What to Expect at your Final Walk-Through before Closing

 

When you buy a home for sale on 30A, one of the last things you’ll do before you sit down at the closing table is a final walk-through.

Your Realtor® will be there with you, helping you look for issues that you may not have noticed before and determine whether the repairs you negotiated have been made.

Although a walk-through seems like a home inspection, it’s not – if you wanted to negotiate, discuss damages or issues, the time for that was immediately following the official home inspection.

Typically, your real estate agent will meet you at the home. Expect to spend about an hour exploring the house and verifying that the seller has met all your terms.

You and your real estate agent can use this checklist as you walk through the home.

Final Walk-Through Checklist

As you walk through the home, your Realtor will help make sure you remember to check everything. See if all the items you purchased with the house are still present, and make sure the previous owner’s personal property has all been removed.

Look for cleanliness, damage that movers may have caused, red flags that signal pest infestation, and signs of water damage, mold or mildew.

Then it’s time to get more specific. Here’s a quick checklist of things to look at as you walk through your soon-to-be home:

• Ceilings, walls and floors. Check for signs of water damage or other damage that may have occurred since the last time you were there.
• Electrical outlets. Make sure each one works.
• Exhaust fans. Turn them on and off to make sure they’re working properly and that you don’t hear anything that you shouldn’t.
• Garage door openers. Make sure each one works.
• HVAC system. Turn on the heat and air conditioning to make sure everything comes to life.
• Major appliances. Make sure they’re there and functioning properly. Don’t be afraid to turn on the dishwasher, run the garbage disposal and open the refrigerator.
• Outdoor living space. Check to see if the sellers have dug up plants that were part of the landscape.
• Screens. Make sure each window has screens that are in good repair.
• Sprinkler systems. Turn the sprinkler system on and off, and make sure there’s an owner’s manual with it so you can reprogram it yourself.
• Storage areas. Make sure there’s no trash or unwanted items, including potentially hazardous chemicals.
• The home’s exterior, particularly if there have been heavy storms since the last time you were there.
• Toilets. Flush them and wait for them to stop running.
• Water faucets. Turn on each one and check for leaks in the cabinets beneath.
• Windows and doors. Open and close each one – including interior doors.

What to Bring to Your Final Walk-Through

Before you head out for your final walk-through, pack a bag that contains:

• Your home inspection report. You can use this to check on all the repairs you ask the seller to make.
• Your contract. You may need to refer back to your contract to verify that the seller agreed to repair all the damage and fix any issues you discovered after the home inspection.
• A camera. If you discover damage or other issues, take pictures for proof. Your real estate agent may need to send them to the sellers to encourage them to hold up there and if the bargain.
• A notebook and pen. Take notes during your walk-through. If you see something that you need to ask the seller about or you identify issues, write them down.
• Your phone and a charger. While it’s pretty likely that you’ll have your phone with you, bring the charger – you can use it to test electrical outlets throughout the house.

Are You Buying a Home on 30A?

If you’re looking for your dream home along 30A, we’re here to help you find it. Call us at 850-213-3048 or get in touch with us online to let us know what you need so we can start searching right away.