What to Expect During Your Final Walk-Through

You saved up for your downpayment and closing costs. After searching and searching, you found an Inland Empire home you absolutely loved. The sellers accepted your offer and you entered escrow. You might have waived a contingency or two to make the deal happen. But one thing you should never waive is a final walk-through. Why? It provides the last opportunity before the house is yours to make sure it looks exactly how you expected it to look when you signed the sales contract.

What to Expect During Your Final Walk-Through

Who Goes to the Walk-Through

Basically, it’s just you (the buyer) and your REALTOR® in attendance. The seller and their agent do not attend the final walk-through. This allows you to look over everything inside and out at your own pace. You want to make sure that all of the fixtures and appliances that were supposed to be included in the sale are still there. Plus, you want to double-check that the seller made any repairs required in the sales contract.

When Does It Take Place?

Typically, your final walk-through takes place 24 hours before closing. Your agent contacts the seller’s agent to schedule a time to access the Inland Empire home for your walk-through. Take as much time as you need to complete a thorough visual inspection of the property. There is no time limit.

What to Look For

Your agent should bring along the seller’s disclosure form, your inspection report, and any amendments made to the sales contract regarding repairs or replacement. Your agent may even ask for receipts from the seller for any repairs made after your home inspection (performed at the beginning of escrow). Use these to guide your walk-through. You need to confirm that all repairs have been completed.

What to Do If You Find a Problem

First, notate the problem(s). Talk to your REALTOR® about each one. Is it a big problem or a small issue? With smaller issues, you might want to overlook them. Are they worth waiting a few more days for the seller to fix or can you handle them on your own after closing? But with larger issues (roof replacement, missing appliances or fixtures, property damage done after your initial inspection), you might want to either wait for the seller to fix them or have your agent negotiate a credit at closing. However, a credit means that the burden of repairs falls on your shoulders later. Even so, it gets the sale completed on time.

When Should You Walk Away?

Legally, you may walk away from the sale if any part of your sales agreement has not been met by the seller. However, you should stay flexible if you truly love the house. Again, overlook the smaller things that you can take care of later. And try to negotiate any big issues before deciding whether to cancel the sale or not.

Muna Dionne, your Inland Empire specialist with Coldwell Banker Realty