Buying a home is an exciting experience because it is a dream come true, and you can’t help but anticipate finally purchasing the house of your dreams and living in it. Especially if you’ve just experienced selling your house. However, in as much as it’s exciting, conducting a final walk-through of a home is quite crucial as it helps you to make the right decision.
As the saying goes, “There’s more than what meets the eye.” The same case applies when you are planning to buy a house. A final walk-through of a home helps you to confirm that the property you are planning to buy is in the exact condition that you agreed upon when you were negotiating with the seller.
There are various reasons why you should do a final walk-through of a home, and that is what we are going to discuss here today. Read on.
1. It is Not a Home Inspection
One thing that you need to understand clearly is that the final walk-through of a home is not a home inspection. Usually, a buyer is allowed to inspect a home before agreeing to purchase. This is a contract contingency that is quite common, and you need to be aware of it. Since the final walk-through is not a home inspection, you need to ensure that you thoroughly check the house carefully to ensure it is exactly as you had agreed to purchase it when you did the full inspection. During the final walk-through of the home, you can consider checking things such as the electrical panel, if there are any tapped wires or whether the furnace is clean.
2. Carry the House Contract
When planning on conducting a final walk-through of a home, we highly recommend that you have the house contract with you. Even if your real estate agent says they will have their contract with them, bringing your contract is also very important just in case the real estate agent forgets to come with it.
Bringing the contract with you can significantly help you clarify various issues that might not be in order. For example, you can check to ensure whether the items which were agreed on the personal property are still present in the sale. Having the copy can make it easier for you to refer to such issues faster and effectively. You will be better equipped to pinpoint any issues that you are not comfortable with. This will present you with an opportunity to seek for clarifications where the contract does not agree with the sale item.
3. Confirm the Utility Readings
Before you close the deal of buying a home, you need to call the local utility company such as the gas, electric, and water providers to ensure that they switch the name of the previous house to your name as the new buyer. It is highly recommended for this to be done on the day of closing the deal to buy the house to avoid the services being discontinued by the service providers.
Most providers charge a fee to turn the services back on, and that is why it is essential to act fast once you buy the house to avoid such extra costs on your end. You need to obtain the readings for the utilities during the final walk-through. To ensure that accurate billing is provided to both the buyer and the seller, the utility readings should be called to the respective companies.
Some utility companies arrange a time to perform the readings themselves. However, it is always advisable to have a record of your readings to be on the safe side. This will make sure that you are able to get a refund for any utility readings that were accrued before you get into a house. You could be subjected to other punitive costs if you are not keen on checking such readings.
4. Confirm Everything is in Order
As a buyer of a new home, you need to be thorough enough to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible. Therefore, checking whether everything is in order according to your agreement with the real estate agent is quite crucial. During the final walk-through of the house, confirm whether the appliances and fixtures remaining with the home are still there and in good condition.
There are cases where premium appliances and fixtures were replaced by cheap ones just before closing the deal on the house. The brand of the appliances is what should be in the house before and after closing the deal. It is important that you can get a good deal with the house you decide to get, whereby you should not allow critical details to bypass you.
5. Raise Concerns Immediately If There Are Problems
When doing the final walk-through of a home and you note problems, you need to address them as quickly as possible. Usually, real estate agents have their clients sign a form to acknowledge that they are fully satisfied with the results during the final walk-through. However, before signing that form, you need to be sure that there are no problems.
If you spot one or two problems with the house, address the matter quickly. Buying a home comes with a lot of costs, which is why you need to avoid having issues once you move into your new home. It would be very painful if you were to purchase a house and then have to undergo an expensive process of repairs and inconveniences that come with that. You should ensure that you are able enjoy your new house as soon as you purchase it.
Bottom Line
There are plenty of other reasons why doing a final walk-through of a house is essential. The ones we’ve discussed are some of the most crucial reasons which you need to consider if you want to get value for your money when buying a house. Therefore, adhere to the tips and make sure you do the right thing. This will ensure that you get a house that you are fully satisfied with.
