The mortgage industry has been moving towards e-closings for quite a while now (as this blog has covered before), and there are great hopes that this will streamline and simplify the process. However, before we get all the way there, things may take a step backwards. New federal disclosure rules, though designed to simplify financial reporting, are likely to have a retarding effect on the speed of closings as we exit summer and head into the fall. The new changes go into effect October 3rd.