The Other Pile of Paperwork

Anyone who has bought, sold, or refinanced a house in the last few years knows that there are stacks of papers that have to be signed before the keys change hands. Fortunately for the buyers and sellers, most of those papers come from the Realtor®, the title company, and the lender.

But even before the first offer comes in, sellers should be finding the "other" paperwork. Those are the papers that - depending on how long you've been in your home - might be scattered or buried in old files or boxes.

You'll want to find:

1. The settlement documents from when you bought the house - these would include the contract, the settlement sheet, loan documents, title insurance, and any others that came to you at settlement.
2. Any other loan documents from a refinancing, home equity line of credit, or second mortgage along with the loan numbers and bank information.
3. Receipts and permits for any major improvement or renovation that you did such as adding a bathroom or extending a deck.
4. Warranty information for any appliances or home systems that you've repaired or replaced recently.
5. Homeowner association, condo, or co-op documents, including any documents that show you've complied with the rules for renovations or additions such as decks or color changes.
6. Tax receipts and bills that will show a prospective buyer what the gas, electric, water, and tax charges have been for the past year.
   

Having these ready as you list and sell your home will help things run more smoothly. And when the house is sold, and you pack those papers to move, keep the first three on the list together with the new settlement papers - you'll need them again come April for tax time.