Your Essential Guide to Home-Sale Paperwork

If you’re thinking about selling your home, you’re probably considering which realtor to hire and how to pull your property into shape.

You’re probably not thinking about organizing your home-sale paperwork since many homeowners don’t know where to begin.

Ku‘u Home asked Aaron Tangonan, 2026 president of the Honolulu Board of Realtors, and Patrick W. ONeill, principal broker and owner of Hawai‘i-based Luxury Homes International, to share their tips on organizing everything from termite inspections to transfers of ownership.

They started by listing necessary documents for most home sales in Hawai‘i.

Before Listing Your Home

• Listing agreement
• Purchase contract
• Agency disclosure
• Records and receipts (if available) of home repairs or maintenance
• Maps: Flood and sea-level rise
• Proof of roof age/last inspection

Required Seller Disclosures

• Seller’s Real Property Disclosure Statement (SRPDS)
• Termite Inspection Report
• Home Inspection Report
• Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (for homes built before 1978)

Ownership & Escrow Documents

• Timeline contingency approval
• Title report
• Escrow/final settlement statement
• Deed to property

Tax & Financial Forms

• FIRPTA and HARPTA Withholding Forms
• Lender’s Loan Disclosures
• Title Insurance Disclosures

If You’re Selling a Condo

• Homeowner association documents

Ku‘u Home: When should you start organizing your paperwork?
Aaron Tangonan: It’s never too early to start.
Patrick W. ONeill: Ideally, homeowners should start organizing at least six months to a year in advance [of listing their home for sale].

KH: Why is this important?
AT: Sellers are … required to provide a Seller’s Disclosure form, which includes approximately 100 questions about the home and its history, for the buyer to review during the sale process.

KH: Which records will the disclosure form need?
AT: Homeowners should always keep records of any repairs, modifications and updates they have made to their home. This includes approximate dates of new appliance installation, plumbing repairs and the approximate age of the roof.

KH: Why is a roof’s age important?
AT: Homeowner insurance requirements have become more specific regarding roof age and insurers often request the age of the roof or the date of the last inspection or repair. These details could impact a buyer’s insurance costs later.

KH: Should you try to understand all the documents in your home sale?
PWO: Absolutely. While a realtor manages the process, … selling a home is both a legal and financial transaction and informed sellers make better decisions, experience less stress and can avoid costly mistakes.
AT: Absolutely. Everyone should understand the liability of what they are signing, and protecting themselves is always a priority. Disclosing something untrue could lead to future litigation and signing something without understanding it could result in claims against the realtor or other third parties involved in the sale.

KH: Are there deadlines for completing my paperwork?
AT: The standard purchase contract outlines many important dates and deadlines and missing them could lead to disputes. Buyers could lose the sale and forfeit deposits, closings could be delayed and lenders could be held up in providing funds.

KH: This sounds overwhelming. Will my realtor help me?
PWO: Yes. One of the most valuable roles of a realtor is to guide the seller through every required document and timeline. Professional realtors in Hawai‘i are trained to use the Hawaii Association of Realtors standard forms, which are updated regularly to comply with state laws and industry best practices. Realtors also help coordinate essential services — such as home inspections, termite reports, staging and photography — so that sellers can focus on their next move rather than the paperwork.
AT: Realtors have a fiduciary duty to ensure their clients understand what is happening in a transaction, what they are signing and how each part of the process affects them. They also go the extra mile to contact other parties, such as the property tax office or homeowners’ association, to obtain additional records that may be needed.

Hawai‘i Home Sale Timelines

Tangonan and Oneill say the following timelines are typical of Hawai‘i home sales.

“Actual timelines will vary depending on the goals of the owner, condition of the home and willingness to repair or renovate before selling,” Tangonan says. “Once an owner chooses a realtor and does the initial consultation, the owner will normally have the following things to consider:

• Getting agreements and signatures from everyone involved in the sale: Siblings, trustees, etc.
• Preparing the property for sale: Clearing the landscaping, repairing the home based on pre-inspection recommendations, renovating the home to create more value and possibly a higher sales price and removing personal items or junk. This could take weeks or months, depending on the extent of the renovations.
• Receiving an accepted contract: A realtor will present all offers submitted on the home for the owner to review in a timely manner. Once an accepted contract is executed, navigating through the timeline and meeting the deadlines could take anywhere from 30 to 90 days, though the average period is 45 days.
• Closing: At the end of the contract period, keys are delivered to the buyer, money is disbursed to the seller and transfer of ownership is recorded at the Bureau of Conveyances.
  “In addition to the steps above,” Tangonan says, “many sellers choose to take the following optional actions that are determined between the seller-client and their realtor, though these may not always be part of every home sale.
• Staging: Once cleared and repaired, two to five days for staging, depending on the size of the home and details of the staging items.
• Professional photographs and video tours: One to two days, depending on the size of the home.
• Marketing period: Once listing price is determined and the home is advertised for sale, open houses and showing appointments are made for potential buyers to view the home and ask questions. This could take anywhere from a week to 60 days or more to accomplish before an offer is presented and accepted. A realtor will guide you through proper home pricing based on the size, condition and geographic location of your home. Home values are also based on recent sales data in the area, usually within the last six months, because that is the general time period that an appraiser uses to base their values on as well.”

ONeill says “a typical Hawai‘i home sale progresses through several key stages:

• Day 1: The seller signs a listing agreement with their realtor. Marketing materials, photography and property preparation begin.
• Offer Accepted: Once a buyer’s offer is accepted, escrow is opened and the purchase contract sets all key deadlines.
• Within 10 to 14 Days: The buyer typically receives title documents, disclosure materials and condominium documents (if applicable).
• Inspection Period (usually 10 to 14 days): Buyers complete home inspections and may request repairs or credits.
• Appraisal and Loan Contingency (if applicable): Typically, 20 to 30 days from acceptance.
• Final Walkthrough and Signing: Within 3 to 5 days before closing, documents are finalized with escrow.
• Closing Day: Escrow records the deed with the Bureau of Conveyances, and ownership officially transfers.”

“A skilled realtor helps manage these dates and ensures all parties meet their obligations on time,” ONeill says. “A good realtor will always take the time to explain forms clearly and answer questions every step of the way.”

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This story appears in the January/February 2026 print issue of Ku‘u Home magazine.