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

Estimated price at which a partner in a partnership can buy out another partner. There are several methods for developing a buy-out estimate including market comparisons, appraisals, or ...

A method of purchasing real estate whereby a maximum amount of leverage is used. Normally the seller will finance the down payment necessary to acquire a mortgage. Thus, the purchaser is ...

Point at which a housing development becomes a neighborhood. After an initial housing development is sold and the new owners become established, the neighborhood stage begins. The ...

Sometimes, a perplexing legal term (a genuine headscratcher) emerges when buying or selling a property. You know you should know it, but its precise definition escapes you. Today's special ...

An opening with a hinged cover allowing access from one level to another in a structure. Often installed in a roof or the floor of a building to allow the entrance of people and materials ...

Structure or part thereof, such as a building, that obstructs or overlaps another property. Infringement on the property or rights of another individual or business. ...

In any field, from the corner store or long-term rentals, the potential gross income is the expected revenue earned from a sale or the rendering of services. The potential gross income ...

An agreement by which a mortgage is made subject to a junior mortgage. For example, a loan on a vacant lot is made subject to a subsequent construction loan. ...

A horizontal beam connecting together two rafters supporting the roof. The collar beam is located at the point substantially higher than the wall plate connecting the rafters. The high ...

Popular Real Estate Questions