Closing walk throughs are normally done as close to the closing as possible to eliminate overlooking last minute problems and serve a dual purpose: 1. the make sure the mome id in essentially the same condition it was when you went to contract. 2. to review those repairs that were identified to be done.

As references you might want to bring you inspection report and any pictures you took when you were previewing the property.

Good luck with your new home.....

Quite simply ..
1) Take the home inspection report with you and your list of requested repairs. This gives you the opportunity to check to make sure the work you requested is done to your satisfaction and brings the house to code and safety standards. Secondly, if you did not attend the home inspection, review each item on the report and make a list of things to do after your closing by their importance. If you find something major that you had forgotten, see if it can be negotiated prior to closing as this is not the time to start asking for things to get done. Major items should have been repaired or replaced by this time.
2) Make sure the keys work, the dishwasher and disposal work, toilets flush without leaking, water is turned on, and bring a small lamp with you to check outlets that needed to be repaired/replaced. If there is trash service, gas, or other home service, the owner should have left a list of those providers for you and possibly a neighbor and the HOA information. I also made sure that all manuals and anything that still carried a warranty on it was left in a drawer or ont he counter, especially major items like the HVAC. Manufuacturer warranties can help save lots of headaches and money later on.

A note to the wise who want a flawless closing...check repairs BEFORE the pre-close walkthrough. Follow No. 1 and I would request the manuals and instructions/receipts for anything that is still under warranty like the roof, HVAC, and any system/appliance installed int he past 2-3 years as most carry a warranty of four years ++.

Good luck on your new home!

Good morning!

When doing a pre-settlement walk-through, you should check the home to make sure it is in the same condition as it was when you looked at it before and it should be broom swept clean. If anything is not the same as when you first looked at it, make note of it and bring it to the settlement table where the issue should be brought up and negotiated. If it is a huge repair, money can be put into escrow from the seller's side towards the repair. Your real estate professional should be able to help you out in the walk-through.

Congratulations on your new home and good luck!

Brigita A. McKelvie, REALTOR, e-PRO, GRI
Keller Williams Real Estate, Bethlehem, PA
Office: 610-867-8888 Direct: 610-393-9424
Mailto:brigita@brigitamklv.com
Web: http://ruralandhorseproperties.com
Blog: http://activerain.com/blogs/brigitam

All you are looking for is that the home is in the same shape as when you wrote the agreement. Per the agreement of sale, the home must be broom swept and in the same condition as when you saw it first. You can not use this inspection to negotiate in any way unless you can prove that it was not like that when you first saw the house. Good luck and congrats.

Hi Upara,
A couple things you may want to look at during walk through are making sure that the walls were not damaged by the movers, doors and windows are in tact, and rugs were not damaged in the moving process. Good luck in your new home! Deb Fusco

You also want to make sure that things are there that are supposed to be there (like appliances, ceiling fans, light fixtures, etc.) as well as make sure that stuff that shouldn't be there isn't there - like old junk in the garage/basement, stuff in closets, the attic, etc.

We had a seller leave a basement half-full of crappy junk in his basement, claiming it was "scrap lumber" for the "workshop" - but it was just JUNKY old pieces of stuff; broken furniture, old boards, etc. The seller had to escrow $500 and had a couple days to clean it out - if he didn't clean it out he lost his escrow money and it would have gone to the buyer to hire someone to haul it away.

Hope this helps!

Dear Upara,

The final walk through is basically an opportunity to make sure that the home you're buying is in the same condition as when you put in the offer.

Please do not confuse this with the inspection as buyers often do.

You just want to make sure that they sellers haven't damaged or neglected the property. If you have an agent, they should be able to point out the details of what you should be looking for. But again, it is just to make sure that all is in order.

Linda