize processes and reduce execution risk across transactions.

Why a Store Plan Matters for Real Estate Operations

A clear Real Estate Store Plan reduces operational errors, creates consistent client disclosures, and documents who may sign contracts and accept funds. It helps align licensing, tax reporting, and record retention obligations across personnel and third parties.

Who Typically Prepares and Uses a Real Estate Store Plan

The Real Estate Store Plan is most often prepared by in-house operations managers, broker-owners, or compliance officers before a location opens or when processes change.

Broker-owners and franchise managers who control signing authority and local compliance responsibilities.
Property managers and leasing teams that execute rental agreements and disclosures on behalf of owners.
Title companies and closing agents that verify notarization, witness, and recording requirements for deeds.

Legal counsel, title companies, and accounting teams reference the plan when handling closings, tax reporting, escrow, and record retention tasks.

Essential Elements to Include in a Professional Store Plan

A complete Real Estate Store Plan organizes operational roles, required documents, signing authority, digital workflow rules, and retention policies so staff can execute transactions consistently and in compliance with federal and state rules.

Signatory Matrix

Define who may sign contracts, escrow instructions, and closing documents; include delegated limits, internal approvals, and documentation required to prove authority during a dispute.

Transaction Flow

Map steps from client intake to closing: listing agreement, disclosures, offer, acceptance, escrow instructions, deed preparation, notarization, recording, and final delivery of executed documents.

Disclosure Checklist

List required consumer disclosures by transaction type and state, including property condition, lead paint, agency relationships, and any finance-related consumer notices.

Notarization Rules

Specify when a notary or witnesses are required, whether Remote Online Notarization (RON) is acceptable, and where session recordings or journals will be stored.

eSignature Policy

Document permitted signature types, required signer authentication levels, audit trail retention length, and consumer-disclosure procedures per ESIGN and UETA.

Record Retention

Set retention periods for active files, post-closing storage, tax and escrow records, and procedures for secure archival and destruction.

Step-by-Step: Prepare and Approve a Store Plan

Follow these sequential tasks to assemble and approve a Real Estate Store Plan that meets legal and operational needs.

01

Gather Documents: Collect licenses, lease, entity filings, and sample contracts.
02

Define Roles: Specify signers, approvers, and custodians.
03

Set Digital Rules: Choose eSignature levels and retention settings.
04

Legal Review: Have counsel verify compliance with state laws.

Configure Your Digital Workflow for Store Transactions

Set up a repeatable electronic workflow that enforces required fields, signer order, and authentication to reduce exceptions at closing.

Field	Configuration
Signing Order	Sequence signers to match contract and escrow rules
Authentication	Email link with optional SMS code or KBA for high-risk signers
Required Attachments	Enforce ID upload, proof of funds, and disclosures as mandatory
Retention Policy	Automatic archival to secure storage for configured retention period

How Electronic Submission and Signing Usually Works

Typical online signing follows predictable steps from upload to storage; ensure each step maps to an internal control or audit requirement.

Upload Document: Submit contract and exhibits in PDF or DOCX format.
Place Fields: Add signature, initials, dates, and conditional fields.
Request Signature: Email or secure link sent to each signer.
Capture Audit: Platform records IP, timestamp, and actions.

Technical Options for Sharing and Signing Store Documents

Choose platforms and integrations that match your CRM, accounting, and storage systems to minimize manual transfers.

Integrations: Salesforce, Microsoft 365, NetSuite, Google Workspace support
File Formats: PDF, DOCX, and XLSX commonly supported
Authentication: Email link, SMS code, and SSO options available

Key Risks and Penalties to Include in Your Plan

Incorrect 1099 Reporting: Penalties $60–$330 per form (IRC §6721)

Intentional Disregard: $660+ per form, no maximum (IRC §6721)

I-9 Paperwork: Fines $281–$2,789 per violation (8 CFR §274a.2)

