If you’re at the point where you are wondering what a final walkthrough is, then CONGRATULATIONS!! You made it to the finish line through the inspection period and appraisal, and you’re right there.
What is a final walkthrough, and why do you need it? Alexis Nickley breaks down the final hurdle of the transaction in this video.
Make sure nothing has changed.
During the final walkthrough, you literally spend time just walking through the home, ensuring the seller didn’t change anything to the house from when you submitted an offer. See that the home is in the same condition.
Make sure repairs/replacements have been done.
If the seller agreed to fix or replace anything in the house during your inspection, the final walkthrough is when you can make sure they followed through. If there was a hole in the wall, and they said they would fix it before closing, now is the time to double-check before going to the closing table with them.
Make sure everything is still in the home.
The main thing to look for when checking that everything is still in the home is the appliances. If you agreed on keeping the washer, dryer, refrigerator, or dishwasher, you want to make sure they actually left the appliance and didn’t replace them with anything else.
So why is it important to attend the final walkthrough?
One of our agents had attended a final walkthrough with a client who was unsure why they needed to go to it. The house was vacant, so the chances of the home damaged were unlikely. When the agent and client showed up at the walkthrough, they noticed the door handle was different. When they walked into the house, they noticed that the appliances were all gone. Unfortunately, someone had broken into the home and stolen all of the appliances. By going to the final walkthrough the client now had options. You can extend your closing, have an escrow hold back. However, you need to put things in place so you are protected.
If you consider buying a home and have more questions about this, The Nickley Group would be happy to have an in-person consultation or set up a phone call with you to go over the process. Give us a call at 407-906-2456 or send us an email at [email protected].