You've done your job and you've done it well and now all that's left is a final walkthrough. Be sure to follow these steps so that your final interaction leaves clients wanting to send your information to everyone they know. Referrals can make or break an agent's career. Acing a final walkthrough is a great way to leave clients with a warm feeling.
When to Walk Through?
Typically final walkthroughs happen between 24-48 hours before closing, or on the day of closing. It depends on the agent, the buyer, and mostly - the property itself. If the property is newer and everything has gone smoothly, agents might feel comfortable doing a cursory walk through as the pen is signing final documents. If agents aren't sure about the condition of the home or feel uneasy about the closing process at all - then they're more likely to schedule a walk through a few days prior to closing so repairs can happen.
Remember Why You're There
As the buyer is about to take the keys to their new home-sweet-home, agents want to make sure that everything is as it should be. Before the final walkthrough, both parties agents agreed upon repairs to be made or not made, items to be left or not, and an overall condition of the home (was carpet cleaning included, etc.). Now that the seller is out and the home is about to have a new owner, agents must be confident that they are leaving their buyer in the best situation possible.
This is not an inspection, and buyers and agents sometimes need reminding of this. The inspection already happened. The nitty gritty work is in the past. Now everyone is quite literally just walking through to see any glaring errors. Make sure everything looks good and functions and move right on in.
Check Off Your List
Refer to the following list to ace the final walkthrough and be as thorough as possible:
- all agreed upon repairs/updates made (paint, broken faucet, etc.)
- overall condition of home passes all tests.
- all appliances/fixtures supposed to be left in the home are present (lights, dishwashers, etc.)
- all appliances/fixtures supposed to be removed are gone (mattresses, washer and dryers, etc.)
- ensure everything works (lights, sinks, garage door, any amenities (AC/heat, pool, spa), showers, etc.)
Arriving with the home inspection report, any pertinent paperwork, and a cup of coffee is always a good idea at a final walkthrough. Remember, most buyers are excited! This is the final step before they own another property so wish them luck, pop some bubbly, and hand over the keys!
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