When the home-buying process is nearly complete, it’s important to stay focused and continue to be thorough throughout the entirety of a purchase. This includes doing a complete final walk through; It should be performed at least 48 hours before you sign the papers and get the keys to your new house. The final walkthrough is the last chance to make sure the house is in the condition you agreed to purchase it in.
During the walkthrough make sure everything works; check all the appliances and electrical outlets and make sure they’re working properly. Consider running the dishwasher or the washer and dryer. Make note of anything that has changed since the last time you were at your house. If something isn’t working to your satisfaction consider requesting warranties and owners manuals for these appliances.
Look to see if any of the walls, door frames and floors were damaged when the previous owner moved. Did they leave any unwanted furniture or items behind that you’ll now have to deal with – or did they take something they originally said they would leave (a chandelier for instance). Make sure you check the overall condition of the property inside and out. Many industry professionals recommend that buyers bring a home inspector with them to seek out any problems, and to confirm that repairs were made as requested and to their satisfaction. For this kind of service, home inspectors will typically charge much less than their original inspection costs.
If you’ve come across anything that is unsatisfactory or differs from any previous agreements you made, make sure to contact your real estate agent and let them know about what you found. You may choose to forego any damaged property costs at the risk of losing the offer you made on the house. Or you can consider postponing the closing until the owner has fixed the issues.
Take your time during your final walkthrough, after all it’s a significant investment that you’re making!