What to Expect During a Final Walkthrough in Escambia County

It was pouring rain on a Tuesday morning last month as I stood on the porch of a renovated brick ranch just off Nine Mile Road. We were tackling their final walkthrough checklist Florida style, armed with umbrellas, damp shoes, and a slight knot of pre-closing anxiety. As my buyers parked, looking both thrilled and exhausted, the husband asked the question I hear at almost every closing: "Are we just looking to make sure the walls are still here?"

No. A final walkthrough is much more than a victory lap. It is your absolute last chance to verify the property is in the condition you agreed to buy it in before you sign the paperwork and the seller gets your money.

In Escambia County, the weather alone can change a house's condition in a matter of days. That rainy Tuesday was a perfect example. The sellers had moved out over the weekend. Then heavy downpours on Monday night pushed the limits of the older gutters. As we walked through the back door, I immediately checked the ceiling in the sunroom. The roof over that addition was noted as aging during the inspection. Sure enough, there was a fresh water stain expanding near the corner.

What is the actual point of doing a final walkthrough?

Many buyers confuse the final walkthrough with the home inspection. They serve entirely different purposes. The inspection happens weeks earlier and exists to uncover hidden problems. The final walkthrough usually happens within 24 hours of closing. Its main job is to ensure the home is in the exact same condition it was when you went under contract. You are also verifying that any repairs the seller agreed to complete were actually finished.

If you are using a standard Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract, the language explicitly gives you the right to walk through the property right before closing. You are checking for several practical things.

You want to make sure the seller did not damage the house while moving out. It sounds incredibly basic. Yet you would be surprised how often a heavy sofa gouges a hardwood floor. Sometimes a tight turn leaves a gaping hole in the drywall near the front door.

I once represented a buyer purchasing a home right outside NAS Pensacola. The sellers had a massive custom-built entertainment center in the living room. When they moved it, we discovered a three-foot section of baseboard missing and a large stain on the carpet underneath. Because we caught it using our final walkthrough checklist Florida protocol, we negotiated a credit at the closing table so my buyer could fix it. Skipping that step would have stuck the buyer with the repair bill. If you are a military family managing a tight timeline, our Military Relocation resources can help you stay organized without missing these details.

What do you do if repairs were ignored?

You absolutely must verify that all agreed-upon repairs are complete. Do not just take the seller's word for it. Bring your inspection report and any addendums where repairs were negotiated.

If the seller agreed to fix a leaking pipe under the kitchen sink, physically run the water for five minutes and check underneath. If they agreed to service the HVAC system, ask for the receipt from the licensed local contractor. If they were supposed to replace a cracked window pane, look closely at that specific window.

You also need to confirm that everything the seller agreed to leave behind is actually sitting in the house. Appliances, light fixtures, window treatments, and pool equipment are common culprits. If the contract says the washer and dryer convey with the property, they better be sitting in the laundry room when you open the door. I had a closing delayed up in Cantonment recently. The seller took a high-end refrigerator that was explicitly written into the contract. They assumed they could replace it with a cheap used one before anyone noticed.

Why testing basic systems matters on closing day