What is a buyer walk-through?

Question: Dear Kari, My husband and I are near the closing of our home purchase and our agent said we will have our walk-through a few days before we close escrow. Can you share what this means? Answer: A final walk-through is an important part of the closing of an escrow on a house, as it gives the buyer one last opportunity to see the home. This will confirm the current condition of the house being sold. A final walk-through is not a home inspection, and it is not meant for new negotiations. This walk-through is for the buyer to make their final verification of the condition of the home. A final walk-through offers the buyers a sense of security that there are no hidden problems with the home. This takes place a couple of days before the close of escrow of the home. Buyers sometimes misunderstand or get confused about the walk-through function and believe this is a time to request new repairs. However, is not a contingency of the sale but to confirm the property has been maintained in the same condition as the day the buyer made the offer. In the event there were previous repairs agreed to take place by the seller, this is also the time to confirm they have taken place and the seller has complied with any of their other obligations under the purchase contract. Keep in mind whether it is a short or long close of escrow, with the passing of time, items may pop up that have changed. A typical situation is when the buyer purchases a home when the seller is still living there with all their furnishings and the next time the buyer sees the home on the final walk-through, it is vacant. Also, some items which may have been hidden under sofas, throw rugs and drapery that even the seller was not aware of. Quite frankly, the seller may not have moved their sofa for 10 years. Here are some items that are commonly checked during the walk-through process: turning on every light fixture, checking sinks for leaks, making sure drain plugs are working, testing all the appliances, checking garage door openers, opening and closing all doors, flushing toilets, inspecting ceilings, walls, floors, checking drawers, cabinets, windows, testing the garbage disposal, testing heating and air conditioner, checking yard areas to make sure they are free of debris and seller's personal items. During a final walk-through, the buyer should always check for new issues that have come up since the last time they viewed the home. In addition on your walk-through, if you noticed some seller agreed to repairs that have not been completed, your agent will provide you with a walk-through form to write down the items not completed or new issues. Be sure to take pictures of said items. Your agent will contact the seller's agent right away. Perhaps the two agents have a solution, such as having the seller leave money in escrow for the buyer to complete said repairs or new change in condition. This would be one way to solve this hiccup without interrupting the close of escrow. If the seller does not agree to this solution, it would be wise to continue with the close of escrow. Then, after the closing of your home, if you still desire to seek restitution from the seller, your next step would be to work with small claims court. Sometimes, hurried or excited buyers are inclined to skip the final walk-through, but agents will never advice this. I wish you the best.