The final walkthrough: what to check before you sign

What it is for

The walkthrough checks three things:

• Condition. The home is in the same condition as when you made your offer, aside from normal wear, or as your contract specifies.
• Repairs. Anything the seller agreed to fix has been fixed properly.
• Contents. Items that convey with the house are still there, and the seller's belongings and trash are gone.

What it is not

It is not a second inspection. You are not looking for new defects in the roof structure or the sewer line. That was the job of the inspection period, and HUD's inspection notice explains why a professional inspection is the way to learn the home's condition. If you find a significant new problem, such as water damage from a recent leak, it matters. But the goal is to confirm, not to reopen negotiations on old issues.

When to schedule it

Your contract may say. Usually it is within a day or two before closing, ideally after the seller has moved out, so you can see floors and walls that furniture covered. If the seller is staying after closing under a rent-back agreement, ask how the contract handles condition at move-out.

Room by room

Throughout the house

• Turn on every light and test outlets with a charger.
• Run heating and cooling.
• Open and close doors and windows, and check locks.
• Look at ceilings and walls under bathrooms and around windows for new stains.
• Check that floors and walls were not damaged during move-out.

Kitchen and laundry

• Run water in the sink and check under it for leaks.
• Turn on the stove, oven, dishwasher and range hood.
• Check the refrigerator and washer and dryer if they convey.

Bathrooms

• Run every faucet and shower, and flush each toilet.
• Look for leaks under sinks and around the toilet base.

Outside, garage and basement

• Check the garage door and openers.
• Look for standing water in the basement.
• Make sure the yard and garage are clear of the seller's belongings and trash.

Repairs

• Compare each agreed repair with the addendum and the receipts. If a licensed contractor was required, check the invoice.

If something is wrong

Talk to your agent right away and decide what you want: the work done, a credit, money held in escrow until it is done, or a delay. Your contract and your lender both shape what is possible. Lenders have rules about credits and holdbacks, and changes may need a corrected Closing Disclosure. The CFPB's Closing Disclosure explainer shows where credits appear. Get any agreement in writing before you sign.

Do not sign on a verbal promise to fix something after closing. Once you own the house, your leverage is gone.

What to bring

Bring a copy of the purchase contract, the repair agreement and any receipts or invoices the seller promised, so you can match each item against the paperwork. A phone charger or small plug-in tester helps you check outlets, and a notepad or your phone's camera lets you record anything you find, with the time and room. If you are buying with someone else, both of you should attend if you can, since you will both be signing.

The bottom line

Schedule the walkthrough close to closing, bring the contract and repair paperwork, and test the things you will use on day one. If anything is wrong, settle it in writing before you sign. It is easier to fix now than after the keys change hands.