Why You Shouldn’t Skip Your Final Walk-Through
It’s exciting when closing day is on the horizon and all the pieces of your real estate sale are in place, but there is one last step to take before you sign the sales contract: the final walk-through. A walk-through is not a replacement for a home inspection, which is performed by a professional who knows what to look for in any property. Instead, this stage is for you to do before you take ownership of your new home in Philly. Here are some important reasons why you should do a final walk-through.
Quick and Easy
A walk-through isn’t a huge time commitment; you should not need more than an hour or so to look around and make sure your new home is in the same condition it was when you agreed to purchase it. Look over the floors, walls, and doors to see if there is any damage not mentioned in the inspection report. These are some other areas you may want to focus on as you do your walk-through:
- Run water and flush toilets
- Turn on each light switch
- Operate appliances
- Open and close all windows
- Run heating system and air conditioning
- Turn on garbage disposal
- Use garage door openers
- Do a final water and gas meter reading
- Make sure any repair items were completed properly
You should also make sure that the house is reasonably clean with no debris or garbage left. Check if any fixtures, such as light fixtures or ceiling fans, have been removed and/or replaced with ones that may be of inferior quality.
Refresh Your Memory
Do you recall all of the details of the sales contract? You probably remember the big ones, but you may not remember some of the agreements that reference property condition or items included in the sale. It’s a good idea to take a copy of your contract with you for reference during the final walk-through. For example, if you agreed to purchase appliances or a playset, you should expect to see those items remaining in the home.
All Fixed Up
After the main inspection, the seller may have a list of repairs that should be completed prior to closing. If you do not have evidence that those repairs have been made, you can look for it during your walk-through. You may also want to ask if the property had any additional repairs made that were not part of the inspection report. Incomplete repairs may not delay closing if you make note of them or leave money in escrow to cover the expense.
Pro Tip: If you had an extensive list of repairs for the seller to conduct, it’s a great idea to have the original inspector come back to make sure all of the repairs were done properly. Having receipts and proof of work is always a plus but nothing replaces having a professional review the repairs. The inspection company might charge a nominal fee to come back out for a second look.
Our team at Mr. Philly Real Estate wants you to be happy with your real estate purchase, and we encourage each buyer we help to conduct the final walk-through. Contact us to learn more about buying property in this hot Philly market.