You searched high and low to find the ideal home for you. You’ve been through all the steps to get to the closing table and are inches away from owning your slice of paradise. One of the final steps in the real estate purchase process is to conduct a final walk through. Most buyers have heard of a final walk through but does everyone fully understand what purpose it serves and how to ensure it is protecting your interests.
Often, buyers will show up at the walk through and just start talking about where furniture is going to go… and that is great, as long as it isn’t the only thing that the walk through is used for. A walk through provides the opportunity for buyers to examine and confirm certain things about the home before they transfer money and complete the sale. When you do a walk through, you should spend time:
1) Ensuring that nothing has left the property that you were expecting to be there for the sale
2) Testing the major appliances and plumbing to make sure no new problems have came about since the inspection
3) Reviewing to make sure that any items committed to be addressed in the home inspection agreement are completed.
4) Looking over the property to make sure nothing was damaged during move out.
Below is a simple checklist you can use during your final walk through. I also recommend bringing a copy of the inspection agreement as well, which I always do for my customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I check during the final walk-through?
Appliances, systems, agreed repairs, fixtures and overall condition.
When does the final walk-through happen?
Usually within a day or two before closing.
What if something is wrong?
Tell your agent right away so it can be resolved before closing.
Related reading: What Inspections Will My Insurance Company Require? and Why a Warranty Inspection May Be One of the Smartest Decisions a Homeowner Makes
