Selling a home documents checklist.

Before you list

• Photo IDFor everyone on the title. Front and back.
• DeedThe recorded deed. If you can't find it, your county records office usually has a copy.
• Mortgage statementYour most recent one, so the payoff can be estimated. Include any home equity loan or line of credit.
• Property tax billThe most recent bill.
• Seller disclosureThe form your state or brokerage uses, signed and dated. Your agent will give you the right one.
• Lead-based paint disclosureRequired by federal law for homes built before 1978.

Helps buyers say yes

• HOA documentsContact info, dues, rules and any upcoming assessments, if you have an HOA.
• SurveyIf you have one from when you bought.
• Utility billsA few months, or just the average monthly cost.
• Permits and receipts for work doneRoof, HVAC, additions, remodels. Buyers and inspectors ask.
• Warranties and manualsAppliances, roof, water heater, anything that transfers with the house.
• Past inspection or repair reportsTermite, septic, pool, or earlier home inspections.

Only in some cases

• Trust documents or power of attorneyIf the home is in a trust, or someone is signing for an owner.
• Estate documentsLetters of administration or a death certificate, if selling a loved one's home.
• Divorce decreeIf it says who keeps or sells the house.

What usually holds things up

• A second mortgage or equity line nobody mentioned until the title search.
• Work done without permits. Better to know now than during the buyer's inspection.
• HOA paperwork that takes the association days or weeks to produce. Ask for it the day you list.
• Owners who live in different places and can't all sign at once.

Questions

Do I need the original deed to sell?
Usually not. The title company works from the recorded copy at the county. A copy helps your agent confirm whose names are on title.

What does a seller's disclosure cover?
Known problems with the home, such as leaks, repairs, or defects. Rules vary by state, so use the form your agent provides.

When should I gather all this?
Before the listing goes live. Once you have an offer, the clock is running.

Updated November 2026. Every lender, landlord and preparer is a little different, so treat this as a starting list, not legal or tax advice.