About this template
If your home burned down tomorrow, could you list the papers you'd need — deed, title policy, insurance declarations, loan documents — and where each one lives? This one-page checklist names all 30, tells you where to keep each one, and when to review or renew it. Print it, check the boxes off, and put it in the front of your home binder. You get it two ways: a printable PDF for paper-and-pen checking, and the same checklist as a spreadsheet that scores your completeness automatically.
What's inside
- Purchase & Title (7) — recorded deed, owner's title insurance policy, signed Closing Disclosure, purchase agreement, home inspection report, appraisal report, survey / plat plan.
- Loan (5) — mortgage note, deed of trust / mortgage document, servicer info & first payment letter, annual escrow analysis statement, HELOC agreement.
- Insurance (5) — homeowners policy declarations page, flood insurance policy, umbrella policy, claim records & adjuster reports, home inventory (list + photos of valuables).
- Tax (4) — property tax bills & payment receipts, annual assessment notices, closing-cost records (your future capital-gains file), improvement receipts (they raise your cost basis).
- Warranties & Manuals (5) — builder warranty, roof warranty, appliance manuals & warranties, HVAC & water-heater service records, contractor invoices & guarantees.
- HOA & Utilities (4) — HOA rules / CC&Rs, HOA dues schedule & current budget, utility account numbers list, permits & final inspections for improvements.
How it works — 3 steps
- Print the PDF (US Letter) or open the spreadsheet version.
- Go document by document: check the box (PDF) or mark Status = Have / Missing (spreadsheet), and note where each one lives.
- File this page at the front of your binder, and re-check it every 6 months — the spreadsheet counts you toward 100% as you go.
You never build or fix a formula. Type only in the pale-yellow cells — the formula cells are protected (no password) so the math can't be broken by accident. Fictional SAMPLE rows, clearly marked, show you the format; delete them and the file is yours.
What you need
For the PDF: any PDF reader, and a printer if you want the paper copy. For the spreadsheet: Microsoft Excel, or Google Sheets (free with a Google account) — upload the .xlsx to Google Drive, open it, File → Make a copy, and work in your copy.
Instant download
This is a digital download — no physical item will be shipped. After purchase, go to Etsy → Purchases and reviews → Download files, save the file to your computer first, then open it in Excel (click “Enable Editing”) or upload it to Google Drive for Sheets (then File → Make a copy, and always work in your copy).
License
Personal use only — for your own household. Please do not share, resell or redistribute the file.
Questions
What exactly do I receive?
Two files: a one-page printable PDF (US Letter) with checkboxes, and the same 30-document checklist as an Excel spreadsheet with Status and Notes columns and an automatic completeness score at the top.
Do I need Excel or Google Sheets?
Only for the spreadsheet version. The PDF prints and works with any PDF reader — if you only want the paper checklist, you're all set.
How does the spreadsheet score work?
Type “Have” or “Missing” in the yellow Status cells. The scoreboard at the top counts you — it starts at “0 of 30 documents, 0%” and the aim, printed right there, is 100%.
We're renters / we just bought our first home. Is this for us?
It was written for US homeowners — the list is built around purchase, loan and closing documents. First-time buyers will get the most from it: work through it right after closing, while every paper is still in one pile.
Is this a subscription or an app?
Neither. Two files, one-time payment, yours to keep.