The last visit before you take possession of your new home, is called your final walk through. This is the last time you get to make sure the home is in the condition it’s supposed to be in, before it officially becomes yours, so take it seriously!!
What do you look for in the final walkthrough?
- The first thing we check is anything we requested to be repaired or replaced in either the original agreement, or amendment.
- Then we check for any chattels that were to be included, maybe there was a patio set you liked, which we included, we should make sure they left it behind, and that they are in the condition we anticipated.
- Then we test everything, room by room:
- light fixtures, make sure they are there, and functional;
- open and close all windows and doors, again testing for functionality, and missing parts (screens, handles etc);
- test showers, tubs, toilets, bidets, sinks, make sure nothing leaks, and everything drains properly;
- test/run all the appliances, and heating/cooling;
- Finally, we take a walk around the outside of the home: Is the condition what it should be? Did the sellers dig up and remove any plants? (yes, people do this!!)
Usually everything is as expected. But if it’s not, hopefully we can resolve issues before we close.
Last year, I had a final walk through, where we smelled gas. Thankfully we were able to get the gas leak resolved before closing, with minimal headache. So it helps to check everything.
The goal is for everything to be as smooth as possible for you when you move in.
HOME AND LIVING 