Finding the right house can involve a great deal of time and stress. After all that work, doing a final new home walk-through can seem like a mere formality. Besides, you know you want to buy the house, and any problems would have come up already. Right?
Wrong. Those are actually the reasons a walk-through is more important, not less. The home search process can be stressful and time-consuming, so after looking at several homes you might not have been at your sharpest.
The fact that you know you want to buy the house creates an even greater danger that your enthusiasm at finding "the one" could have allowed you to overlook important defects - defects that should be fixed by the seller, before you buy the home. Doing a careful walk-through is time well spent. By identifying issues and negotiating them before the closing, you stand to save time, money, and headaches, and increase the enjoyment of living in your new home.
Give it Time
The final walk through may take several hours. Leave your schedule open rather than sandwiching it between other appointments. You don't want to decide to 'deal with it later' because you're in a hurry, only to find that you missed the sign of a major issue. Your walk-through should be slow, careful, and most of all, focused. Don't start thinking about which color drapes will go in the dining room or whether to buy a bigger couch for your spacious new living room. Save the fun stuff for later, the walk-through is all about business.
Be Prepared
Don't come to the walk-through empty-handed. Along with your paperwork, you want to bring items such as light bulbs, a flashlight, a measuring tape, a carpenter's level, a power strip with surge protection, an oven thermometer, paint samples if you selected the paint, a roll of light blue paper shop towels, toilet paper, a camera, and if possible, your spouse or a friend.
Also be sure to have cold drinks and snacks on hand -- you don't want to rush because you started to get hungry halfway through! Start a checklist a few weeks in advance and continue adding items as you think of them.
What You're Looking For
The goal of the walk-through is to identify any problems before you buy the house so that the repair becomes the seller's responsibility, not the buyer's. New construction homes will usually allow for a series of walk-throughs depending on the builder's guarantee, but one final walk-through before the closing is part of every new home purchase.
How You'll Find It
When you arrive for the walk-through, first go through the entire home and lay a few layers of light blue paper shop towels under every sink and behind every toilet. Then place your oven thermometer inside the oven and set the oven to preheat to a random temperature.
Now you're ready to start. Begin at the front of the house and go through every room. Test every light fixture and ceiling fan. Plug your power strip into every plug of every electrical outlet and check the light on the surge protector to confirm each one is working.
Run every faucet in every sink, shower, and tub, and flush every toilet. Listen for any noises in the plumbing and if possible have a friend or spouse stand in the yard and watch for any signs of water coming through the ground.
Open and close every door, cabinet, and window to make sure nothing sticks. Run the heating and air and be aware of any strange smells. Sometimes builders can leave debris behind in the construction process which can affect the plumbing or air system, and you want that dealt with before you move in.
Continue through the entire house checking everything. Take a break if you feel like your concentration is flagging. If something looks wrong, measure it or use the carpenter's level to double check. Photograph any problems you find.
When you get to the kitchen, test every appliance, try all the stove burners and check the oven thermometer to make sure the oven heated to the correct temperature. Don't forget to turn the oven off!
When you've made it through the entire house including the attic, basement, or crawlspaces (aren't you glad you brought your flashlight?), walk around the entire yard. Make sure there is no construction debris, and check all outdoor faucets.
When you're done with the yard, go back through the house and remove the paper towels from the sinks and toilets. The light blue towels show moisture well, so any leaks should be visible. If everything checks out, you've done your inspection! If not, immediately have your agent put the problems in writing so you can negotiate to have them fixed before you move in.
Yes, it's a lot of work, but a thorough walk-through can save you money and will definitely give you greater peace of mind. After all the work you put into finding your new home, you deserve it!