You made it. Your loan is approved, the seller is moving out, and closing day is finally here.

Right before we go to the title company to sign your final paperwork, we will do one last very important step together. It is called the Final Walkthrough.

Many buyers are so excited at this point that they just want to peek in the windows and celebrate. However, this is not a celebratory victory lap. This is your final opportunity to make sure the home is in the exact condition you agreed to buy it in. Once you sign those closing papers, any problems left behind become your problems.

Here are the five specific things we will check during your final walkthrough.

1. Did the seller complete all agreed upon repairs? If we negotiated that the seller would fix a leaky pipe or replace a broken window during the escrow period, we need to verify it is actually done. We will bring the repair addendum with us and check every single item off the list. I also always ask the listing agent to provide the receipts from the licensed contractors who did the work.

2. Are the included appliances still there? If your purchase contract stated that the refrigerator, washer, and dryer were included in the sale, we need to make sure the sellers did not accidentally pack them in their moving truck. We will also quickly turn them on to make sure they are still in working order.

3. Did the seller leave a mess behind? The standard California purchase agreement requires sellers to leave the property free of trash and debris. We will check the side yards, the garage, and the attic to ensure they did not leave old paint cans, broken furniture, or garbage for you to deal with.

4. Is there any new damage? Moving heavy furniture is difficult. Sometimes walls get gouged or hardwood floors get severely scratched when a seller is moving out. We will walk through the empty house to ensure no major new damage occurred since your initial home inspection.

5. Test the major systems one last time. A lot can happen in a 30 day escrow period. We will turn the HVAC system on to ensure it still blows hot and cold. We will flush the toilets, run the faucets to check for leaks under the sinks, and flip all the light switches.

The Bottom Line My job is to protect your interests from the first house tour all the way to the closing table. The final walkthrough is our last line of defense to ensure you get exactly what you are paying for.

Are you ready to start the journey to your own closing day?

Sources

Realtor.com

Zillow