Getting Ready for the Buyer's Final Walkthrough: What Sellers Need to Do
What You’ll Learn
- What the buyer's final walkthrough is for, and what it isn't
- Which contract terms set the standard for the home's condition
- How to show agreed repairs were done and what to leave behind
- Why utilities should stay on and what to gather for the buyer
- What to do if something breaks between contract and closing
Near the end of a sale, the buyer usually gets one more look at the home before closing. This is the final walkthrough. For the buyer, it's a chance to confirm the home is in the condition the contract calls for. For you as the seller, it's the last checkpoint before the deal closes, and some preparation can help it go smoothly.
This article covers the seller's side: what the walkthrough is for, how to prepare the home, what to leave behind, and what to do if something changes between contract and closing. Walkthrough rights, timing and condition terms come from your purchase contract and vary by state and local practice, so talk with your agent and, where appropriate, a real estate attorney about the details of your sale.
What the Final Walkthrough Is, and What It Isn't
The final walkthrough is not a second home inspection. It's typically a shorter visit, often scheduled within a few days of closing and sometimes on closing day itself. The buyer, usually with their agent, checks things like:
- Whether the home is in the condition the contract requires
- Whether agreed repairs were completed
- Whether items that are supposed to stay with the home are still there
- Whether systems, fixtures and appliances work
- Whether the home is vacant, or set up as the possession terms call for
The walkthrough generally isn't the time to raise issues the buyer already knew about or to reopen the whole negotiation. But if something has changed since the contract, such as new damage or a missing appliance, this is where it tends to come to light. What happens next depends on your contract.
Buyers have their own checklist. The A4H guide on what to check at the final walkthrough shows what they're looking for, which makes a useful preview for sellers too.
Start With Your Contract
The walkthrough measures the home against what you agreed to, so the contract is your real checklist. Ask your agent to go over the terms that apply to your sale, such as:
- Condition standard. Many contracts require the home to be in substantially the same condition as when the offer was accepted, often with normal wear and tear excepted. The exact wording varies.
- Cleanliness. Some contracts call for the home to be left "broom clean" or similar. Others say nothing, and local custom fills the gap.
- Repairs. Any repair agreement or amendment from the inspection negotiation, including what work was promised, who does it and what proof is expected.
- What conveys. Fixtures, appliances and other items named in the contract, plus anything specifically excluded.
- Possession. When the buyer gets the keys. That may be at closing, after the deed is recorded, or on a later date under a rent-back or occupancy agreement.
- Walkthrough terms. When the buyer may do the walkthrough and how access is arranged.
If anything is unclear, ask now rather than the night before. A question answered a week out is much easier to handle than a disagreement at the walkthrough.
Finish Agreed Repairs and Gather the Proof
If you agreed to make repairs after the inspection, the walkthrough is where the buyer confirms they're done. Buyers and their agents often look for:
- Work completed as described in the repair agreement, not a substitute fix unless the buyer agreed to the change in writing
- Licensed contractors where the agreement or local rules require them
- Paid invoices or receipts showing what was done, by whom and when
- Any permits, final inspection sign-offs and warranties that apply to the work
Put copies in one folder and send them to your agent ahead of the walkthrough so they can be shared with the buyer's side. Finishing repairs early leaves time to fix a problem if the work doesn't hold up. If a repair is running late, tell your agent right away. Options such as an extension or a closing credit depend on the contract and, if the buyer is financing, on what the buyer's lender allows.
Still working through the repair list? See how sellers can handle inspection repair requests.
Leave Everything That Conveys
Missing items are one of the more common walkthrough surprises. Before the movers load the truck, walk the home with your contract in hand. Depending on the contract and local practice, items that often stay with the home include:
- Built-in appliances, plus any freestanding appliances named in the contract
- Light fixtures, ceiling fans and window coverings, unless excluded
- Items attached to the home, such as mounted shelving or brackets, depending on the contract
- Garage door openers and their remotes
- Other items named in the contract, such as pool equipment, a storage shed or a play structure
If you planned to take something attached to the home, like a dining room chandelier, and it isn't excluded in the contract, ask your agent before removing it. Swapping a fixture usually needs the buyer's written agreement. And if removing an item you're allowed to take leaves holes or damage, patching it is part of leaving the home in the agreed condition.
For the full packing and moving side of things, see the seller's checklist for moving out before closing.
Keep Utilities On and Systems Working
At the walkthrough, buyers typically turn on lights, run faucets, flush toilets, test the heating and air conditioning, run appliances and open the garage door. None of that works if the utilities are off.
- Keep service on through closing. Keep electricity, water, gas and any other utilities running. Ask each provider about a transfer or a final meter reading on the closing or possession date instead of shutting service off when you move.
- Keep the temperature reasonable. This matters most in a vacant home. In cold climates, an unheated home can risk frozen pipes.
- Leave the water heater on. Buyers often check for hot water.
- Handle the small things. Replace burned-out bulbs and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
If you've already moved out, check with your licensed insurance agent about coverage, since some policies limit coverage when a home sits empty. The A4H article on vacancy clauses in home insurance explains why.
