You put your home on the market and you received a pleasing offer. You are under contract and headed to closing. Congratulations. You know what it was like to keep the house clean and clutter free for showings. You know how to create a great first impression. But what about a last impression? The last impression occurs at the final walk through before closing. This is the last time that the buyers see the house, before they make it their home at closing.
What the buyer sees
At walk through the buyer sees the home without all of your furniture and decor and sees the home for what it is. They see every nook and cranny and all of the details. Of course you want them to still love the home. What can you as the seller do to make sure that this is the case?
Broom Clean?
Many real estate contracts state that the home must be broom clean. But what does that really mean? That is such a subjective term. Most sellers think that they left the home in pristine condition, while buyers think that it looks like the aftermath of a party. The real picture is somewhere in between. What is the worst thing that could happen if you leave your home less than pristine? There are some things that could happen.
- The buyer could simply refuse to close until the house is clean.
- The Buyer could require that you credit them the cost of having the house professionally cleaned.
Avoid Problems
The easiest way to avoid losing time, money and stress, is to make sure that you leave the house like you would want it to be if you were moving in. Here are some suggestions on things you might overlook in cleaning your home in preparation for final walk through.
- Door frames
- Baseboards
- Ceiling fans
- Grout
- Tops of cabinets
- Stove tops and the inside of the oven
- Refrigerator
- Removal of all trash
- Garage swept
Cleaning these items can help to ensure that you are leaving the right impression at the final walk through. Another thing to make sure is done is all of the inspection items that you agreed to repair are completed and receipts of work are to the agents. This will help avoid any last minute hiccups. Put yourself in the buyers’ shoes and try to leave the home in better condition that you might expect if you were the buyer. A home that is clean and ready to move into, sends a message that you have taken care of the home and that the buyers can enjoy it.