Documents to sell a home: the folder that prepares the sale

Nothing delays a sale like a missing document. Most deals that collapse in the final month don't collapse over the price: they collapse because the paperwork wasn't ready and the buyer (or their bank) gets tired of waiting.

The good news: it's a closed list. Gather it at the start and the sale flows.

The essentials (without these, there is no sale)

1. Property deed or title (escritura)

Your *escritura* (the notarial deed) of purchase (or of inheritance, donation, etc.). It proves the flat is yours. If you've lost it, you can request a copy at the notary office where it was signed.

2. Valid DNI/NIE of all title holders

It sounds obvious, but an expired ID on signing day is a real problem. Check that everyone signing has a valid one. If there are deceased or incapacitated title holders, the succession situation must be resolved beforehand.

3. Updated nota simple

The registry snapshot of your home: the *nota simple* (an official extract from the Property Registry) shows ownership, charges and description. Request it when you start the process and review it: mortgages not cancelled, liens or incorrect ownership are resolved weeks or months in advance, not the day before signing.

4. Energy performance certificate

Mandatory to sell: without it you can't even legally advertise the property on portals. It's issued by a technician after visiting the flat. Order it early: it's cheap compared to the delay caused by not having it.

5. Last IBI receipt

It proves the cadastral value (useful for several calculations) and that the tax is up to date. The IBI (*Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles*, the local property tax) for the year of the sale is prorated between the parties as agreed.

6. Community certificate: being up to date

The president or administrator must certify that you are up to date with the fees (or detail any debt, which is deducted from the price at the notary). Request it in good time: administrators don't always reply within 24 hours.

The ones that save you arguments

7. Community bylaws and latest meeting minutes

The serious buyer wants to know the rules (pets, tourist rentals, works) and whether there are approved or upcoming special assessments. Having them at hand conveys seriousness and avoids renegotiations.

8. Invoices for major renovations

If you carried out significant renovations, keep the invoices: they help justify the higher value to the tax authorities (they reduce the capital gain on your IRPF, Spanish income tax) and reassure the buyer about the quality of the work done.

9. Floor plans

They're not mandatory, but they help a lot in the listing and during viewings. If you don't have them, a simple sketch with measurements will do.

10. Cédula de habitabilidad (depending on the autonomous community)

In the Comunitat Valenciana, the *licencia de ocupación* / *cédula de habitabilidad* (the habitability certificate) may be required depending on the case. Check your situation: it's one of those documents that, when needed, take time.

If there is an outstanding mortgage

Add the bank's outstanding debt certificate (request it about two weeks before signing) and be clear about the cancellation process: the debt is settled with the price at the notary, but the registry cancellation is a separate procedure.

If the property is inherited

The paperwork gets complicated: you need the registered deed of acceptance and allocation of the inheritance, the inheritance tax settled, and the registered ownership in your name. An inheritance that hasn't been allocated cannot be sold. If this is your case, start here: it's the longest procedure on the list.

The order to keep your sanity

1. Day 1: nota simple + check IDs + locate your escritura.
2. Week 1: order the energy certificate and request the community certificate.
3. When there's a buyer: the bank's debt certificate (if there's a mortgage) and gather renovation invoices.
4. Before the arras: have everything in one folder, physical or digital. The day the buyer asks for "the paperwork", you have it. (*Arras* are the deposit agreement that secures the sale.)

The seller who arrives at the notary with the complete folder doesn't just avoid delays: they negotiate better. Every missing document is an excuse for the buyer to ask for a last-minute discount.

Selling in Cullera or La Safor? At Llevant Patrimonial we prepare the list adapted to your case from day one. Opening soon.