What Documents Do I Need When Selling My House?

Whether you are selling your house on your own or using a Realtor, the following are the documents which you should gather so that you can streamline the process when you obtain a buyer for your house:

1. The deed from when you purchased the house. This will provide important information such as the correct spelling of the names of the owners as they appear in the county records and the legal description of the property.

2. The most current tax bill. This will contain the most recent tax block and lot description to be used in preparing the contract for the sale. While the deed may also contain a tax lot and block, this information may change over time. The current tax bill will provide the most accurate information. The tax bill will also show the current real estate taxes for the property.

3. The survey which was made when you purchased the property. Not all owners had surveys when they purchased their property, but in most cases surveys are done. The survey will graphically describe the property and will show you and the buyer the exact dimensions of the property. Additionally, the buyer may be able to use the same survey company which may speed up the survey process and the closing of title.

4. The title insurance policy which you obtained when you purchased the property. This will assist the buyer in performing their own title search because they may use the same company as you. This too may speed up the closing process since the title company may not have to conduct a full search. In addition, providing your title insurance policy to the buyer may resolve potential title issues before they become major issues.

5. If you have a mortgage or home equity loan on your property, you should obtain the names, addresses, telephone numbers and account numbers for each mortgage or home equity loan. This will assist the buyer in obtaining payoff information to pay off these loans at the time of the closing.

6. If you live in a condominium or an adult community where there is association, you should obtain the name, address and telephone number of the association to provide to the buyer. In addition, you should gather the most recent restrictions, rules and regulations of the association so that the buyer can review them before they sign the contract.

7. If you have any warranties or service plans for your property, you may wish to provide them to the buyer as this may make you house more attractive to potential buyers if they know that certain items in you house are under warranty.

By assembling these items before listing your house, it may make the contract and closing process smoother.

If you are selling your house, you should have competent legal advice. Our office has represented hundreds of persons selling their homes. Please feel free to call us to assist you in the sale of your house.

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