Why the Inspection Report Matters at Walkthrough
By the time you reach the walkthrough, the inspection happened weeks or months earlier. The details have faded. You may remember the big findings but not the specifics of what was photographed, where damage was located, or what condition each system was in.
Bringing the report turns the walkthrough from a vague look-around into a deliberate verification process. You're not relying on memory. You're comparing what you see now to what was documented then.
Step 1: Prepare Before You Arrive
Walking into the walkthrough cold isn't useful. Spend 30 minutes the day before doing some preparation.
Pull Up the Report on a Tablet or Laptop
Phone screens are too small for inspection photos. Bring something with a larger screen so you can compare the photos in the report to what you're seeing in the actual room. If you only have a phone, print the photo pages of items you negotiated to be repaired.
List the Negotiated Repairs Separately
Write down each repair the seller agreed to complete. Include where it's located, what the original problem was, and what proof of completion was promised. Receipts, contractor invoices, or warranty paperwork should be available at the walkthrough or before closing.
Note Items You Were Going to Watch
The report likely had several monitor-level items that didn't rise to repair status. Hairline cracks, minor staining, aging components. List these too, because the walkthrough is your chance to confirm they haven't worsened.
Step 2: Walk Through Systematically
Don't wander randomly. Follow the same logical flow the inspector used. Most reports work from the outside in, top to bottom: exterior, roof, attic, then interior room by room, ending with the basement or crawl space.
Match that flow during your walkthrough. It's faster, it mirrors how the original documentation is organized, and it reduces the chance of missing an area.
Step 3: Verify Each Negotiated Repair
For every repair on your list, locate the spot in the house and confirm three things: the repair was done, it was done properly, and there's no new damage from the work.
Get Receipts and Paperwork
Ask for copies of any contractor invoices, warranties, or permits associated with the repairs. Sellers don't always volunteer these. If the inspection flagged an electrical issue and a licensed electrician was supposed to address it, you want documentation showing the work was done by a licensed pro.
Test the Repair Where You Can
If a sticky window was supposed to be fixed, open it. If a leaky faucet was supposed to be repaired, run the water. If a furnace tune-up was promised, listen to the unit cycle. Visual confirmation alone isn't enough for items that can be tested in real time.
Look for Shortcuts
Cosmetic patches over structural issues are a common shortcut. Fresh paint over a previously stained ceiling, caulk used in place of proper flashing, a thin bead of sealant covering a real crack. Janelle, a buyer I worked with in 2019, found that a seller had simply painted over the water stain rather than repairing the leak above it. The leak returned within two months of closing.
Step 4: Compare Photos to Current Conditions
This is where having the report on a tablet pays off. Stand in the same spot the inspector photographed and compare.
Look for new damage. Walls get dinged during furniture moves. Floors get scratched. Doors get knocked off alignment. The seller is responsible for delivering the house in substantially the same condition as when you agreed to buy it, allowing for normal wear from continued occupancy. Significant new damage is a negotiation point.
Look for vanishing items too. Light fixtures, ceiling fans, window treatments, and appliances that were in the original photos should still be there unless your contract specifically excluded them.
Step 5: Recheck Monitor and Watch Items
The report likely had findings the inspector noted but didn't flag as urgent. These often included settlement cracks, aging components, or marginal-but-functional systems. The walkthrough is your last chance to see whether anything has changed.
Settlement Cracks
If the original photos showed hairline cracks, look for movement. Has the crack widened? Have new cracks appeared nearby? Significant change over a few months can indicate an active problem that wasn't apparent at inspection time.
Ceiling and Wall Stains
Stains can appear quickly during heavy rain or a sudden plumbing leak. If the original report noted a previous stain that appeared dry and stable, look for any growth or fresh discoloration.
HVAC and Water Heater
Run the heating and cooling. Check the water heater for leaks at the connections and at the base of the tank. These systems can fail between inspection and closing without obvious warning.
Step 6: Check What the Sellers Left Behind
Empty houses reveal things furnished houses hide. With the rugs gone, you can see the floor. With the couch moved, you can see the wall. With the boxes out of the basement, you can see the foundation.
Look for damage that was previously concealed: floor stains under area rugs, wall holes behind furniture, foundation cracks behind storage. Brandon and his partner found significant water damage behind a sectional sofa during their walkthrough, which had been invisible during their original showings and the inspection. They renegotiated a credit before closing.
Step 7: Decide How to Respond to Problems
If the walkthrough reveals problems, your options depend on severity and timing.
For minor issues, you can request a credit at closing for the estimated repair cost. The title company can adjust the settlement statement to give you funds to handle it yourself.
For significant issues, especially incomplete repairs or new major damage, you can delay closing. This is uncomfortable for everyone but legitimate. Your contract typically requires the property to be delivered in agreed-upon condition. If it's not, you have grounds to negotiate or, in extreme cases, terminate.
For minor cosmetic items that weren't part of the original negotiation, accept that some wear during move-out is normal. Picking fights over small dings damages the closing relationship without benefiting you meaningfully.
What to Bring to the Walkthrough
A practical checklist of what to have with you:
- Inspection report on a tablet or laptop with a screen big enough to see photos
- Your list of negotiated repairs and what proof was promised
- A phone for taking new photos of any new issues
- A flashlight for crawl spaces, attic, and unlit rooms
- An outlet tester (cheap at any hardware store) to spot-check electrical work
- Pen and paper for noting anything you'll need to discuss with your agent
- Comfortable shoes for climbing stairs and squatting to look at low areas
For broader perspective on the closing process, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau publishes general guidance on the steps between contract and closing.
Timing the Walkthrough
Schedule the walkthrough as close to closing as possible, ideally the day before or the morning of. Earlier walkthroughs leave too much time for new problems to develop or for items to be moved out that should have stayed.
Allow at least an hour. Trying to do a thorough walkthrough in 15 minutes guarantees you'll miss things. If the seller or their agent is pressuring you to hurry, slow down. This is your last protected moment to verify the property's condition.