One of the best things you can do for your buyers when you help them buy a home is to prepare a Homeowners Record Book. The Homeowners Record Book is a binder that you personally prepare for your buyer to provide them with as much information about their home as possible.

It is a place for them to keep all of their documents, manuals, and details of their newly purchased home in one easy-to-access place. Homeowners love these books and they keep them for as long as they own their home. The book will have your information so it is a great way for you to stay top of mind with your client.

Homeowners Record Book Contents

• Purchase Documents
  • Purchase and Sale Agreement
• Closing Documents
  • Closing Company Documents
  • Deed
• Contact Information
  • Mortgage Company
  • Insurance Company
  • Home Warranty Company
  • Home Owners Association
• Home Warranty Policy
  • Home Warranty Company Information
• Insurance Policy
• Maintenance Records and Log
• Architectural Detail Records
  • Floor Plans
  • Blueprints
  • Survey
• Home Repair and Maintenance Records
  • Include a 5-year calendar and maintenance record sheet and a place to keep track of the cost of the repair or maintenance. This will be very helpful when they go to sell one day.
• Home Appliances Inventory
  • Kitchen
  • Laundry Room
  • Home Mechanics System (Furnace, Hot Water Tank, Air Conditioner etc.)
• Your contact information and personal thank you.

Creating the Binder

This is a fairly easy book to put together but what makes it special is the personalization that you do to the book.  Here are the easy steps to creating this binder.

1. Buy a large binder and make custom tabs for each binder. Supply pocket dividers for each section as well as clear sheet protectors for all the important documents.
2. Gather all the important documents from the purchase including all closing documents that you have access to. Just having an organized place for the homeowner to put all of the documents they receive at closing is extremely valuable to them.
3. Take photos of all the appliances in the home and look for model numbers. Then go online and print off that model numbers information sheet so the homeowner has easy access to their appliances manuals. If you don’t want to print off the manuals, then at least provide them with access to the link information. Do not worry if these appliances are not new, for some homeowners just having the make, model and serial number for their appliance can be valuable information if they ever have to call for a repair person to come and fix their appliance.
4. If you know who the Homeowners Association and Mortgage Company is, then include this information as well. The more you can fill out for the homeowner the more personal the book becomes.

The purpose of the Homeowners Record Book is to provide a binder that will become their “go to” resource for anything to do with their home. This incredible gift will make it easier for your buyer to access their records and information. And it doesn’t hurt that you remain top of mind for years to come.