Before Your Finalize The Purchase of Your New Tampa Bay Home…

Here are 4 Steps to Take for a Smarter Final Walk-Through!

Finalizing the purchase of a new home is such an exciting time, but it can also be more than a little overwhelming as you secure every last detail before closing. One of the important last steps in the pre-closing process is the final walk-through. This is your last chance to examine your home’s condition before you take ownership of it and any flaws that will become your responsibility. So take your time with it and keep these guidelines in mind.

Don’t schedule the walk through too close or too far from your closing. Ideally, the walk-through occurs the day before you close on the property and after the seller has vacated. But this doesn’t always happen, nor does one day allow time for repairs to be made in the event they are still needed. Should you find something inexpensive that you are willing to handle, such as replacing a burned-out oven bulb, do it. This will keep your closing on schedule. With larger, more expensive issues, your real estate agent will help you sort through your options, such as negotiating a successful resolution.

Take along a checklist. If repairs were agreed to by the seller following a home inspection, walk through the home with the agreement for the listed items and your home inspection report to make sure they have been corrected as expected. If not don’t panic. Talk to your realtor to discuss your options and whether the issue is worth addressing with the sellers versus handling yourself.

Also check for any items that the sellers agreed to include in the sale such as custom window treatments, pool equipment, appliances, garage door remote controls, care and use materials and such.

Make sure that all agreed upon items are present and are in operating condition. If appliances were included in the contract, check to make sure that they still work and are in good shape. If the high-end refrigerator that caught your eye when you first saw the home was part of the sale, double check that it’s the same appliance and that it works properly.

Now that the house is empty, check the areas that may have been hidden by furnishings. This is probably the first time that you’ll be seeing your future home completely empty, so be sure to take the opportunity to check closets, behind laundry equipment and walls where large furniture was positioned. One other note: just because the sellers left something behind does not mean that you have to accept them. If you find things left behind in the garage that you don’t want, speak with your agent about arranging for the sellers to remove them.

The final walk-through is a very important part of a successful home purchase. This is the time to work closely with your realtor, as his or her experience will be helpful in resolving issues that may arise.

For over 40 years, we have provided residential real estate services to customers in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Counties as real estate consultants for Keller Williams Tampa Properties. (And, that is a lot of walk-throughs!) Please contact us at info@dickandkarla.com if we can help you with your next “right-sized” home. (link to the blog or web content on right-sizing)