You put in a bid in on a home and the offer was accepted! Congratulations. Now as you make your way through the loan process, you finally have the ‘clear to close.’ Before you go and sign on the dotted line, though, you will want to take one last walk through the home you are about to purchase.
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It’s called the final inspection and you shouldn’t skip it. This is your chance to make sure everything is as it was when you bid on the home. Just what should you look for? Keep reading to find out.
Were Repairs Made?
If you had a home inspection completed on the home and there were things you wanted fixed before you bought the home, now’s the time to check. Bring your
inspection report with you and check all of the areas that the seller said they would fix. If the areas aren’t fixed, take pictures of the issues and bring them back to your attorney. You don’t have to close on your loan/sale of the home just because it’s closing day. If the seller didn’t hold up his end of the bargain, you need to figure out how to proceed.
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Is Everything in the Home That Should Be?
It’s a good idea to also bring along your
purchase contract. This way you can walk through each room and make sure that the appliances, window treatments, and other miscellaneous items that the seller said would stay are still there. Again, if anything is missing or doesn’t match what the purchase contract states take pictures and go back to your attorney.
Take a Walk Through the Home
Once you are sure the repairs were done and the right items are still there, it’s time to check individual areas of the home. You’ll want to check each of the following:
- Check the windows and doors – Make sure everything closes securely and locks well. You will change the locks on the doors, but the windows will remain as they were. If locks are broken, you’ll want to know that now before you move your items into the home.
- Check all water supplies – Walk through the home, flush the toilets and turn on the faucets. Is everything in working order? Are any faucets or pipes leaking?
- Check the electrical systems – Turn all lights in the home on and try the outlets in each room. Make sure everything is in good working condition. If you notice that a fuse blows when you try a specific outlet, you may want to talk to the seller about the issue.
- Check the walls in each room – Was anything damaged when the seller moved his belongings out of the home? Look for obvious scratches or holes in the walls.
- Run the appliances – If the seller will leave appliances, make sure they work. Just because the seller agrees to leave a washer and dryer, it doesn’t do you any good if you find out it’s not working after you closed on the home.
- Look for mold or mildew – If you find mold or mildew growth in a room, chances are that there is some type of water leak somewhere. You’ll want to inspect further to see what’s causing the issue and if it will be a hang-up for your loan closing.
Of course, if there are any specific areas of concern that you had when you made the offer, you should recheck those areas during your final walkthrough. Make sure that the seller held up his end of the bargain and that nothing is in worse condition than when you bid on the home.