Final Walkthrough: What Texas Buyers Should Check Before Closing
The final walkthrough is your last look at the house before you sign, usually the day of closing or the day before. It is not a second inspection. It is a check that the house is in the condition you agreed to buy, that agreed repairs were made, and that nothing has broken or gone missing since you went under contract.
It is easy to treat the final walkthrough as a formality. Most of the time it is a 30-minute stroll. But it is the last moment you have leverage, so it is worth doing properly.
What the Texas contract says about the final walkthrough
The standard Texas resale contract does not use the words “final walkthrough.” It does give you the pieces that make one possible. In the TREC One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), the seller must permit the buyer and the buyer’s agents access to the property at reasonable times, and must keep the existing utilities on while the contract is in effect. The seller also delivers possession in its present or required condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
“Required condition” is the key phrase. If the seller agreed to repairs during your option period, those repairs are part of what you are owed at closing. The final walkthrough is where you confirm them.
When to schedule it
Book the final walkthrough as close to closing as you can: the morning of, or the afternoon before. If the seller is still moving out, try to go after the movers leave. Furniture hides wall damage, and a full house hides missing appliances.
If the seller is staying after closing under a lease, plan a second look when they move out. Get the move-out terms in writing before you sign.
Final walkthrough checklist
Bring your contract, any repair amendment, the seller’s repair receipts, and your phone for photos. Then work through the house in order.
- Agreed repairs. Look at each one. Ask for the invoices. If a licensed trade was required, make sure the receipt shows it.
- Systems. Run the air conditioning and the heat. Turn on every faucet and check under the sinks. Flush toilets. Run the dishwasher briefly and the garbage disposal.
- Appliances that convey. Confirm the ones listed in your contract are still there and work.
- Water. Look at ceilings for new stains, especially after rain. Check the water heater area and around windows.
- Doors and windows. Open and lock them. Make sure garage door remotes and gate fobs are on the counter or promised in writing.
- Damage from the move. Gouged floors, holes in walls, broken fixtures. Moving trucks do more damage than most storms.
- Outside. Sprinklers, pool equipment, fences and the yard. Look for anything that was there at showing and is not there now.
- Trash and leftovers. Unless you agreed otherwise, the seller should not leave you a garage full of paint cans.
If you want a refresher on what to look at with fresh eyes, our guide to what to look for when touring a house covers the same ground from the showing stage.
If something is wrong at the final walkthrough
Do not panic, and do not sign as if you did not see it. You have options, and your agent will help you pick the right one:
- Ask the seller to fix it before closing, if the problem is small and there is time.
- Negotiate a credit or price change. Your agent and the lender will need to agree on how it is handled, so raise it early.
- Hold funds in escrow until the repair is done, if the title company and lender allow it.
- Delay closing for something serious, like an active leak or a failed AC system.
Take dated photos of anything you find. Small items may not be worth holding up a closing over. A failed system or new water damage usually is. A home warranty does not cover conditions that existed before it started, so do not count on one to absorb a problem you spotted today.
After the final walkthrough: closing day
Once the house checks out, you head to the title company. Our guide to closing on a house in Texas covers what you sign, what to bring, and when you get the keys. The CFPB also recommends you review your documents before closing and not sign anything until you have checked it is correct. Treat the walkthrough the same way: check first, then sign.
The final walkthrough is the next-to-last step on our home buying checklist for Texas buyers.
About the author
Stacy Burgin is the Broker and Founder of Terra Point Realty and a Texas Affordable Housing Specialist (TAHS). She has been licensed in Texas real estate since 2013 and has closed over 300 career real estate transactions — including 130+ home sales representing nearly $30 million in sales volume — across the greater Houston area. HAR Platinum Agent (4.89/5 across 124+ post-transaction client surveys). TREC License #630159.
Buying in Fulshear, Katy or elsewhere in Fort Bend County and want someone at your final walkthrough who knows what to look for? Call us at (713) 766-1697 or reach out through our contact page.
Terra Point Realty, LLC — TREC Brokerage License #9002493. Information About Brokerage Services · Consumer Protection Notice · Equal Housing Opportunity.