9 Things to Check in Your Final Walk-Through

The purpose of the final walk-through is to make sure that everything is as expected before you sign final closing documents. Overall, you want to make sure that the property hasn’t changed, and that the terms of the contract are met. A final walk-through can be a formality, but every once in a while it reveals something very important. Sometimes damage occurs to the home or property if there has been a recent storm or if the movers weren’t careful. You may even find evidence that it won’t be possible for the owner to vacate the home at closing. The point is to make sure there are no final surprises of any kind.

Because of these reasons, it’s a good idea to schedule the final walk-through about 24 hours before the scheduled closing. It should take only about an hour, and ideally should be scheduled during daylight hours so you can better inspect the whole property and the exterior.

When you go on a walk-through, it’s a good idea to bring a copy of the contract, the inspection report, and the seller’s property disclosure, plus a list of items that you want to make sure to double-check. You can even ask your home inspector to come with you (usually for a small additional fee) to make sure any repairs required in the contract were completed satisfactorily.

During your check, make a thorough inspection to see that no new issues have cropped up since the last time you saw the property. Be sure to look at things like:

1. Check the major appliances – turn on the dishwasher, washer, dryer, and stove.
2. Make sure agreed upon fixtures remain, like curtains and chandeliers.
3. Make sure agreed repairs have been made. Ideally the former owner should leave the receipts from contractors.
4. Verify that the condition of the property remains the same, with no major damages from moving out, and make sure that items have not been left behind (like paint cans or unwanted furniture).
5. Turn the heat and air conditioning on and off, and test for about a minute.
6. Flush all toilets.
7. Test garage doors, and open and close other doors and windows.
8. Make sure that items like garage door openers, keys, and manuals have been left behind.
9. Test the electrical outlets. You can plug a cell phone into each one, or purchase a cheap electrical tester from the hardware store.

In most cases, the final walk-through doesn’t reveal anything unexpected, and helps you become more familiar with the home. And most issues that you might notice aren’t worth the hassle and expense of delaying closing. However, some issues might be considerable, like a new leak that could have caused extensive damage. In the rare cases when you discover that something serious is amiss, it’s important to involve your Grand Rapids real estate agent and take action quickly. Your agent should be able to help you determine which issues are worth pursuing and which you can resolve on your own.

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