A furniture bill of sale is usually required when purchasing second-hand furniture from a seller.
Formally,
A Furniture Bill of Sale is a document that provides proof of authorized sale and purchase of any type of furniture, i.e., indoor or outdoor.
The Furniture Bill of Sale is created, completed, and provided at the point of purchase by the seller to be retained as the receipt by the buyer. Anyone privy to this purchase must be provided with a copy of the bill of sale for their records.
Furniture Bill of Sale- An Overview
There are various reasons why one should consider using a furniture bill of sale, including:
- The bill of sale document is legal proof that the seller is the actual owner of the furniture being sold. The document can be presented in court to prove ownership.
- It sets the terms and conditions of the purchase that both parties must agree to and be aware of before transacting.
- The document protects both parties from claims of fraud, disagreements after purchase, or mishandling.
- The bill of sale serves as a receipt showing proof of ownership after the sale has been finalized.
Filling Out the Form
Whether you choose to download or craft from scratch the furniture bill of sale template, there are important components that must be included in order to make it complete.
Such components include:
Date, time, and location
The date and time of purchase if very important in the furniture bill of sale as it helps set the timeline for the transaction. Make sure also to include the state, zip code, and city code when mentioning the location of purchase.
Buyer’s details
Since the bill of sale will serve as a formal receipt after the purchase and may be used in court as proof of ownership, it is important to include the buyer’s name as is in their identification card, their contact number, and official address.
Seller’s details
A furniture bill of sale is used to acknowledge that the seller of the said furniture is the actual owner. It is important,therefore, to include the seller’s name, i.e., your name, contact number- to be used in case of queries and official address.
Description of the furniture
Include a complete description of the furniture being sold, i.e., the type of furniture, the brand, the dealer (if any), the serial number (if any), the color, condition of the furniture, and any other relevant information that may help distinguish the furniture.
Purchase price
Include the mutually negotiated or final agreed purchase price. This information may come in handy when the furniture seller was not the real owner of the item or if the buyer wants to request a refund for faulty items.
Form of payment
Include the agreed mode of payment. Nowadays, payments can be made in cash, bitcoins, debit/credit card, cash transfer, cheque, etc.
Signatures and dates
For the furniture bill of sale to be considered valid, both the seller and the buyer must sign it and any other witnesses present during the sale.
Download Free Templates
Here are free customized templates:
How to Sell Used Furniture
There are thousands of reasons why one may want to sell their used furniture, i.e., relocating to a new house/state/city, upgrading home furniture, selling to pay for medical bills/school, etc. Regardless of why you are selling, it is important to know how to properly sell the furniture as furniture can be hard to sell, especially if it is your first time doing so.
Below is a complete guide on how to properly sell your used furniture:
Take quality photos
It is important that before taking photos of the furniture you are looking to sell, you first clean it and do some repairs if necessary. Take quality photos of the furniture from all angles- ensure the lighting is enough- this will help provide potential buyers with a good idea of the state of the furniture, the size, color, and other details that they may need to know about the item before purchasing it.
Post ads
The best and convenient way to get the word out there when selling your furniture and invite potential buyers is to inform your friends and family that you are selling and ask them to help you spread the word. You can also visit some of your local listings and websites and post the items there. Moreover, you can use the power of social media, newspapers, and online classifieds to spread the word to a wider pool of prospective buyers.
NOTE: Make sure to provide your contact information to help the buyers reach you easily. Also, provide an alternative phone number in case you are not reachable.
Negotiate the price
When you find interested buyers, meet with them and allow them to see the furniture in person to help them decide it is the right item for them. If it is, they would most likely want to negotiate the price. Be flexible and work with them to settle on a price that works for both of you. Then proceed to create a bill of sale to officiate the transaction.
Fill out the form
To make the sale official and issue the buyer with some form of receipt, use the furniture bill of sale. You can choose craft one from scratch or download our ready-made, customizable furniture bill of sale templates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do you write a bill of sale for furniture?
To write a bill of sale for furniture, write the date, time, and location of purchase;the buyer and seller’s name, contact information and address; a description of the furniture; the agreed purchase price and mode of payment and signatures from both the seller and the buyer.
Does a Bill of Sale prove ownership?
Yes. The bill of sale document is legal proof that the seller is the actual owner of the furniture being sold. The document can be presented in court to prove ownership.
Is a bill of sale a legally binding document?
Simply put, a bill of sale is nothing more than a contract for purchasing furniture between the seller and the buyer. In most cases, the bill of sale is considered legally binding as long as it follows the guidelines required in the state where the sale of the furniture is taking place.
