HomePro’s Pre-Settlement Walk Through Guide

• Give yourself about an hour.
• Be diligent.
• This is your last visit to their property.
• Conditions may have changed since your last visit.

Houses can be damaged accidently by the weather or even purposefully by a disgruntled tenant or owner. Pests and pets can damage the residence after your last visit. Now that the house is empty much more will be visible. Perhaps the weather has changed- snow melted, freshly fallen rain results in large puddles, high winds may have brought down limbs, leaves are gone, etc. This is your last chance to find any issues before your taking ownership.

Remember to secure copies of receipts/warranties from the tradesmen (electrician, plumber, heating contractor, etc.) who made the repairs based on your response to the home inspection. Secure copies of the receipts (heater service, chimney sweep, basement waterproofing contractor, etc.) who worked on the property. Have questions answered from the home inspection such as: Was it just a burned-out bulb? Or Where does the downspout underground drain discharge? Or What caused that stain?

Check items that could not be inspected during the home inspection process.  For example; the A/C if it was too cold to operate during the home inspection, or the gas fireplace if the pilot was not on/lit. Are all the remotes for overhead door openers, gas fireplace, paddle fans, skylights, etc. still present? Ask about any warranties that may need to be transferred into your name such as roofing, basement waterproofing systems. Request any paperwork regarding security systems, awnings, property boundaries (fences & gates), generators, pools, hot tubs, fire & lawn sprinkler systems, etc.

A couple more things: Check to make sure that any repairs necessitated by the local municipality for an approved “Use of Occupancy” or required by the FHA or VA appraiser were completed professionally. Be sure anything you purchased aside from the house is still there such as a lawn mower, furniture, pool equipment, etc.  Likewise verify that any window treatments & remaining building materials, siding, flooring, bundle of shingles were not accidently moved while the seller vacated. Select the link below to download a PDF of our Pre-Settlement Walkthrough Guide.