Digital signatures for lease

[Jay Mayer]

I imagine these days digital signatures are allowed for contracts, but are there any guidelines as to what is acceptable or not. 

If my tenant sends back a lease signed with a digitally made handwritten type of signature (the one that looks like cursive, but is computer made), is this enough? Lease comes in using his personal email address. 

Thanks

[Michael Cooper]

My rule is to think "best case/worst case" and this is a perfect example of a little convenience for a lot of potential grief.

I would accept the lease provisionally and then require live signatures when they pick up keys. In a sale transaction everyone is generally pulling in the same direction and I'd be inclined to let it go since everything is backed up by escrow instructions and title insurance. However, in a lease situation, I am too concerned about "professional tenants" to allow ANY deviation from being able to give my attorney the "best possible file" for a potential issue down the road.