Pat Leavy's Blog

You’ve spent months researching, negotiating, and inspecting a particular home; however, there is a chance that you missed some important details along the way. Purchasing a new home requires you to create a final walk-through checklist. This checklist is the last one you'll make to ensure everything is in order and no major modifications need to be made.

A final walk through checklist is so important because it verifies the information at hand prior to mortgage payments being set.

Step 1: Have a Reference to Guide Your Checklist

Before starting your final walk-through, make sure you have about 60 minutes to be thorough. You can use the following to conduct your real estate inspection:

1. Contract of sale to use as a reference.
2. Inspection summary for a list of all the repairs the seller was to make after the previous inspection.
3. The real estate agent offers a second pair of mind and answers any questions you may have.
4. Handyman inspects the property on a professional level.

Once you have this organized, you can embark on your checklist.

Step 2: Double-Check All Agreed-Upon Repairs

One of the essential items on your list should be to inspect all post-inspection repairs, which should be contained in the inspection summary. Your real estate agent and your handyman should help you assess the repairs and find out if there are any hidden problems. This could save you a lot of money in the long run. You should also ask for receipts and warranties in case anything goes wrong in the future.

Step 3: Look For Recent Damages

Be on the lookout for damages that may have occurred recently as the seller was moving out. You may find:

1. Stained carpets and floors
2. Construction debris
3. Busted or fractured tiles
4. Holes on the walls and doors
5. Water damaged walls and wood

Step 4: Inspect the Kitchen and Bathrooms

Kitchens and bathrooms are prime areas for small damages, mostly because of the amount of plumbing involved. Plumbing repairs can be very expensive, so you should keenly inspect these rooms and look out for signs of mold and water damage. Here are the specific areas to inspect:

1. Appliances such as ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens and washing machines should be working correctly.
2. Shower-heads should produce a steady stream of hot water with no dripping when the shower is turned off.
3. Bathtubs and sinks should drain at a sufficient rate.
4. Toilets: make sure that the flush handle, lever, flapper valve, and chain are functioning.

Step 5: Check the Doors and Windows

All the locks and latches on windows and doors should be working properly. It may seem like a lot of work, but you should make sure every one of them works. Repairs can be time-consuming and stressful. Remember, doors and windows are fire exit points, so windows that stick can pose a severe hazard.

Step 6: Test the HVAC System

Make sure your heating and air conditioning systems are working properly. One way to test the HVAC systems is by setting the temperature on arrival, then check the temperature in each room using a thermometer or your mobile phone.

Step 7: Inspect Other Electrical Systems

All critical electrical items should be working as expected. Here are the systems you should check:

1. Light switches
2. Electrical outlets
3. Circuit breakers
4. Security system
5. Garage door
6. Doorbell

Step 8: Check the Interior

You should do a thorough inspection of your house’s exterior. Check the following:

1. Signs of blockage or damage in gutters.
2. Damages on paving stone.
3. Damaged siding.

If there are any problems at the final walk-through, it doesn’t mean that the deal will fall through. You can come to a consensus with the seller on how to resolve the problem.