The final walkthrough: your last look before the keys

Near the very end of your purchase, just before closing, you get one more visit to the home. We call it the final walkthrough. It’s a calm, useful step, and it’s the last box to check before the keys are yours. Here’s how I run one with my buyers and what we look for.

The final walkthrough is your last chance to confirm the home is in the condition you agreed to buy it in. It is not a second inspection and it is not a chance to renegotiate the price. It’s a verification visit. We’re confirming that nothing changed for the worse since you last saw the property and that the seller did what they agreed to do.

When it happens

The walkthrough typically takes place in the few days before closing, often the day before or the morning of. By this point your contingencies are usually removed and your loan is nearly funded. The home is normally empty, or close to it, with the seller’s belongings moved out. That’s actually ideal: an empty home is easier to inspect because you can see the floors, the walls, and the corners that furniture used to cover.

It usually takes thirty minutes to an hour. We walk it together, unhurried, with a simple checklist.

What to check

Here’s what we’re verifying, point by point:

• Agreed repairs are done. If the seller agreed to fix anything during negotiations, we confirm it was actually completed. Ask for receipts or invoices for any work, especially anything done by a licensed contractor.
• Included items are still there. Whatever was written into the contract to stay, the refrigerator, the washer and dryer, light fixtures, window coverings, should be present. If it was supposed to convey, we confirm it’s there.
• Systems work. We turn things on. Run the faucets, flush the toilets, check hot water, test the heating and air conditioning, open and close the garage door, flip the light switches, run the oven and any included appliances.
• No new damage. Moving out is hard on a house. We look for scratches, dents, holes in walls, broken windows, or damage to floors that wasn’t there before. We also check that nothing was removed that should have stayed.
• The home is reasonably clean and empty. We confirm the seller’s belongings and debris are gone and the home is in deliverable condition.

Bring your phone for photos and bring the inspection report and repair agreement so we can check items against what was promised. I keep these documents handy for exactly this moment.

If something is wrong

Most walkthroughs go smoothly. When something isn’t right, don’t panic and don’t sign anything in frustration. We have options, and timing is on our side because we catch it before closing rather than after.

Here’s how we handle it:

• Document it. Photos, notes, and a quick list of what’s off.
• Tell me right away. I’ll reach the seller’s agent immediately. The closer we are to the closing date, the faster we move, so a prompt call matters.
• Find the right remedy. Common solutions include the seller completing the repair before closing, a credit at closing to cover the cost, or in some cases holding funds in escrow until the work is finished. The right path depends on what’s wrong and how close we are to closing.

The point is, you have leverage at the walkthrough precisely because the deal hasn’t closed yet. That’s why we do it. If you’d like to see how the walkthrough fits into the full sequence of a purchase, my buyer playbook lays out the whole timeline.

The short version

The final walkthrough is your last look before the keys: a calm verification that agreed repairs are done, included items are present, systems work, and no new damage appeared. It happens in the days right before closing, when there’s still time to fix anything that’s off. We do it together, with the paperwork in hand.

When we schedule yours, come with your questions and your eyes open. I’ll have the checklist and the documents ready, and we’ll walk it together so you cross the finish line with confidence.