Which Documents Do You Need to Sell a House?
What are the documents needed to sell a house? Here, we outlined everything from sales contracts and inspection reports to purchase offers and deeds.
What are the documents needed to sell a house? From contracting with an agent to making it to closing day, selling a house involves a lot of paperwork, estimated at about 180 sheets depending on the state. These records reflect every step in the home selling process, and here we walk you through what to expect from start to finish.
Step one: Talk to an expert!
Selling your house soon? Connect with a top agent near you to get an expert opinion on how much your house will sell for, what to fix before listing, and the latest local housing market trends.
Documents needed before listing your home
Original sales contract
The original sales contract is the agreement you made with the previous owner of your home when you bought it. This contract outlines the terms of the purchase and maps out the “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” and “why” of the transaction.
This way, the buyer makes no mistake about the previous owner of the house and the terms and conditions under which it was transferred to a new owner. The sales contract notes the price at which the house was sold and elaborates on any disclosures about the property that were made before the sale.
Appraisal from when you bought your home
An appraisal is a professional assessment of your home’s fair market value, determining how much a mortgage lender will lend to a buyer. To go forward with the sale, you’ll need a brand new appraisal unless you’re working with a cash buyer who doesn’t need financing (more about this later).
You need to provide the buyer with the appraisal report from the time you purchased your home, as well as any documented updates since the original appraisal, such as in the case of a refinance.
