What Happens During the Final Walkthrough Before Closing?
A buyer I worked with in Edina called me the morning of his closing with a question that caught me slightly off guard. Not because it was a bad question. Because of when he was asking it. “Lesley, what exactly am I supposed to be looking for during the walkthrough this afternoon? I keep thinking I should have asked this a week ago.” He was not wrong that earlier would have been better. But the honest answer is that most buyers arrive at the final walkthrough without a clear picture of what it is actually for, what they are allowed to do during it, and what happens if they find something they did not expect. The final walkthrough is one of the most important and most misunderstood steps in the homebuying process. It is not a second showing. It is not a casual stroll through the home to get excited about what you are about to own. It is a specific, purposeful inspection of the property in its pre-closing condition, and approaching it with that clarity makes the difference between catching a problem before you own it and discovering one after. Here is everything you need to know about the final walkthrough before closing in Minnesota. What the Final Walkthrough Actually Is The final walkthrough is a visit to the property, typically scheduled in the twenty-four to forty-eight hours before your closing appointment, that gives you the opportunity to verify the condition of the home before you take ownership. It is your last chance to confirm that the home is in the condition you agreed to purchase it in, that any repairs negotiated after the inspection have been completed, that all personal property included in the sale is present, and that nothing has changed since the home inspection. That last point is more important than many buyers realize. A lot can happen to a home between the time you made your offer and the day you close. The sellers have been living in and moving out of the property. Appliances that worked fine during the inspection may have developed problems. Water damage from a burst pipe or a roof issue can appear in the weeks between inspection and closing. The furnace that was functioning in October may have stopped working by December closing day. The final walkthrough is not just a formality. It is the mechanism that protects you from inheriting problems that arose after you were already under contract. When the Final Walkthrough Typically Happens In most Minnesota transactions, the final walkthrough is scheduled within twenty-four hours of the closing appointment, though some buyers prefer to do it a day or two before to allow time to address any issues discovered. The timing matters. Too early and you risk missing issues that arise in the final days before the sellers vacate. Too close to closing and you have less time to negotiate a resolution if a problem surfaces. The day before closing is the most common timing for a reason. It is close enough that the sellers have typically completed their move-out, which means you can evaluate the home in vacant condition without furniture obscuring your view of floors, walls, and ceilings. And it is far enough in advance that if something significant is found, there is still time to contact the seller’s agent and work through a resolution before you are sitting at the closing table. Who Is Present at the Final Walkthrough Your Realtor should always accompany you to the final walkthrough. This is not optional or a matter of convenience. Your Realtor knows what was agreed to in the purchase agreement, what the inspection revealed, what repairs were negotiated, and what the home looked like when you were under contract. Their presence gives you a knowledgeable second set of eyes and a professional who can immediately communicate with the seller’s agent if anything is wrong. The sellers are typically not present. The home is usually vacant or in the final stages of being vacated, and having the sellers present can sometimes create an awkward dynamic when you are trying to evaluate the property objectively. If you have any specific concerns about the property based on the inspection report or the repair negotiations, make sure your Realtor knows about them before the walkthrough so they can pay specific attention to those areas alongside you. What You Are Looking for During the Walkthrough The final walkthrough has a specific purpose and should be approached methodically rather than casually. Start with the repairs. If any repairs were negotiated as part of your inspection response, your first priority is verifying that those repairs were actually completed. Your Realtor should have copies of any repair agreements or receipts that were provided by the seller, and you should compare what was agreed to against what you actually see. A seller who agreed to replace a water heater should have a new water heater installed. A seller who agreed to repair the garage door opener should have a functioning opener. A seller who agreed to address a specific electrical issue should have documentation from a licensed electrician that the work was done. Verify each item specifically rather than assuming that because it was agreed to, it was done. Next, run everything. Turn on every faucet and check for water pressure and drainage. Flush every toilet. Run the dishwasher through a cycle if time permits or at least check that it powers on. Test every burner on the stove. Run the oven. Test the refrigerator if it is included. Turn on the garbage disposal. Check that the range hood works. Test the HVAC systems. Turn the furnace on and confirm it fires up and produces heat. Turn on the air conditioning if the weather allows and confirm it operates. Check every thermostat. Look at the vents in each room to confirm airflow is present. Go through every room and look carefully at the walls, ceilings, and floors. You are looking for any damage,