Congratulations, you’ve done it! Becoming a homeowner is a big deal, and the final step before it’s official is the final walkthrough. Being enthusiastic about your new home is important (after all, you should love the place you get to live in from now on), but before you pop open the champagne, don’t forget to make sure that everything is in order during your final walkthrough with this handy checklist.

Make Sure You Bring All Necessary Documents & Items

Obviously, all important documents are always a great thing to bring with you to your new home, but what about some of these handy tips and tricks for being prepared and checking out the house itself?

Documents you should bring with you include your contract, which will allow you to reference it as needed during the walkthrough process. Your contract also often denotes what items and appliances should be included in the home upon purchase and what should not be included.

It is also helpful to bring a notepad for you to make your own notes. There’s a lot of important information coming at you during a walkthrough, and you don’t want to forget any of it!

Don’t forget that inspection summary! If there were any outstanding repairs that needed to be completed prior to the official closing, you want to make sure that everything is in tip top shape.

As for non-document items that could still prove useful, here’s what we’ve got. Your cell phone and charger – not that anybody goes anywhere without their phone these days, but we wanted to put it on this list for another reason: to help you check the function of your home’s outlets! How smart is that?

Use That Inspection Summary!

We told you it would be a helpful tool! Referencing your inspection summary will make the repair verification process a breeze, especially if you make a list of repairs to check for prior to the walkthrough.

While you’re checking each nook and cranny of your new home for perfection, don’t forget to ensure that the seller or contractor has left receipts and/or warranties for each repair inside the home (or in your inbox). This will make it easier for you to find the right person to talk to in case something breaks, or was not properly repaired. Save yourself a headache!

Check the Condition of Every Space

Here’s where the actual work begins. Open and shut all doors and windows a few times, to ensure they work properly – after all, you want to be safe and secure inside your new home. No broken hinges here! To a similar effect, check that all locks and window latches are functioning. Don’t forget to note if hardware is missing, broken, or worn. Not only is this a safety hazard, but it can become a fire hazard if an emergency arises.

Now that you’ve ascertained that every door, window, lock, and latch is doing its job, it’s time to move onto the fun part: the splash zone! But wait – before turning on any faucets or showers, inspect the home for any water damage or mold. It would be helpful to find a leak somewhere before you even move into your home.

Okay, now that you’ve ensured that water damage is not a concern, it’s time to actually turn on those faucets! This includes every sink, shower, and toilet, and don’t forget to check any faucets that might be on the outside of your home (if applicable). Verify that every faucet

• Has both hot and cold water
• Doesn’t spray when turned on
• Doesn’t leak when turned off
• Drains properly when water is shut off

Test Appliances & Electricity

You’ve already checked the outlets with your handy dandy phone charger, but what about everything else? Turn on your microwave, oven, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and any other appliances in your new home. Don’t turn each appliance on and immediately off – let it run for at least a few minutes (preferably a full cycle). Similarly, test your heating and cooling systems; even if it’s the coldest day of the year, you’ll thank yourself in the summer for checking to make sure you have a functioning AC.

Check the Property Itself

Don’t worry, it’s almost over! That being said, you can’t forget to check the property outside, including the landscaping, fences, gates, irrigation systems, and anything in between. This is also where you can help prevent future pest infestations by finding any cracks or holes where insects, rodents, and other unwanted guests could make their way into your home.

It’s also generally very helpful to bring your real estate agent along with you to your final walkthrough. No matter how much you plan, how many checklists you make, and how many articles you read about final walkthroughs, it is still possible for you to forget some minute piece of information. Your agent, and every other agent at Dochen Realtors, has done this plenty of times, so they’re ready and willing to help you out in the final moments of your home buying journey!