Home Sellers Tip - Getting Ready to Sell Your Home - Tip # 1 - Gather Documents

We all have that drawer in our house that has all the old documents that you haven’t looked at in long time. In there you will likely find a bundle of papers that your lawyer sent you after you had completed the purchase of your home.

Like most people you received these documents while you still in the midst of unpacking and getting your things arranged in your new home and you put everything into a drawer for safe keeping. Now’s the time to pull those documents out.

By gathering all the documents you have about your home before you put the home on the market you will know what documents you have to provide to a potential buyer and you do not run the risk of packing all the paperwork for your house in an effort to get a head start on packing and decluttering your home as you prepare to move.

The items you should look for in the documentation from when you purchased your home are any surveys, plans of subdivision or other similar documents. These will prove helpful as you go through the selling process as most buyers will request a copy of these documents. In addition, you may have some additional information relating to any easements or permits that were obtained for work that was completed before you purchase the home.

If you have completed any major renovation work to the property during the time you have owned it you should have all the associated paperwork including permits, drawings, and contracts. This will show proof of the work being completed and that permits were obtained and fulfilled. In addition, a buyer can see the scope of the work that was completed as this may help to justify a higher asking price for the property.

You should also gather documentation related to any upgrades or improvements you have made to the property such as having the roof re shingled, new windows or doors installed or if you have replaced the furnace or air conditioner. You should have the bill of sale for these items, this will save having to guess if you had the work done three or four years ago. Additionally, you should look to see if you have any warranty information regarding these upgrades as the warranty may be transferable to the new owner.

Other documents that you should gather prior to placing your home for sale include, your property tax records, information about any rental equipment in your home such as the hot water heater, your mortgage statements, and your utility bills.

By taking the time at the start of the home selling process to find and organize all these documents you will be able to save some time and headaches down the road when questions arise. You don’t want to be left trying to locate all this paperwork among all the other possessions that you have packed away as you prepare to move.