What is the final walkthrough before closing in Florida?
The final walkthrough is your last visit to the home in the 24 to 48 hours before closing, and it is not a re-inspection. Its only job is to confirm the property is in the condition you agreed to buy: every repair from your signed addendum is done, every item that conveys is present, and nothing was damaged when the seller moved out. In Florida, the FAR/BAR contract requires the seller to keep the utilities on so you can test the AC, water heater, faucets, and appliances before you sign.
By Amber Welch | July 9, 2026
You've been under contract for weeks. The inspection is behind you, the appraisal came in, your loan is clear to close, and the finish line is one signature away. Then your agent says, "Let's do the walkthrough." A lot of Clermont buyers treat this as a formality, a quick lap through an empty house before the fun part. It's not. It's the single best protection you have left, and once you sign, most of your leverage is gone.
Here's how I coach my buyers through it, and what actually matters in a Central Florida closing.
It's not an inspection. It's a condition check.
This is the part people get wrong. The home inspection happened during your due diligence period, back when you still had the right to walk away and get your earnest money back. That window has closed. If you want a refresher on how that inspection stage and your cancellation rights work, I break it down in my guide on what to do when the inspection turns up issues.
The walkthrough is a different animal. You are not looking for brand-new problems to renegotiate. You are confirming three specific things:
- Agreed repairs are done. Anything the seller committed to fix in a signed addendum should be complete, and you want to see it with your own eyes.
- Everything that conveys is still here. Appliances, window treatments, light fixtures, ceiling fans, TV wall mounts, and anything built in or attached to the walls and floors. If the contract said it stays, it stays.
- No new damage. The home should be in the same condition it was in when you signed the contract, minus normal move-out. Gouged floors, holes in the wall from a mounted TV, or a scratched cooktop are all fair game.
Remember that Florida's "AS IS" contract means the seller made no warranty about the home's condition. But that cuts a specific way. "AS IS" refers to the condition as of the contract date. It does not give the seller a pass to damage the house on the way out or take the refrigerator they agreed to leave.
The Clermont buyer's walkthrough checklist
Bring your purchase contract, your inspection report, the repair addendum, and a phone charger for testing outlets. Give yourself 60 to 90 minutes. Rushing is how people miss things. Here's the order I walk it:
- Confirm the utilities are on. This is your Florida-specific advantage. The FAR/BAR contract requires the seller to keep power and water on through closing so you can test everything. If the electricity or water is off, stop and do not sign until you can redo the walkthrough with everything running.
- Run the air conditioning. In a Central Florida July, a dead AC is not a minor issue. Set it low and confirm it's blowing cold from the vents. Then check the water heater for hot water at a couple of faucets.
- Test appliances and fixtures. Every appliance that conveys: oven, range, dishwasher, built-in microwave, disposal, washer, and dryer. Run every faucet, flush the toilets, and check under sinks for leaks.
- Check outlets and the panel. Test the GFCI outlets in the kitchen, bathrooms, garage, and any exterior outlets, and open the breaker panel to make sure nothing is tripped or exposed.
- Open and close everything. Doors, windows, garage door, and slider. You're checking that they operate and lock, and that no window cracked during the move.
- Match the repair list. Go line by line through the signed addendum. If a repair required a licensed contractor, ask your agent to get the receipt or invoice ahead of time.
- Look for what's missing or new. Are the included items here? Any new water stains on ceilings or walls? Any damage hidden behind furniture that's now gone?
Take photos and short videos as you go, especially of anything that looks off. Dated photos are what turn a "he said, she said" at the closing table into a documented issue your agent can act on.
Two things Clermont buyers should add
Central Florida has a couple of wrinkles that a generic checklist won't mention.
Post-storm re-walk. If a storm rolled through between your inspection and closing, and July through November that's a real possibility here, walk the home like you're looking for storm damage. Check ceilings and closets for new leaks, look at the roofline, and inspect the outdoor AC condenser for debris, bent fins, or a kinked refrigerant line. A working AC at inspection can be a damaged AC after a bad afternoon of weather. This is also a good moment to make sure your homeowners insurance binder is still in place, which I cover in my guide on Florida home insurance for buyers.
Rural well and septic. If you're buying acreage in South Lake County, think Groveland, Mascotte, or Howey-in-the-Hills, a home on a private well and septic needs two extra checks at the walkthrough. Confirm the well pump is producing water at good pressure and the septic system is draining. These systems don't show up on a city-water checklist, and they're expensive to fix after you own them.
