So you’ve picked out your dream house, made the offer and now it’s time for the final walk through. What should you be looking for? Here are some tips to ensure the home you’ve decided to purchase is in the same condition as it was when the offer was accepted:
- Make sure to have your list with you. What are the items that you originally requested to be fixed? Sometimes it’s easy to forget everything you’re looking for when you are in the moment, so a list is important.
- Prior to your walk through, ask your agent for a copy of the receipts for the items that were requested to be fixed: roof, plumbing, electrical, etc. If the homeowner claims to have fixed something himself, it’s a good idea to have a home inspector with you.
- Turn on all the lights, run the appliances, open every door, flush the toilets, run the water, check the windows. Also check for any damage that the movers may have left behind on walls and carpets.
- Ask that the seller to leave all of the major systems manuals on the kitchen counter, along with the garage door opener, garage door code, spare keys, security system code, and mailbox keys.
- Check the garage, attic and crawl space and make sure all the garbage is gone.
If the condition has changed, ask your realtor for assistance and negotiate compensation to have things fixed by a service technician or yourself.