Why A Final Walk-Through Inspection Is Important and What To Look For

A final walk-through inspection is important to all buyers because it's your last chance to inspect the property before closing. The whole point of the walk-through inspection is to protect yourself and your future property from sellers that may not have lived up to the terms of the contract. If the seller has not, you want to know about it in advance of the closing so remedies (both monetary and otherwise) can be agreed upon before money changes hands.

So what should you look for during a final walk-through inspection?

First of all, what you're looking for during a final walk-through inspection is not at the same level as the initial professional home inspection. In a final walk-through, you simply want to make sure that the property is in the same condition as it was on the day you agreed to buy it. While a professional home inspection can take anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours, a final walk-through takes about 20 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the home.

Turn on all the lights, run the appliances, open every door, flush the toilets, run the water, check the windows, etc. Also check for any damage that the movers may have left behind (walls, carpets, etc).

You also want to make sure that any home inspection items that the seller and you agreed upon were in fact taken care of. Bring a copy of the home inspection addendum and report with you to remind you of the items, if necessary.

Since you typically do the final walk-through the day of or the day before closing, the utilities should already be on and in your name. If the water is turned off or the electricity is off and you can't check the appliances - STOP! Call your utility company to see whether the service is on. If it is, call the seller (or their agent) immediately. Per the contract that most people agents in Northern Virginia use, the utilities are required to be on during the final walk-through inspection.

Note: This may not be a cause for alarm because the utility company may have dropped the ball. But if the utilities are on and you can't test something to make sure it works, the seller may be hiding a defective appliance, plumbing, etc. You may be setting yourself up for disaster should that item be faulty and you continue with settlement.

There is a "Final Walk-Through Inspection" form available to Realtors and their clients in Northern Virginia that is used often. It's a good form to use because it lists all of the items that typically come with a home in Northern Virginia so you have something to reference as you're going through the home. There are other similar forms out there for non-Realtors and FSBOs so all buyers have something to reference and a place to put it in writing.

So make sure that you leave yourself enough time prior to closing to do the walk-through that day or do it the day before. Bring a final walk-through checklist, your home inspection addendum (if necessary) and the phone numbers to the utility companies. If you have a buyer's agent, they should be there as well. If any issues arise, you or your agent should contact the seller and their agent to get the ball rolling on remedies prior to closing.

For more information about the buying/selling process and real estate market in Loudoun County, Virginia, check out www.LoudounStats.com and www.LoudounForeclosures.com.