What to do if something's wrong
This is where having done the walkthrough early pays off. If you find a problem, you have real options, but only if you haven't signed yet:
- Delay the closing until the seller completes the repair. This is cleanest when the fix is quick.
- Negotiate a closing credit for the estimated cost of the repair, so you control the money and the contractor after closing.
- Set up an escrow holdback, where a portion of the seller's proceeds is held by the title and escrow company until the work is finished and verified.
The trap to avoid: a verbal promise at the closing table is worth nothing. Any repair, credit, or holdback has to be written into a signed addendum before you sign your closing documents. Once you sign and the deed records, your leverage is essentially gone, and chasing a seller afterward means a demand letter or small claims court, not a quick fix.
This is also the reason not to schedule your walkthrough for closing morning. If you find a problem an hour before signing, you're forced to either accept the home as-is or scramble to push the closing, which can throw off your rate lock, your movers, and your seller's own purchase. Doing the walkthrough two or three days out gives everyone room to solve it calmly. The whole rhythm of this stage, from the walkthrough to the closing disclosure to funding, is something I map out for buyers in what happens after you accept an offer in Clermont.
Why this matters more in the 2026 market
Clermont has rebalanced. Inventory is up roughly 27% year over year with around 795 homes on the market, the median sale price sits near $450,000, and homes are still closing at about 98% of list. That means buyers have more room to be careful and more reason to protect a deal once it's under contract.
Rates are also moving again. The 30-year fixed touched a seven-week low near 6.43% in early July before ticking back above 6.5% on geopolitical headlines. When you've locked a rate and lined up a closing date, the last thing you want is a walkthrough surprise that forces a delay and puts that lock at risk. A clean, early walkthrough keeps your closing on schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the final walkthrough the same as a home inspection?
No. The home inspection during your due diligence period checks the overall condition of the property, and it's when you can still cancel. The final walkthrough, done in the 24 to 48 hours before closing, only confirms the home is in the condition you agreed to: agreed repairs are done, included items are present, and no new damage happened when the seller moved out.
Does the seller have to leave the utilities on for the walkthrough in Florida?
Yes. The Florida FAR/BAR contract requires the seller to keep utilities on through closing so you can test systems during the final walkthrough. If the power or water is off, don't sign until you can complete the walkthrough with everything running.
What happens if something is wrong at the final walkthrough?
You can delay closing until it's fixed, negotiate a closing credit for the estimated cost, or set up an escrow holdback where money is held until the repair is complete. Any of these has to be in a signed addendum before you sign, because verbal promises aren't enforceable.
When should I do my final walkthrough in Clermont?
Do it two to three days before closing when you can, and never later than the 24 hours before you sign. If you wait until closing morning, there's no time left to fix a problem, which usually forces you to accept the home as-is or scramble to delay the closing.
Do I still need a walkthrough if I bought a rural home on well and septic near Clermont?
Yes, and you should add a couple of checks. On acreage in South Lake County like Groveland, Mascotte, or Howey-in-the-Hills, confirm the well pump is producing water and the septic system is working, along with the standard systems and included items.
Your last check before the keys are yours
The final walkthrough is quick, but it's the moment that protects everything you've worked toward for the last 30 to 45 days. Do it early, test everything, match it against your contract, and don't sign until it's right.
If you're buying in Clermont or the surrounding area, this is exactly the kind of thing I handle for my clients: I run the walkthrough with you, hold the seller to what they agreed to, and structure a credit or escrow holdback if anything's off, so you close on time and on your terms. Every buyer I represent also gets a free home warranty included, because protecting your investment from day one matters, and a warranty backs up the systems a walkthrough can't fully vet. Ready to start your search or talk through a home you're already under contract on? Start the conversation at amberinorlando.myflodesk.com/homepage.
About Amber Welch
Amber Welch is a Realtor® and SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource) with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Results Realty, serving buyers, sellers, and investors in Clermont, FL and across Lake, Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Polk counties. Before real estate, Amber guided multimillion-dollar companies as a CFO, and she brings that same precision and strategy to every transaction. She specializes in affordable housing, first-time buyers, and helping sellers maximize their equity in Central Florida's rapidly growing market. Connect with Amber at amberinorlando.com.
