Buying a Home? What to Do During the Final Walkthrough
Posted on: 23 December 2020
Are you going through the process of buying a home, and your final walkthrough is approaching? It will help to know these tips to ensure that things go smoothly.
Attend the Walkthrough When Possible
You should always try to attend the final walkthrough prior to closing on a home. While this may not always be possible, such as when you are buying a home out of state, you should make it a priority to be there in person. If you're not at the walkthrough, you will be depending on your real estate agent to tell you that everything is good with the home and that you are safe to close on the property. Many people feel more comfortable seeing the home themselves.
Bring a Checklist
The main purpose of a final walkthrough is to make sure that the owner of the home did everything that they needed to do per the contract. While having everything out of the home is an obvious requirement, there may also be repairs that need to be made that you requested. It is always a good idea to bring a checklist so that you can cross off everything that the owners needed to get done. This can remind you to check the attic to make sure that everything was removed, or to verify that a leaking pipe was fixed.
Speak Up When You Notice Things Are Incorrect
Even though your closing date is approaching, you shouldn't let things slide if you notice a problem with the home. Notify your real estate agent of problems that you find so that they can speak to the seller's agent about them. Don't assume that there are still things that the seller plans on fixing after your walkthrough. The seller will assume everything has been approved by you if you don't point out problems at the final walkthrough.
Verify Everything Still Works
You may have had an extensive home inspection where everything in the home was looked at to make sure it works. However, a lot can happen between the inspection and the final walkthrough. It is worth inspecting everything one last time to make sure that nothing has broken since the inspection. Try all light switches, turn on all appliances, check every faucet, and turn on the HVAC system when possible. If you discover that something no longer works, you can make sure the owner fixes it or includes a credit at closing for you to fix it on your own.
To learn more about buying single-family homes for sale in your area, contact a real estate agent.
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