The Wilson County Final Walk-Through Checklist (Buyers Use This)

TL;DR: Your final walkthrough is a one-hour, last-chance inspection that happens 24 to 48 hours before you sign closing documents. Bring this final walkthrough checklist, a phone with a camera, a charger to test outlets, and the inspection report. The goal is not a second inspection — it is verifying that the house is in the condition you contracted for.

Most Wilson County purchase contracts give buyers the right to a final walkthrough in the 24 to 72 hours before closing. It is the single most under-prepared step in the entire buying process. Buyers spend weeks on inspections, financing, and contingencies, and then walk through the home one last time in fifteen minutes without a list, miss a $400 repair credit, and find the problem two weeks after they move in. This guide is the list. Print it, take it to the property, and use it.

The walkthrough is your contractual moment to confirm three things: agreed-upon repairs were completed properly, the home is in substantially the same condition it was at contract, and the property is being delivered with the fixtures and personal property the contract specified. It is not a second inspection or an opportunity to renegotiate. But it is the last point where you have leverage — once you sign closing documents, you own the problems.

Table of Contents

• When the Walkthrough Happens and Who Attends
• What to Bring
• Outside the House
• Inside Room by Room
• Systems to Test
• Verifying Repairs from the Inspection
• Confirming Fixtures and Personal Property
• What to Do If Something Is Wrong
• A Local's Take
• Frequently Asked Questions

When the Walkthrough Happens and Who Attends

The final walkthrough is scheduled 24 to 72 hours before closing. In Wilson County, the most common pattern is the morning of closing or the evening before — sellers want to be fully moved out, and buyers want to see the home as empty as it will be at closing.

Typically present: the buyer, the buyer's agent, sometimes the buyer's inspector if there were repair items needing re-verification. The seller and listing agent are usually not present — they have already moved out. You access the property through the showing service that has been used throughout the transaction or a key handoff arranged through the listing agent.

Block out a full hour. Most walkthroughs take 30 to 45 minutes if everything is in order. If something is off, you want time to document, photograph, and call your agent without rushing.

What to Bring

• This checklist, printed or on your phone
• The inspection report (paper or PDF)
• The repair amendment, if your contract had one — the list of seller-agreed repairs in writing
• A phone with camera and full charge
• A phone charger (you'll use it to test outlets)
• A small flashlight (or your phone flashlight)
• A bottle of water (sounds silly — these walkthroughs run long)
• Your purchase contract or a copy of the bill of sale for any personal property

Outside the House

Start outside. Walk the perimeter clockwise from the driveway.

• Driveway and walkway. Any new cracks, oil stains, or damage since the inspection? Wilson County's freeze-thaw cycles can open cracks in a single winter.
• Front yard and landscaping. Lawn condition should match the listing photos and your last visit. If the seller was responsible for routine maintenance until closing, the grass should be cut and beds should not be overgrown.
• Roof. Visual scan from the ground. Any new sagging, missing shingles, or debris? Use your phone camera to zoom in on the ridge line.
• Gutters and downspouts. Tug-test them where you can reach. Are downspout extensions still in place? In neighborhoods near Cedar Creek and Hurricane Creek, downspout direction matters for drainage.
• Foundation. Walk the full perimeter looking for new cracks. Photograph any.
• Siding and trim. Look for damage from the move — gouges from furniture, ladder marks, scrapes.
• Windows and screens. Every screen should be intact. Note any cracked panes.
• Doors. Front, back, side, garage. Every door should open, close, lock, and unlock with the key the seller is providing.
• Garage door. Test the opener, both buttons. Watch the safety reverse — kick a roll of paper towels under the closing door and it should reverse immediately.
• HVAC condenser. Outdoor unit should be in place, undamaged, with no missing fins or copper line damage. If the unit has been stolen between contract and closing — and yes, this happens in vacant homes — you need to know before you sign.
• Backyard and fence. Walk the fence line. Note any new damage, broken pickets, or gates that won't close.
• Pool, spa, outbuildings. If applicable, verify operational and clean.

