Thinking about selling your home this year? Real estate transactions can be highly complicated, so they naturally involve a lot of paperwork. With so many documents, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, especially during the closing process. Luckily, our real estate agents help clients navigate paperwork every day, and we're here to help you better understand some of the most common forms and documents you'll encounter during your home-selling journey.

• Listing Agreement - Once you've chosen a real estate agent to represent your home sale, you'll need to sign a listing agreement. This is a contract between you and the agent that outlines your obligations during the selling process as well as any applicable commissions.
  
  
• Net Proceeds Sheet
  After signing a listing agreement, your agent will work with you to complete a net proceeds sheet which can help you gain a better sense of what you stand to earn on your home sale.
  
  
• Seller Disclosure
  Before you can list your home among these beautiful Cleveland homes for sale, you'll need to fill out a seller's disclosure which has numerous questions about historical repairs. Keeping documentation around home repairs allows you to accurately reflect the state of the home when filling out the disclosure. Failing to do so could create liability issues down the road.
  
  
• Preliminary Title Check
  Running a preliminary title check will return information on what's owed on the property as well as any former liens or debts that could impact the home's value or your ability to sell it.
  
  
• The Home Inspection Report
  Most buyers will ask for a home inspection contingency, which allows a professional inspector to examine the property and produce a report with any potential issues. The buyer may furnish a copy of this report if they ask you to make repairs or negotiate costs.
  
  
• The Closing Statement
  This document is an itemized list of all debits and credits for both the buyer and seller. At the bottom, it'll list your final total proceeds for the home sale.
  
  
• The Deed
  The deed is the official document that transfers the title of the home to the seller. Once you sign this and hand over the keys, the home will officially belong to the buyer.

You don't need to feel intimidated by paperwork, your real estate agent will help you understand every form and document. Contact us to discuss listing your home today.