What Paperwork Do You Need to Sell a House in Monroe County, NY?
Every document a Rochester-area sale needs, who produces it, and when. Most of it is not yours to produce, which is the reassuring part.
Please read. Liberty Homes buys houses. We are not attorneys, accountants or housing counsellors, and nothing on this page is legal, tax or financial advice. Statutes, local ordinances and court procedures change, and your situation has details we cannot see. Before you rely on anything here, talk to a New York attorney.
What you provide
| Document | What it is | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Property Condition Disclosure Statement | The state form under Real Property Law Article 14, answering questions about the house's condition, history and — since 20 March 2024 — flood risk. | Completed before the buyer signs the contract. The old option of giving a $500 credit instead was removed in March 2024. Fiduciaries selling for an estate remain exempt. "Unknown" is a legitimate answer when it is true. See the as-is page. |
| Deed | Proves who owns the property and how — jointly, as tenants by the entirety, in a trust, or in a deceased person's sole name. | If you cannot find it, it is on record with the Monroe County Clerk and your attorney or title company pulls it. What matters is what it says about who must sign. |
| Mortgage statement, and any lien or tax notices | Tells the title company who to order payoff letters from. | Bring the most recent statement for every loan on the house, plus anything you have received from the City or County Treasurer, a contractor, or a court. |
| Photo ID | For everyone who has to sign. | Government-issued. The notary at closing checks it. |
| Estate documents, if the owner has died | Death certificate and, once issued, the letters from Surrogate's Court. | Nobody can sign a deed for a deceased owner without letters. See selling a house in probate. |
| Leases, rent roll, deposit records | Only for a rental. | The lease runs with the property; deposits transfer to the buyer with written notice to the tenant. |
What the attorney and title company produce
This is most of the paperwork, and it is not your job. A New York residential closing is customarily conducted by attorneys, with a title company insuring the buyer's title.
| Document | Who produces it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Contract of sale | The attorneys | Price, closing date, who pays what, contingencies. In a direct cash sale it is short; read it for those four things. |
| Abstract of title, continued to date | Title company / abstract company | Monroe County runs on an abstract — a compiled history of the parcel that is updated for each sale. Ordering the continuation early is the biggest single lever on the closing date. |
| Municipal searches | Title company, from the city, town or village | Open permits, code violations, water and sewer balances, special assessments. In a village, these go to the village office, not the town — two offices, two timelines. |
| Payoff letters | Your lender(s), requested by the title company | The exact figure to clear each loan on the closing date. They expire; a closing that drifts sometimes has to re-order one. |
| Transfer tax forms | The attorneys | New York State transfer tax is $2 per $500 of price (0.4%) and is customarily the seller's cost, though who bears it is a contract term. The state combined transfer tax form and the equalisation and assessment form are filed at recording. |
| Non-resident estimated tax form | The attorneys, only if you live outside New York | New York requires non-resident sellers to file a form and pay estimated state income tax at closing. It comes out of proceeds; your attorney handles the form. |
| Settlement statement | Title company | Every dollar in and out, to the cent, reviewed before you sign. Nothing at a legitimate closing should be a surprise at the table. |
| New deed | The attorneys | Signed by every owner, notarised, recorded with the Monroe County Clerk after closing. |
Two things specific to the City of Rochester
If the house is inside the city line, the Building Owner Registry has to be updated within 10 days of a sale, and a rental needs a current certificate of occupancy. A building vacant for more than 60 days is supposed to be on the vacant building registry. None of these blocks a sale, and all of them surface in the municipal searches — see how location changes the paperwork.
What you do not need
An appraisal — the buyer orders one if they want one. A survey, unless the contract or a lender asks for one. A home inspection report; in a direct sale the buyer does their own walkthrough. A certificate that the house is "up to code"; you sell it as it stands and disclose what you know. And you do not need to clear out the contents when selling to a buyer who takes them.
Where sales get stuck
Five things: probate not yet open, a lien nobody knew about, a co-owner who still has to sign, a payoff letter that takes two weeks, and municipal searches ordered late. Every one of them is paperwork. None of them is the condition of the house. If speed matters, tell the buyer about every loan and lien on day one, and find your most recent mortgage statement — that removes the most common week of delay.
Questions
Do I need my own attorney?
It is customary in New York and a good idea, particularly for an estate or a complicated title. Fees are modest relative to the transaction, and any legitimate buyer welcomes it.
I lost the deed. Can I still sell?
Yes. The recorded deed is on file with the Monroe County Clerk and your attorney or title company retrieves it. What matters is what it says, not whether you have a copy.
Who pays the transfer tax?
Customarily the seller pays the New York State transfer tax, but who bears it is a contract term. Ask, and get the answer in the purchase agreement rather than in conversation.
How long does the title work take?
For a straightforward Monroe County parcel with clean title, two to three weeks from accepted offer is typical. Ordering the abstract continuation and municipal searches in the first week is what keeps it there.
We order the searches the week you accept
A written offer in 24–48 hours, and a closing team that starts the paperwork the same week.
Get My Cash Offer Or call (585) 575-1711