After months of house hunting in a competitive market, you’re finally this close to owning your new home. The inspection is complete, the appraisal looks good, the loan paperwork is set, and your closing is scheduled in just a couple of days. Homeownership is right around the corner. But there is one more important step to complete: the final walk-through. 

Often pressed for time, buyers might be tempted to skip the final walk-through, but expert REALTORS® warn that it’s never a good idea to pass on this last opportunity to inspect your future home. 

What is a final walk-through? 

The primary goal of a final walk-through is for home buyers to ensure the property is in the condition stated in the purchase agreement, including any negotiated repairs.

Typically, the final walk-through takes place the day of or the day before closing and is attended by the buyers and their agent, without the seller or seller’s agent present. In many cases, the final walk-through is done after the sellers have moved out. However, because many buyers are offering seller leasebacks in today’s market, there are circumstances in which the seller will remain in the home after closing. While this can make the final walk-through a bit more difficult to navigate, it is still important for buyers to attend.

“If for any reason my buyers can’t be at the final walk-through, I will typically attend on their behalf to protect their interests to the best of my ability,” said REALTOR® Ted Westfall, associate broker with Coldwell Banker Hubbell BriarWood. “After the closing papers are signed, any leverage the buyer may have had is gone, so it’s critical that buyers take this step seriously and try to attend in person, if possible.” 

What to look for during a final walk-through

REALTOR® Kari Dickenson with RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals in DeWitt says it’s not uncommon for buyers to be distracted at the final walk-through by “new home excitement,” often thinking more about furniture placement, painting, etc. This is just one of the many reasons why she says working with a professional REALTOR® is critical. 

“Buyers often don’t know or don’t remember what they should be looking for, but that’s why we’re there,” she said. “During the walk-through I will have a copy of the purchase agreement, the inspection report, and the seller’s disclosure form so we can verify that all agreed upon items are in place, confirm that any needed repairs were done, and make sure there are no new problems we weren’t made aware of.” 

While it’s important to make sure all items that should be left behind are there, it is also important for buyers to check for items that shouldn’t be there. For example, if the sellers don’t want their 10 gallons of leftover paint, that doesn’t make them the buyers responsibility.

In addition to making sure agreed upon items are left behind, unwanted items are removed, and any negotiated repairs are made, buyers should also do the following: 

● Turn on and off every light fixture.
● Run water and check for leaks under sinks.
● Test all appliances.
● Check garage door openers.
● Flush toilets.
● Inspect ceilings, walls, and floors. 
● Run the garbage disposal and exhaust fans.
● Open and close windows.

What if problems arise? 

If the final walkthrough shows that the sellers have not followed through on contract promises, buyers should consider if it is a big enough issue to interrupt the transaction. 

For instance, the website explains, “if there’s a light bulb that’s burned out in the refrigerator, you can easily take care of that yourself. Even something a little more costly may be something you should think about handling on your own in the interest of settling on time.” 

“I had a client who, at the final walk-through, found that the home’s electricity was not working because of a power surge from a lightning strike,” said Westfall. “This would typically be a major issue, but in this situation, not only was the buyer already getting the home for quite a low price, but his father also happened to be an electrician. For them, it made more sense to move forward with the closing and handle the repairs on their own.”

However, if you are uncertain of the extent of a newly discovered problem, your REALTOR® should immediately contact the sellers’ agent to come up with a solution. Fortunately, both Westfall and Dickenson say most final walk-through concerns are resolved through proper communication and negotiation. 

“I had an extreme case where we walked into the basement during a final walk-through and found ourselves standing in 6 inches of water…an issue that would have any buyer hitting the pause button,” said Dickenson. “Thankfully, we were able to quickly get it taken care of. The sellers were just as shocked as the buyers and were more than willing to work with us so we could keep the deal moving forward.” 

For a list of local professional REALTORS® who can assist with your next home sale or purchase, visit the Greater Lansing Association of REALTORS® website at www.lansing-realestate.com