How to Protect Yourself as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO)
We hope your efforts to market your home are proving successful. If you do sell your home by yourself, you’ll experience the “thrill of achievement” that we do each time we sell a home for one of our clients. It feels great!
If you haven’t sold a home in the last couple of years, there’s a number of required documents and disclosures that you’ll need as part of the purchase. These are required by law and they are:
- Contract of sale, in particular, one that protects you as the seller.
- Transfer Disclosure Statement
- Grant Deed / Quit Claim Deed
In addition to these disclosures, there are a number of other disclosures we would recommend providing to the buyer with in order greatly reduce the possibility of any litigation after the sale.
- A Seller Property Questionnaire
- Lead Based Paint Disclosure (depending on year was built)
- A Natural Hazard Disclosure Report
- Any city mandated forms and disclosures. Varies from city to city.
- Water Heating Strapping to meet recent code changes
- Smoke Detector Compliance
- Carbon Monoxide Detector compliance laws that recently came into effect
While there are many of disclosures and contractual documents we use during the sale to protect the interests of our clients, the above is a good start.
If you need assistance obtaining contracts, disclosures or need other advice, feel free to give us a call.
