Guide 4 of 4 · 5 min read
The Complete Seller's Checklist
A practical, printable checklist covering everything from finding your deed to your final walkthrough — grouped into the four stages of a sale.
Free, no email required — a branded PDF of this full guide.
Use this as a working list. Nothing here is urgent on day one — you can request an offer with none of it done — but every item you complete early removes a possible delay later. Download the PDF and check items off as you go.
Before you request an offer
- Locate your deed, or the recorded document showing how you took ownership
- Find your mortgage payoff amount — call your lender or pull it from your online account
- Note any liens, judgments, back taxes or unpaid HOA dues you are aware of
- Write down the known repairs and issues — roof age, HVAC, plumbing, foundation, water damage
- Decide your ideal closing date, and the earliest and latest dates that would still work
- Confirm who is on title and that everyone agrees to sell
Documents to gather
- Deed to the property
- Most recent mortgage statement (and payoff quote if available)
- Most recent property tax bill
- Homeowners insurance policy or declaration page
- HOA documents, dues statement and management contact, if applicable
- Government-issued photo ID for every person on title
- Any past survey, inspection report, appraisal or permit records
- Probate paperwork — death certificate, will, letters of testamentary — if inherited
- Divorce decree or property settlement, if applicable
Evaluating an offer
- Confirm the company making the offer is the actual buyer, not a middleman
- Request and read proof of funds dated within the last 30 days
- Compare your net proceeds — not the offer against a list price
- Confirm in writing that there are no fees, commissions or closing costs deducted
- Confirm the closing date works, and that it is written into the contract
- Check whether the contract permits assignment to another buyer
- Confirm what happens to earnest money and under what conditions it is refundable
- Read the entire purchase agreement — every page — before signing
- Ask any question that is still open. A real buyer will answer it in writing.
Before closing
- Schedule movers or reserve a truck
- Submit a mail forwarding request with the postal service
- Cancel or transfer utilities — electric, gas, water, internet, trash — effective the day after closing
- Cancel your homeowners insurance effective after the recording date, not before
- Remove everything you intend to keep; anything left behind conveys with the house
- Gather all keys, mailbox keys, remotes, garage door openers, gate fobs and alarm codes
- Take final meter readings and photos of the property's condition
- Confirm wiring instructions with the title company by phone using a number you looked up yourself
- Do a final walkthrough of every room, the garage, the attic and any outbuildings
Wire fraud warning: never trust wiring instructions sent by email alone. Call your title company using a phone number you independently verified and confirm the account details verbally before any funds move.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need to sell my house?
At minimum the deed, your mortgage statement, a property tax bill, insurance information and a photo ID. HOA documents, probate paperwork or a divorce decree are added when they apply.
Do I need to clean the house before closing?
Not for a cash sale. Take what you want and leave the rest — you do not need to clear out furniture, appliances or debris.
When should I cancel my utilities?
Schedule cancellation or transfer for the day after closing, not the day of. If closing slips, you do not want the water shut off during the final walkthrough.
What if I find a lien I did not know about?
Tell your buyer and the title company right away. Most liens are simply paid out of the sale proceeds at closing and do not stop the sale.
Keep a copy of this guide, or print it for your records.
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