Inside Room by Room

Walk the home in a consistent pattern — front door, around the main floor clockwise, then upstairs or basement. Use the same pattern every time so you don't miss a room.

Every room, every time:

• All lights work (flip every switch)
• All outlets work (this is what the phone charger is for — test at least two per room)
• All windows open, close, and lock
• All doors open, close, and latch
• Flooring is undamaged (no new scratches from movers, no missing flooring squares the seller pulled up)
• Walls show no new holes beyond what was disclosed (a TV mount removal often leaves an unrepaired anchor pattern)
• Ceiling shows no new water staining
• Closets are empty
• Smoke detectors are in place

Kitchen:

• Refrigerator (if conveying) operational and cold
• Range, both stovetop burners and oven, heating
• Microwave runs
• Dishwasher runs through a short cycle
• Garbage disposal runs
• Sink drains both bowls
• All cabinet doors and drawers open and close (look for water damage under the sink)
• Backsplash intact

Bathrooms (each one):

• Toilet flushes and refills
• Sink hot and cold both work, water gets hot
• Tub and shower hot and cold both work
• Tub drains and shower drains
• Exhaust fan runs
• No new leaks under vanity

Laundry room:

• Washer (if conveying) runs through a fill cycle
• Dryer (if conveying) heats
• Dryer vent is connected
• No leaks at hookups

Utility and HVAC:

• Furnace and air handler accessible and undamaged
• HVAC filter looks clean or the seller has left a new one
• Water heater operational, no leaks or rust at the base
• Electrical panel accessible, no new burn marks or amateur wiring
• Sump pump, if present, runs

Systems to Test

Beyond room-by-room checks, run the major systems through their paces.

HVAC. Set the thermostat to heat first, wait a few minutes, confirm warm air at three vents. Then set it to cool, wait, confirm cold air. Both modes should work in the walkthrough. If you cannot do both because of seasonal restrictions on the equipment, at least confirm the system that matches the current season.

Water. Run kitchen hot water for two minutes — should get fully hot. Listen for water hammer or unusual sounds. Then run a faucet in the farthest bathroom and confirm hot reaches there too.

Plumbing. Flush every toilet. Run every sink. Run the tub. Check under every sink for fresh moisture or staining. New leaks sometimes appear during the vacant period.

Electrical. Test the GFCI outlets in kitchens, bathrooms, garage, and exterior — press test, then reset. If they don't trip and reset, that is a finding.

Appliances. Every conveying appliance gets a basic operational check.

Verifying Repairs from the Inspection

This is the highest-stakes part of the walkthrough.

If your contract included a repair amendment — the seller agreed to fix specific items from your inspection — you need physical confirmation each repair was completed. Best practice: bring the inspection report, the repair amendment, and any receipts the seller is supposed to provide for licensed contractor work.

For each repair item:

• Find the location in the home
• Confirm the repair was performed
• Take a photograph
• If the seller agreed to provide receipts (HVAC service, electrical work, plumbing, roof), confirm you have them in hand

Common failures:

• Seller "completed" the repair with a temporary fix. A leaking faucet got a new washer installed instead of the fixture replacement called for. A missing GFCI was hidden behind a panel cover instead of installed.
• Licensed contractor work was done by a handyman. If your amendment said "licensed electrician," the receipt should show a Tennessee-licensed electrical contractor's name and license number.
• Repair was performed but is already failing. A roof patch that already shows water signs in the attic.
• Repair was not performed at all. Sometimes sellers run out of time. This happens more than people expect.

If any of these come up, document immediately and stop — do not continue the walkthrough until you have your agent on the phone.

Confirming Fixtures and Personal Property

Wilson County purchase contracts default to including most permanently affixed items — light fixtures, ceiling fans, built-in appliances, window treatments — and excluding most personal property unless specifically listed. Disputes happen on the edges.

