Should a home buyer do a pre-closing walkthrough prior to purchasing a home?
We get that question from time to time. My answer is always the same.
“Yes. I believe you should do a walkthrough of your home before closing.”
We see people say Buyer walkthrough, walk through and Buyer walk thru… No matter how you spell it, the answer is still the same. Just do it.
Our current residential real estate purchase contract is pretty clear on when and why a buyer would want to do a walkthrough.
Section 6l lines 298-301 of the current Arizona residential real estate resale purchase contract states the following:
Yes, a buyer can do more than one walkthrough, if necessary. Talk to your agent / broker for specific reasons and timing, etc. They should be able to help you through the process.
You’ll notice a few things about this section and it might bring up a few more questions.
Typically, the buyer will conduct their pre-closing walkthrough at least three days prior to the scheduled close of escrow date. This applies to the majority of our purchase contracts. A buyer is not “required” to perform a walkthrough, but it is very common and seems kind of foolish NOT to do one.
Here in Arizona, we have a specific form that is called a BUYER PRE-CLOSING WALKTHROUGH form. That particular form is used to let all parties know one of three things.
Please note: As your REALTOR®, I can NOT do the final walkthrough for you. I am happy to be with you, but if you are not in the state or if you “do not have time” to visit the property prior to closing, you’ll want to get a personal representative, a family member or a friend to take your place.
Here’s a good FAQ page from the Arizona Association of REALTORS® that talks about the “Buyer Pre-Closing Walkthrough.” It is helpful and informative.
This article is NOT intended to provide legal advise. Nick Bastian is NOT an attorney. Some of the statements on this page are my opinion and some are taken from the current Arizona Association of REALTOR’S® residential real estate purchase contract.
As always, please feel free to call to discuss any aspect of buying or selling a home.