{"id":19946,"date":"2020-11-12T20:51:17","date_gmt":"2020-11-13T04:51:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=19946"},"modified":"2020-12-16T18:50:08","modified_gmt":"2020-12-17T02:50:08","slug":"buyer-final-walkthrough-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-final-walkthrough-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Final Walkthrough Tips and Hacks \u2014 So You Stay Sane and Don\u2019t Miss a Thing"},"content":{"rendered":"

The final walkthrough is a thrilling time: After finding the perfect house<\/a>, making the perfect offer<\/a>, and getting it accepted, it\u2019s almost time to get those shiny new keys in hand. But before that happens, there\u2019s one last chance to confirm you\u2019re getting exactly what you agreed to buy: the final walkthrough<\/a>. What if you could get final walkthrough tips from multiple real estate professionals?<\/p>\n

The walkthrough is a critical step<\/a> in the homebuying process. After this, the home will be yours\u2026 along with all of its problems. So make a plan to nail the walkthrough with an organized and thoughtful approach.<\/p>\n

Most of these final walkthrough ideas are simple as can be, but you have likely never even considered them!<\/p>\n

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Source: (Jess Bailey Designs \/ Pexels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Schedule the final walkthrough as close to closing as possible<\/h2>\n

The final walkthrough is a buyer\u2019s last chance to check on the house to confirm it\u2019s in the condition they expect \u2014 and agreed to legally. So you want to complete it as close to the last minute as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny time there\u2019s significant repairs, we’re going to do them five days prior to closing, but we’re always going to do a final walkthrough the night before or the day of to make sure a tree or something hasn’t fallen on the house<\/a>,\u201d says Glennda Baker<\/a>, an agent who works with 66% more single-family homes than the average agent in her area of Smyrna, Georgia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a listing and did the walkthrough, and the agent left the door to the ice maker open, and the ice maker flooded the hardwood floors,\u201d she recalls.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we always want to just double-check and make sure that everything is exactly as you expect it to be as close to closing as possible.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. <\/b>Open all the cabinets \u2014 and the appliances, too<\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t take it for granted that cabinets and appliances will be empty \u2014 whether the seller\u2019s left something behind on purpose or by accident. Open all of these, and check under the sink, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe open every cabinet and every appliance,\u201d explains Amanda Jones<\/a>, a San Francisco-based agent<\/a> who has worked with 65% more single-family homes than the average agent in the area.\u00a0 \u201cPeople leave things all the time in the dishwasher. Like full sets of dishes, silver trays \u2014 I\u2019ve found so many things.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. <\/b>Collect all the remote controls in one place<\/h2>\n

Remote controls might seem like insignificant objects\u2026 until you\u2019re futilely trying to operate something important in your new house without one, such as a bedroom ceiling fan.<\/p>\n

Jones asks sellers to place all of the remote controls together in the kitchen. \u201cThat way, we can see all of the keys and everything that’s included with the property,\u201d she says. \u201cA lot of times, the mover packs the remote, and it\u2019s really hard to get stuff back.\u201d<\/p>\n

The same goes for small but critical objects such as keys and other devices. \u201cAt a recent walkthrough that was really entertaining, the sellers had small children and the cabinets were magnetized<\/a>. So to open up the cabinets, you have to use a little device to demagnetize them \u2014 and the movers packed the device. That was a pain,\u201d she remembers.<\/p>\n

She also cites mailbox keys as frequently taken by mistake, causing \u201ca lot of frustration\u201d when the buyer can\u2019t collect their mail. So consider asking sellers to collect these objects together in one place for you to check during the final walkthrough, too. This way, if the sellers do <\/i>have a key or a demagnetizing device that they forgot to leave behind, you can ask to withhold some money at closing and replace those items.<\/p>\n

4. <\/b>Check the HVAC, no matter the season<\/h2>\n

If it\u2019s hot outside, you might not think to check whether the furnace works. And if it\u2019s cold out, you might not think to check the air conditioning. But definitely do confirm all HVAC systems<\/a> are good to go in your final walkthrough.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are transactions during the cold months when inspectors cannot inspect the AC system,\u201d explains Laura McKenna<\/a>, a top-selling agent based in the Concord, Massachusetts<\/a> area. \u201cTherefore, the walkthrough is a good time to test the AC to be sure that it functions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carl Young<\/a>, a top-selling agent based in the Knoxville, Tennessee<\/a>, region who works with 75% more single-family homes than other agents in his area, agrees. \u201cWhen you go to your final walkthrough, turn to the HVAC, heat and cold, and make sure it works properly,\u201d he says. \u201cIt could have broken [since the inspection], and nobody said anything, and you’re about to accept a property that has a broken HVAC.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Source: (Kaboompics.com \/ Pexels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5. <\/b>Bring painter\u2019s tape, stickers, or Post-Its to flag areas of concern<\/h2>\n

You want to keep the final walkthrough process as orderly as possible so you don\u2019t get lost in your work.<\/p>\n