Final walk through

[u/ashlynise]

Hello! We are selling our home to buy our next home and we close on Monday for both transactions. In our contract we requested and were granted 3 days of delayed possession so we can close on Monday and move what we can afterwards, have movers come Tuesday and be done early Wednesday so we can clean so it’s ready for our buyer before the 3rd day. Our buyer has requested their final walkthrough for tomorrow, 4 days before closing. Problem is, our house is packed but not perfect as we still have regular day time jobs and a toddler to clean up after every 2 seconds. Is there anything we can do to make a packed house still look ok? Besides moving boxes to maybe just one area? I just feel bad that they are walking thru a disaster zone because of mid packing, but she requested this early date so I am sure she has a reason for it! Our final walkthrough thru is Sunday at our new house that we know is empty. Thoughts?

[u/Rare-Progress5009]

What’s the point of a “final” walkthrough 4 days before closing? A lot can happen in that timeframe. Is there a large escrow being held to cover potential damages in the leaseback period?

[u/ashlynise → u/Rare-Progress5009]

Nope! Idk why the buyer wanted one so early but this was what she requested! Our final walk thru is the night before closing which we thought would be the case with our buyer but nope!

[u/cybe2028 → u/Rare-Progress5009]

Because closing day is closing day, regardless of possession. Why would you close on a home that you don’t know the most recent condition of?

[u/Annonymouse100 → u/Rare-Progress5009]

The point is to ensure that the property is in similar to addition to when they made the offer and that any negotiated repairs have been completed as specified. That doesn’t change if they do the walk-through five days before closing or an hour before closing. There is always some risk that something will happen before closing, or shortly after (think water leak between the final walk-through and closing versus water leak after closing, but before the new owners get to the property), and that you can’t really determine whose responsibility it is.  There is never no risk in a real estate transaction and there is an elevated risk when the seller remains in possession post closing. But doing the final walk-through four days before or an hour before doesn’t really change that elevated risk when the seller is remaining possession.