Definition of "Bill of sale"

Stephen Fivecoat real estate agent

Written by

Stephen Fivecoatelite badge icon

Ultima Real Estate

A Bill of Sale is a formal document of the sale of goods or the transfer of title for personal property and chattel from one party to another.

In sum, a bill of sale is a sort of receipt. It can be complex or simple, depending on the asset being sold or transferred and the conditions behind. A soda that you buy at a quick-mart, will warrant you that simple paper receipt detailing the seller’s information and the description of the product and its price. But when it comes to real estate, the bill of sale gets more complex.

Generally registered at the county office to make it official, the bill of sale fully describes the asset sold, localizing its lot lines and features, and basically states that the property has been paid for – showing receipts of payment and that no outstanding lien exists on it. In possession of this written bill of sale – that can be of something like 3 to 10 pages long, the buyer has a receipt for the right to sell the property at a later date.

Unfortunately, however, there are cases when the bill of sale is not enough, as an old undiscovered lien from a homeowner years before you might surface at a later date. That’s why is important, when buying a house, to have title insurance to make the legal proceedings faster and less expensive, and clear yourself of lien problems, redirecting them to the home seller.

Real Estate Agent:

Visit our Real Estate Questions page and figure out if any of your real estate doubts match the frequently asked ones!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

The continued and illegal occupancy of property after a legal period of occupancy has expired. In an estate at sufferance the tenant occupies the property at the sufferance of property ...

Traditional style borrowed from the British Georgian architecture in the American colonial period. Colonial architecture usually has two stories emphasizing window detail and shutters. ...

In the real estate industry, several professional designations can be awarded to real estate professionals. These professional designations provide real estate professionals with the ...

Ownership of property by two or more people in undivided interests, without the right of survivorship. Each coowner's interest may be conveyed separately by its owner. Tenancy in common ...

The definition of abatement is a reduction of penalties or a tax deduction for individuals or businesses. It can often be accessed upon an overpayment of taxes, if the company or individual ...

Portion of a deed that states the act and date of the transfer of the property. ...

An interim or provisional court decree, which is not final and can be reversed or amended, normally issued to direct additional proceedings prior to issuing a final decree. For example, an ...

A knowledgeable person authorized to aid in the underwriting of property and casualty insurance. ...

A written document terminating the terms of a lien through payment of all financial obligations. A lien release is given by the lienor, the one holding the lien, to the lienee, individual ...

Popular Real Estate Questions