When it comes around to the closing time during the home buying process, you will want to have a final walk through. A lot of the time, due to time constraints, home buyers will skip this step-in order to just get the house. This is not recommended as you should always have a final walk through for many reasons. What makes a final walk through crucial is the fact that anything can happen between the days you agreed on the house to the actual closing day.
The purpose of the final walk through is to make sure that the property is in the condition you agreed to buy are still in place. Such conditions include any repairs you requested be made before the sale of the house. In addition, it is a way to notice anything that may not have been present at the initial walk through of the house.
At many times, previous homeowners will move out before closing to move into their new home and to make sure the moving-in process for the new owners is as easy as possible. While being a good gesture, leaving a house vacant for a period could run the risk of problems arising. For instance, if there was a plumbing blockage until the new owners arrived and not everything was removed when they moved in, the house that was just bought could be flooded. Causing a slew of payments and repairs to be had at the start of a new chapter in the new homeowner’s life.
Here is a Check List to Review When Performing the Final Walk Through
- Turn on and off every light fixture.
- Run water & look under sinks for leaks.
- Test all appliances.
- Check garage door openers.
- Open and close all doors.
- Flush toilets.
- Inspect ceilings, wall, and floors.
- Run garbage disposal and exhaust fans.
- Test heating and air conditioning.
- Open and close windows.
- Make sure all debris is removed from the home.