What Documents Should I Have Prepared Before I Sell my Home?

There are a variety of factors that influence how quickly you can get your home on the market and sell it, but by being prepared with the right documents beforehand, you can help speed up the process and eliminate any unnecessary headaches. Here are documents you should have prepared or start gathering before you decide to sell your home.

Title & Ownership Documents

Gather all documents that are related to the title and ownership of your home – including zoning codes, property survey, certificate of occupancy, etc.

Property Disclosure

This functions as the legal notice to potential buyers of any existing issues with the home such as problems with the furnace, leaky areas of the roof, the presence of mold, etc. This protects you from any liability that the buyer can place on you for not disclosing problem areas before the sale.

Tax Records

The great thing about this is you don’t have to visit the Assessor’s office to get this information now. It is readily available to you with a few clicks of the mouse and free to access by visiting your county’s website.

Mortgage Documents

If you have a mortgage that you are currently paying off, you should have documents with details such as names, contact information and account numbers on it.

Bonus Materials

If you really want to be on top of it for when it comes time to officially sign the seller agreement, you could gather all the manuals and warranty information for your appliances. It’s not a requirement but it makes a nice gesture as the new owners settle in.