Preparing for the Walk-Through

When moving out of a house you have lived in for a long time, you may discover years’ worth of dust that was previously concealed by your home furnishings. If you don’t have the time or energy to clean your house for the new owners, a useful option is to pay a professional to do the job.

Before going to the closing table, your buyers will have a last chance to walk through the house and check the appliances, mechanical systems and overall condition to make sure everything is consistent with the sales contract. Even though they really want the house, at this point “buyers’ remorse” may be prompting them to look for a reason to call the transaction off. Because an otherwise minor problem or defect can sometimes trigger last-minute cold feet, your best insurance is to make the house look great. Everything should be working properly, and all the agreed-upon repairs should have been made before the buyers arrive to look at the house. You can promote a more relaxed, positive atmosphere for the closing if you take special care in preparing for the walk-through inspection.