You must be thrilled! You are in your final stages of buying a home, you’ve negotiated a great price, you had a home inspection and you are just about ready to move in. But, one crucial step still remains – ensuring that your new home is in good shape and in working order.
We’ve compiled a final home walkthrough checklist of some of the most important things you won’t want to overlook.
It’s important to know what to look for before conducting a final walk-through on your new home.
Here are some general questions to consider as you prepare for your final walkthrough of your new home:
General Questions to Think About:
- Are all the items that you purchased along with the house present?
- Have all the unwanted and personal items of the previous owner been removed?
- Have all the important renovations / repairs been made?
- Have the bills associated with those repairs been delivered to you?
- How is the condition of the house in terms of cleanliness and tidiness?
- Are there any damages caused by the movers to the walls, floors or doors?
- Are there any pet damages or pest infestations in the home?
- Is there any sign of water damage?
Key Homebuyer Checklist Takeaways:
- Repairs
This is a good time to make sure anything you’ve asked the seller to fix has been done and done properly. Bring a copy of the home inspector’s report with you. You’ll also want to look for any potential new damages that may have happened while the seller was moving out.
- Items in the sale price
Double check that every item that has been negotiated into the sales price, which may include appliances or lighting fixtures, are still in the home.
- Appliances
Since the house is just about yours, feel free to check the appliances. Maybe you can run the dishwasher or test out the washer machine. You won’t want to move into a new home and realize you won’t be able to do your laundry!
- Heating and HVAC
Run the sink for a few minutes to test how long it takes for the water to warm up. You should also check the water pressure. You can flush the toilet or turn on the shower to confirm they are all in order.
- Electrical outlets
Turn the lights on and off in every room (and the fan if there is one). You should also bring your phone charger with you, as that can be a great way to test the outlets to confirm it’s working correctly once you see the charge sign.
- Windows and Doors
Make sure each one properly closes and opens, and, if they have screens, make sure none are missing or damaged.
Make sure to go through this homebuyers final walkthrough checklist before your final home inspection!
Ken Venick
Phone: 443-471-4310
ken@kenvenick.com