Final Walk-Through Checklist for First-Time Homebuyers

Buying your first home is an intensely exciting and stressful time. It can feel like a blur of documents, real estate terms, and contracts. Getting caught up in the excitement over your soon-to-be home is also very easy. Don’t let the gorgeous granite countertops or the perfect soaking tub blind you. During the final walk-through, you need to be alert and on the lookout for any and all lingering issues. Check out this final walk-through checklist for first-time homebuyers.

Bathroom and kitchen

Go into the kitchen and each bathroom and test everything. Turn on each sink and shower faucet to ensure that it functions well and has a good water pressure. You should also flush each toilet in the home to ensure it works properly and doesn’t continuously run. You should also check inside cabinets, under sinks, and inside and around any dishwashers for signs of mold.

Windows and doors

Open and close and lock and unlock every single window and every single door in your soon-to-be new home. Make sure every door latches and locks and unlocks with ease, and then make sure every window opens and closes smoothly. Windows and doors that stick are fire hazards, and doors that don’t latch and lock are safety issues—they make the home more susceptible to break-ins.

Electrical components

It may be a good idea to bring a phone charger to plug into all the outlets in the house to make sure they’re functioning properly. Be sure to check the fuse box and make sure there are no exposed wires. Faulty wiring is one of the most common causes of electrical fires in homes.

Included-in-sale items

Somewhere in one of the many contracts, papers, and legal documents you dealt with at some point in the homebuying process is a list of items or appliances included in the sale of the home. This means those items are yours post-closing. Most times, these items include things such as a washer and dryer, refrigerator, stove, microwave, and certain outdoor elements. Make sure these appliances are present in the home and functional.

Real Estate Agent or Realtor

The most important thing to have with you during your final walk-through is your real estate agent or your realtor. They’ve been through potentially hundreds of these, so they’re essentially human checklists. They’re great resources that you should take advantage of while you still have them.