Clean and Clear the Home
Even if your contract doesn't spell out a cleaning standard, a clean, empty home makes the walkthrough easier and leaves fewer questions. A practical approach:
- Remove your belongings. Unless the contract or a rent-back agreement says otherwise, take everything. Check closets, the attic, crawl spaces, sheds and the garage.
- Haul away trash and debris. Leftover boxes, old paint and chemicals need to go too. Disposal rules for paint and chemicals vary locally.
- Clean surfaces. Sweep or vacuum floors and wipe down counters, cabinets and appliances. Some sellers hire a cleaning service for this step.
- Don't leave "gifts" without asking. Furniture, spare tile or half-used paint may seem helpful, but unless the buyer agreed in writing, leftover items can turn into a dispute.
Gather Keys, Remotes, Codes and Manuals
Before the walkthrough, have keys, garage remotes, fobs, alarm codes, manuals and warranties gathered in one place, and remove your accounts from any smart devices that convey. Buyers often test the garage door and alarm panel at the walkthrough, so leave the remotes and codes where they can try them. The seller's moving-out checklist has the full hand-off kit list.
How keys change hands varies by area. In some places they go to the closing agent or your listing agent. In others, they're left in the home when possession transfers. Ask your agent what's expected for your sale.
If Something Breaks Before Closing
Between contract and closing, things can go wrong. A storm damages the roof, the water heater fails, a pipe leaks or a mover gouges a wall. If it happens:
- Tell your agent promptly. Don't wait for the buyer to discover it at the walkthrough.
- Limit further damage where it's safe. For example, shut off water to a leak. Take photos and keep records of what happened.
- Call your licensed insurance agent if the damage may be covered. The A4H guide to filing a homeowners insurance claim walks through that process.
- Let the contract guide the next step. Many purchase contracts address damage before closing, sometimes under a section on risk of loss, and the terms vary. Depending on the contract, options may include making repairs, offering a credit, adjusting the price, extending closing or, in some cases, letting the buyer cancel.
Your agent and, where appropriate, a real estate attorney can explain what your contract says. Telling the buyer's side early usually gives everyone more options than a surprise at the walkthrough.
Should You Be There?
Usually not. In many areas, the buyer and their agent do the walkthrough without the seller present, which gives the buyer room to look around and ask questions freely. Your agent may attend or arrange access. Practices vary, so ask your agent what's typical.
If you're still moving out close to closing, plan to be finished and gone before the scheduled time. A walkthrough with movers still carrying boxes makes it hard for the buyer to check the home's condition.
Plan Backward From the Walkthrough
Because walkthroughs often happen close to closing, work backward from that date. Unless your possession terms say otherwise, aim to be moved out, cleaned up and finished with repairs before the walkthrough, with a buffer day if you can manage it. That gives you time to handle a surprise without pushing back closing.
A quick pre-walkthrough check:
- Agreed repairs done, with receipts sent to your agent
- Everything that conveys still in place
- Utilities on, temperature set and water heater running
- Lights, faucets, toilets, appliances and the garage door working
- Belongings, trash and leftover materials removed
- Keys, remotes, codes and manuals gathered
- Any new damage reported to your agent
Then turn to the last step. The A4H guide to seller closing day covers what to bring, how your mortgage payoff works and when you get paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if the buyer finds a problem at the final walkthrough?
It depends on the problem and the contract. Small issues are often fixed before closing. Others may be handled with a credit, which the buyer's lender has to allow if the buyer is financing, or with a delayed closing. In some cases, funds may be held back at closing until a repair is done, if the contract, the closing agent and, for a financed purchase, the buyer's lender allow it. Your agent will typically work it out with the buyer's agent.
Can the buyer back out after the final walkthrough?
That depends on your contract and the issue. Contingency deadlines have often passed by this point, but contracts commonly address damage and condition changes before closing. Talk with your agent and, where appropriate, a real estate attorney.
Do I have to have the house professionally cleaned?
Not necessarily. Some contracts set a cleaning standard such as "broom clean," and many say nothing specific. A professional cleaning isn't usually required, but leaving the home clean can head off questions.
What if I'm renting the home back after closing?
Then the rent-back or occupancy agreement sets the rules, including the home's condition when you move out and whether there's a second check at that point. Read it closely and ask your agent how it affects the walkthrough.
Can I leave furniture or leftover paint for the buyer?
Only if the buyer agrees, ideally in writing. Items that seem useful to you may be something the buyer has to pay to haul away.
The Bottom Line
The final walkthrough goes smoothly when the home matches the contract. Finish agreed repairs and keep the receipts, leave everything that conveys, keep the utilities on, clean out the home and gather keys and manuals. If something breaks before closing, tell your agent right away and let the contract guide what happens next.
This article is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Contract terms, walkthrough practices and possession rules vary by state and contract. Talk with your agent and, where appropriate, a real estate attorney about your specific situation. Advice4Homeownership is a publisher, not a lender.
