You've almost bought your first home! One of the final steps in the home buying process is the final walk-through. While this can be a bit nerve-wracking, a walk-through ordinarily goes pretty smoothly, and it's important to keep in mind that this is not the time to begin negotiating or bringing up new issues. The purpose of this final walk-through is to make sure the property is in the condition you agreed to purchase it in-based on both repairs and cleanliness. A walk-through is also there to ensure that nothing has been damaged by contractors, homeowners or natural disasters since you made your offer on the home.

The first thing to know about your final walk-through is that your Agent should schedule it anytime between 5 days and a few hours before your closing, to make sure you have enough time to thoroughly inspect the place. If you've had extensive repair requests, you may want to give yourself a couple extra days, to make sure you can catch any problems early. One of the biggest mistakes a buyer can make is to skip the final walk-through. The final days before closing can be a bit hectic with organizing your loan and packing your life into boxes. For this reason, it isn't uncommon for a buyer to skip the walk-through altogether. Your Agent should strongly discourage this, as this is your final chance to see the property and make sure it's in the condition you expected.

Vacant vs. Occupied Homes

Buyers are quick to assume that a vacant home won't require a walk-through. Unfortunately, this isn't the case, since homes that have sat vacant for an extended period of time and the ones that can have the most problems. Also, if you've requested repairs in your home, a contractor could have still tracked mud or paint throughout the house; something you couldn't know if you skipped the walk-through.

Homes that will be occupied up until, or even a couple days after closing are very important to walk through. It's still important to walk through these houses, as if they were in move-in condition, and we even recommend scheduling a time when the seller can be present. Make sure to ask any question you may have, when it comes to buying a house, it's always better to feel overeducated than under-prepared. If you have any final walk-through questions, make sure you consult the experienced Denver real estate agents at PorchLight.