Walk through and confirm:

• Every light fixture from your last visit is still in place. Chandeliers, pendant lights, and specialty fixtures get swapped most often.
• Window treatments. Blinds and curtains the contract specified are still there.
• Ceiling fans match what you saw.
• Built-in shelving, mounted TVs (if specified), and built-in appliances remain.
• Personal property the contract added — riding mower, refrigerator, washer/dryer, generator, hot tub, swing set — is still present and operational.

Sellers occasionally swap a high-end fixture for a builder-grade replacement on the way out. The contract default is that fixtures convey unless specifically excluded. If a chandelier you saw at offer is now a $40 home improvement store replacement, that is a finding.

What to Do If Something Is Wrong

You have three options when the walkthrough surfaces a problem.

Option 1: Closing-day credit. The seller credits you cash at closing equal to the cost of the missing repair or fixture. This is the most common resolution and the cleanest for both sides. Your agent contacts the listing agent, you get a contractor estimate, and the closing attorney adjusts the settlement statement.

Option 2: Delay closing. If the issue is large — a missing HVAC unit, a major appliance, an incomplete repair — you can refuse to close until it is resolved. This is high-leverage but logistically painful, especially if you have movers scheduled. Use it for material issues only.

Option 3: Escrow holdback. A negotiated amount sits in escrow at closing pending completion of the repair. The funds release to the seller when the repair is verified. This is best for repairs that need a specialized contractor and could not be done before closing — a furnace ordered but not yet installed, for example.

What you should not do: close and "deal with it later." Once closing is signed, your leverage drops to zero. The cost of a $4,000 repair becomes your problem, not the seller's.

A Local's Take

The Wilson County walkthroughs that go badly almost always share two patterns. The first is the buyer who treats it as a sentimental visit instead of an inspection — they walk in excited about owning the home, miss three issues, and call later that night asking what they can still do. By then, leverage is gone.

The second is the buyer who arrived expecting everything to be perfect because the inspection was clean. Inspections are a snapshot of a moment. Between inspection and walkthrough, the house has been emptied, fixtures have been removed, appliances have been moved, and sometimes a roof has had a hard storm or a pipe has frozen. Wilson County winters can introduce a new freeze crack or a backed-up gutter between contract and closing. The walkthrough is your chance to catch all of that.

Block the full hour. Print the list. Bring the inspection report. Test the GFCIs. Photograph everything. The walkthrough is not the time to be polite or efficient — it is the time to be thorough.

For more on the broader Wilson County process, see Wilson County Home Buying Timeline and Closing Costs in Tennessee for Home Buyers.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the final walkthrough happen? Typically 24 to 72 hours before closing. Most common in Wilson County is the morning of or evening before closing.

Is the final walkthrough required? Most Tennessee residential purchase contracts give the buyer the right to a final walkthrough but do not require one. Skipping it is legal — and a bad idea.

Can I bring my inspector to the walkthrough? Yes, particularly for repair verification. Some buyers also bring a contractor to verify completed repairs. Either is allowed.

What if the seller hasn't moved out yet? That is a problem. The contract usually requires the seller to deliver the home vacant and broom-clean at closing. If they are still moving, your agent should be calling the listing agent to confirm a delivery time. You may need to delay closing or build in a use-and-occupancy agreement.

Can I back out of the deal at the walkthrough? Not for cosmetic issues or minor problems. You can refuse to close — or escalate to a contract dispute — if a material change to the property's condition has occurred between contract and closing. Talk to your agent and possibly your attorney before refusing.

What if a major appliance is missing? If the contract included it, that is a contract breach. Common resolution is a closing credit equal to the appliance's value. If the seller refuses, you can delay closing or pursue legal remedies.

How long should the walkthrough take? Block one full hour. Most go 30 to 45 minutes. Bigger homes or homes with extensive repair amendments take longer.

Should I test the HVAC even if it's the off-season? Yes — test both heat and cool. Most thermostats let you switch modes regardless of outdoor temperature. Run each mode for a few minutes and verify operation.

Can the seller leave items in the garage or attic? The default is no — the home should be delivered broom-clean and vacant. If the contract specifically allows the seller to leave personal property, you should have a signed addendum. Otherwise, abandoned items are a contract issue.

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