LEASE - Can I accept a scanned/emailed version as original?

[Beth L.]

Hello All!

I have an applicant that is on military deployment oversees and his fiancee lives here. I showed the unit to her and they want the lease to start before he returns (she will move in first). He will be sending me the application and all supporting documents via email. Since it will take about 3 weeks to mail the lease to him and get it back, I was thinking that I could have him sign the lease and scan and email it back. I could then use his version for the rest of the signatures.

Am I correct in assuming that his scanned version is considered legally valid? Also, I haven't met him. Any tips or concerns that I should know about signing on a tenant that I haven't met?

Thanks!