Text by Kathy Wiebe
In the sales contract, the sellers of your new home agreed to leave all the light fixtures, custom blinds, and refrigerator. When you walk in the home on moving day, to your surprise, all of those things are gone. In addition, the locks on the back door are broken; there is a huge stain on the living room carpet, and the garage opener doesn’t work.
Although this may be extreme, it could happen, which is why it is important to have a final inspection of the home you are purchasing before the closing. A pre-closing inspection gives you, one last opportunity to verify that you are getting all that was promised in the sales contract. Although buyers still have the legal recourse if they discover-even after closing-that the condition of the home is not as it should be. The best time to identify problems is before closing when the seller will be motivated to correct any deficiencies to close the transaction.
Typically, a buyer takes possession of a property one to three months after signing the sales agreement. But, a lot can happen before the actual move-in. Appliances and fixtures can break down, and walls, carpets and doors can be damaged during the seller’s move-out. Sometimes the seller will have simply forgotten what he or she has agreed upon and would like a chance of it being remedied.
If possible, schedule the inspection right before the closing, such as the day before. Ask your real estate professional to attend the inspection with you. What should you inspect? Using a copy of the sales contract as a checklist, first make sure that all items should be in place (appliances, built-in furniture, window coverings, fixtures, etc.) are there.
Test each appliance to make sure they work properly. Bring along an electrical clock or radio to test each electrical outlet. Test all electrical switches and the garage opener, if there is one. Run the garbage disposal and turn on every water faucet, checking under the sinks for leaks. Flush the toilets. Inspect the floors, carpets, walls and doors for recent damage.
If you discover that something is damaged or missing, make a note of it and inform your real estate professional immediately. In most cases, the seller is usually able to take care of small problems immediately, either by making a needed acknowledgment of the deficiencies and agreeing to correct it. Although pre-closing inspections take time and may be inconvenient, they are important and well worth the buyer’s time.
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