Final Walkthrough

The final walkthrough is your last chance to visit the home before you close on it. It's not another inspection; it's a verification. You're checking that the property is in substantially the same condition it was when you made your offer, that any repairs negotiated with the seller have been completed, and that nothing unexpected has changed.

Walk through every room. Test every appliance. Check that fixtures the seller agreed to leave are still there. Turn on the HVAC. Run the faucets. Look for any new damage.

The walkthrough usually happens within 24 hours of closing, once the seller has moved out or is in the process of moving out.

The final walkthrough is your last opportunity to identify issues before you sign closing papers. Once you close, the home is yours, along with any newly discovered problems. If something is significantly wrong at the walkthrough (seller took a fixture they agreed to leave, roof damage from a recent storm, a burst pipe), you have a window to delay closing and address it.

Most walkthroughs are uneventful, which is a good sign. But skipping the walkthrough is never a good idea.

A buyer does their final walkthrough the morning of closing. They discover the seller removed a built-in refrigerator that was included in the purchase agreement. The buyer contacts their agent immediately, who reaches out to the listing agent. The seller agrees to a credit at closing for the refrigerator's value rather than delaying closing to return it.

"If I find something at the walkthrough, the sale is cancelled."

Finding an issue at the walkthrough doesn't automatically kill the deal. Most problems can be resolved quickly: a credit at closing, an agreement to address something after closing, or a brief delay. The walkthrough is designed to surface issues while there's still time to handle them.