Missing Notarization: Recording refusal or title defects

Unauthorized Signing: Contract voidability or internal discipline

Data Breach: Regulatory exposure and notification costs

eSignature Pricing and Feature Comparison for Store Transactions

Compare baseline pricing and feature availability for common eSignature vendors when planning store-level signing workflows. signNow is listed first per vendor comparison guidance.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	Yes, 7-day trial	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Bulk Send	Yes (Business Premium)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Security and Compliance Controls to Document

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest

Audit Trail: Detailed timestamp, IP, and action history

HIPAA Support: BAA required for protected health information

Regulatory Certs: SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001

21 CFR Part 11: Compliant controls for FDA-regulated records

Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA conformance

Practical Tips to Keep Your Store Plan Accurate and Effective

Adopt consistent document naming, require verification steps for new signers, and test the full signing-to-archive path before production.

Standardize document templates

Use approved templates for listings, leases, and purchase agreements to reduce drafting errors and ensure required disclosures are always included.

Enforce signer identity checks

Require government ID, email confirmation, or higher authentication for high-value transactions to strengthen attribution and reduce fraud risk.

Document retention workflows

Automate archival to secure storage with role-based access controls and scheduled destruction aligned with retention policy to limit exposure.

Train staff on exceptions

Provide concise guidance on when to escalate deviations such as missing notarizations, ambiguous signatory authority, or contested disclosures.

Real-World Examples of Store Plans in Practice

Illustrative use cases show how operations teams apply store plans to cut friction and ensure compliant closings across channels.

Martin Properties

Tim Martin, Founder, implemented digital signing and standardized templates to centralize closing steps.

The change reduced turnaround and filing inconsistencies.
As a result, the team reports fewer recordkeeping exceptions and faster reconciliation between escrow and accounting, improving audit readiness and client communication.

Optica Ventures

Brian Fitzgibbons, COO, standardized signatory roles across locations to speed approvals.

Centralized templates enforced disclosures.
This produced consistent consumer information, simplified training for new staff, and reduced legal review time during high-volume leasing cycles.

Key Filing and Reporting Dates to Track

Track tax and reporting deadlines that intersect with store operations, payroll, and contractor payments to avoid late-filing penalties.

W-9 Requests:

Provide W-9 to payers upon request to avoid backup withholding risk

1099-NEC to Recipients:

Issue by January 31 for nonemployee compensation

1099-MISC Paper to IRS:

Paper filing due February 28; electronic due March 31

Individual Tax Return:

April 15 for Form 1040; October 15 with approved extension

I-9 Retention:

Retain I-9 for three years after hire or one year after termination, whichever later

How to Update or Revise the Real Estate Store Plan

Revisions should follow a controlled change process with versioning, approvals, and communication to affected staff and partners.

01

Identify Change:

Record reason and scope of revision

02

Draft Update:

Implement changes in templates and procedures

03

Legal Review:

Obtain counsel sign-off for compliance-affecting changes

04

Approve and Publish:

Record approval and update version history

05

Train Staff:

Communicate changes and provide quick reference guides

06

Monitor:

Track exceptions and adjust policy if needed

Frequently Asked Questions About the Real Estate Store Plan

Answers to common implementation and compliance questions to reduce confusion and speed onboarding.

Need help? Contact support

Can I use electronic signatures for closings?
Yes in most cases. ESIGN (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA permit electronic signatures for contracts and many real estate documents; however, certain formalities such as notarization or witness requirements remain governed by state law and may require additional steps.
Are remote notarizations acceptable?
Many states allow Remote Online Notarization (RON) with identity proofing and audio-video recording; check the state notary commission for specific rules and retention requirements before relying on RON.
What if a signer's name doesn't match their ID?
Mismatched names can delay recording and create tax reporting issues; require government ID and correct the document before recording or payment processing.
How long must I keep closing documents?
Follow federal minima such as IRS three-year rules (IRC §6501(a)), and extend retention for tax, real estate, or HIPAA obligations as required by federal and state law.
What authentication level is needed for large deals?
Use stronger authentication (SMS code, ID upload, or KBA) for high-value transactions and escrow instructions to improve attribution and reduce fraud risk.
Who signs the Store Plan itself?
Authorized executive or broker signers with delegated authority should approve the plan and document their authority; include date, printed name, title, and a retention custodian for the approved version.

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