You have gotten your contract accepted, inspections completed, and loan approved. You are almost at the finish line and need to complete your final walk-thru. It is important to create a checklist of items that you want to check before signing off on the home. Here are some items to add to your final walk-thru checklist to ensure there are no surprises on move in day.
Do all the windows and doors open and close smoothly?
First of all, go through your home and test all the windows and doors. You want to make sure that there aren’t any windows that are stuck and unable to open.
Do toilets flush?
It’s important to make sure that there are no issues that have developed in the plumbing, because something may have changed between the purchase contract date and final closing.
Do all the appliances work correctly?
Test your washer, dryer, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and oven. You want to make sure you are not moving into a home where some of the appliances do not work. Most of these are tested during an inspection but it is still important to test after to make sure that something has not broken in the time after. It could cost you out of pocket versus being covered by a home warranty if you do not check.
Are all agreed upon repairs finished?
If you had inspections done and negotiated the seller to make repairs to the home, make sure you go around and check all repairs. This is your time to ensure all items have been completed and fixed before closing on the home.
Does the heating and air condition function properly?
The worst thing that could happen is probably for you to move into your new home in the middle of summer to find your air condition is broken. Make sure to test it while you are doing your final walk-thru is your Bay Area home.
Do the light switches work?
Older homes can have light switches that no longer work or rather they turn something on in a different room. Go through the home and make sure all the light switches work and make sure you find out which light switch turns what on.
Are all the appliances and furniture that you negotiated still in the home?
Finally, not all purchases include the washer, dryer or kitchen appliances. If you negotiated certain items to stay, even furniture, make sure they’re still in the home and have your agent confirm with the seller that they are staying. You do not want any surprises at the time of move in.
- Have the owners left any remaining debris, garbage or unwanted items?
- Make sure to look down the side of the home and in the garage. Sometimes sellers will leave behind trash or unwanted household items and leave it down the side of the home. Make sure to check and communicate with your agent if there is anything that needs to be disposed of.
These are some key items to look for during your final walk-thru. It is important to take the extra time to make sure all things are in order. Above all, if there’s anything that isn’t right, simply communicate with your Bay Area Realtor.