What Happens at the Final Walkthrough?

The final walkthrough is your careful, unhurried inspection of the finished home before you take keys. It's also where you learn how the house works. Give it real time, and don't do it in a rush on closing day.

Two things are happening

1. Identifying anything that needs correcting, which becomes the punch list.
2. Orientation. Where the shutoffs are, how the systems work, what maintenance the house needs.

How to do it properly

• Go slow. Two to three hours is normal for a house this new to you.
• Go in daylight, with every light on anyway.
• Bring painter's tape and mark things as you find them.
• Bring a phone charger or outlet tester and actually test outlets.
• Bring two people. Two sets of eyes find more.
• Take photos and notes as you go, not from memory afterward.

What to check

Operate everything

Every door and window, opened and closed and latched. Every faucet, hot and cold. Every toilet. Every light and switch, confirming which switch controls what. Every outlet. Every appliance. Garage door, including the safety reverse. HVAC in both heat and cool.

Look closely

Walls and ceilings for drywall and paint issues. Trim joints and caulk lines. Floor transitions. Tile grout. Cabinet doors and drawers for alignment. Countertop seams and edges. Windows and mirrors for scratches, which get missed constantly.

Water

Run every fixture and look underneath for drips. Check under sinks. Flush and watch. Run the dishwasher briefly.

Outside

Grading falling away from the house. Downspouts discharging where they should. Siding, gutters, exterior paint. Driveway and walkways. Exterior doors, weatherstripping and locks.

Learn the house

Ask where the main water shutoff is, where the electrical panel is and how it's labeled, where the HVAC filter is and what size, where the sump pump and any shutoffs are, and how to operate anything unfamiliar. Get warranty documentation and manufacturer paperwork. See warranty coverage.

The punch list

Items identified get documented in writing with a plan and timeline for correction. Some are fixed before closing and some after; either is normal. What matters is that it's in writing and both parties have a copy.

Year one

Some things only show up seasonally. A new home settles through its first heating cycle. See first-year maintenance.