By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
We know how important a final walk through can be. Most home purchase contracts include a clause that gives the Buyer the right to complete a walk-through inspection before closing. Often times Buyers feel that there is no need to do a final walk through, but the last thing you want to do is have to clean up a mess or fix some last minute thing yourself, before you can move in. The best time for a Buyer to do this would be during the last week before the closing, in order to ensure that the property is in substantially the same condition it was when you agreed to purchase it.
The final walk through also allows the Buyer to make sure that any items or appliances that the Seller agreed to leave have not been removed, and that any repairs the Seller agreed to are either completed or in the process of being completed. However, if the Seller has not yet moved out during the final walk through, it is impossible to know how the home will look once the Seller is gone. For this reason, most contracts require that the Seller remove all debris and personal property except those specifically included in the contract agreement. However, while a huge mess may not be left behind, most contracts only require the property be swept. Therefore, you may also want to ask if the Seller is planning on having the property professionally cleaned, and if not, you may want to arrange for this before you move in.
Also, while buying property in Scottsdale, Arizona, it is always a good idea to use the final walk through to ask the Seller any final questions. It is helpful to compile a list prior to walking through, in order to make sure all questions are answered. Make sure to ask if there are any idiosyncrasies of the property that you should be informed about, perhaps how to operate an alarm or pool system. Also, find out if there are any routine home maintenance tasks other than the obvious; maybe there is a gutter drain that clogs periodically, or a sewer pipe that needs clearing every now and again.
Find out, also, if the Seller can give you the contact information for any contractors that have done previous work on the house. Good contractors are often hard to come by and recommendations, or even who to stay away from, will come in handy. It is helpful to use this final walk as and opportunity to decide where furniture will go as well; this will make process of moving in go much faster. Make sure to transfer utilities from the Seller’s to your name in order to assure they do not get shut off, and ask the Sellers if they plan to leave any kinds of instruction manuals, spare keys, or garage door openers.
The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, [email protected] or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale, Arizona.
