You Are Doing Your Final Walk Through! What to Check For Before Making the Home Yours.
Your Favorite Real Estate Team knows that by the time you are doing your final walk through, you are on the downhill side of your real estate closing. The final walk through of the home you are purchasing is an important step in the process. It may be the first time you get to see the house empty, like a blank canvas. It is such a thrilling time, and it is easy to get excited or distracted and forget to check everything as you take your final look at the house before making it your own. We wanted to help by talking about some things to look for in your final walk through before buying a home at the Lake of the Ozarks in this week’s blog.
Purpose
The purpose of the walk through is to make sure the property
is in the condition you have agreed upon in your offer. Meaning, there has been no damage to the home
since you looked at it last, and that any agreed upon repairs have been made to
your satisfaction. It should be done as close to your closing date as possible,
and the seller should be completely moved out at the time of the walk through.
This allows you to be able to see everything with no
furnishings or belongings to hide any part of the house. It also allows you to inspect and test the major
systems or features in the house to make sure they function as they should. You are not looking at things for the purpose
of negotiating added repairs or adding contingencies, you just want to make
sure nothing has changed that you would consider a deal breaker.
Prepping
There are some things you will want to bring along with you when
you do the walk through to help you keep track.
Your home inspection report is one of them, because it will list the
things your inspector said were problematic and needed to be fixed. Your home purchase agreement will also be
important to reference because it will outline exactly what you and the seller
agreed was included with the house and any repairs the seller committed to have
done. You should have your phone with
you too for taking pictures and notes and bring your charger as well. It can be
handy for testing electrical outlets.
Getting Started
You can start with the outside as you first approach the house. Look for storm damage if there have been
recent storms. Check the roof and gutters,
inspect for any insect or rodent damage or presence. Make sure any brush or trash has been removed
as agreed, and that everything is still in good shape. Then look over the interior and it’s major
systems like heating and cooling, appliances, check outlets, etc. Actually test the appliances – run the
washing machine and dryer, run the dishwasher, check the fridge and freezer,
test the stove and oven, even exhaust fans and the garbage disposal. See that the garage door and remote control function
and look at the walls and ceilings to make sure there is no mold. It is also good to flush the toilets several
times and run the water to make sure the hot water heater works and that
everything drains properly. Of course,
you should also go down each item that is listed to be repaired or corrected and
make sure it was done properly.
Talk to Your Agent
If you find something that is unacceptable, you should talk
to your buyer’s agent about it, even if you are willing to concede on
them. But if the issues are more major
or expensive, your real estate agent will help negotiate with the seller. In order to close on time, the best answer
may be to ask the seller to put money in escrow to cover the cost of the repairs. However, if the lender requires the repairs
be done prior to closing, you may have to push back your closing date.
Your Favorite Real Estate Team handles these
negotiations every day on behalf of our clients, and we would be happy to be
there for you too! We know how exciting
it is to buy a home at the Lake of the Ozarks and we want to make sure
you are getting everything you are paying for and that your home buying experience
is nothing less than amazing. When you
are ready to start your search for a home at the Lake of the Ozarks, give us a
call. We know the lake area and are here
to answer all your questions. To keep up
with all the latest news and tips, you can also follow us on social media using
the links below!
Comments
Post a Comment