Clients of mine just sent me an email asking exactly what they should be looking for when they do their walk through of their new apartment this coming Friday. Excellent question and here is a relatively comprehensive list from one of my colleagues, Paul Macapagal of Prudential Douglas Elliman:
- All receptacles and switches work, proper polarity checked (Paul suggests bringing your cell phone charger to check outlets…GREAT IDEA!)
- GFCI receptacles tested and working
- Switches and receptacles are the proper color
- All device plates installed straight and tight to the walls
- Light bulbs installed in all fixtures and all in working condition
- Telephone Jacks working
- Cable TV Jacks working
- Network jacks working
- Door Bell working
- Toilets all working
- Faucets all working
- Showers, bathtubs, and whirlpools all working
- No scratches, chips or nicks on any plumbing fixtures
- Hot water heat, each zone working properly
- Painting satisfactory in all rooms, closets and stairways no touch-ups required
- Walls, no dents, scratches, nicks or bad finish
- Windows all working and sealed properly
- Doors all working and sealed properly.
- All the glass windows and doors good with no cracks or chips
- Wood floors properly installed and finished with no stains or marks
- Carpets properly installed with no stains and all seams match
- All interior wood trim and moldings in place and properly installed
- All Air Conditioning working properly
- Heating units working properly
- Appliances like the washer, dryer, and oven etc. are all working properly
- All cabinets and counter tops checked for scratches, nicks, cuts, cracks or chips
- All tiles checked for scratches, nicks, cuts, cracks, or chips
- All cabinet doors open and close properly
- All cabinet hardware installed properly
- Check all options such as garbage disposal, multi jet showers, steam baths, saunas, intercoms, concierge phone, alarm system, etc.
- Received all instruction manuals, directions and warranties
- Fireplace works properly, Draft and damper working
- Make sure all the keys are accounted for
- Check all the common areas of the building
This is the most complete check list I have seen in my 16 years and I can’t think of anything that has been overlooked.
You can check all these things, but unless we’re talking a fully furnished, new construction condo, you aren’t going to seriously bring up most of these things at a closing. Since most NYC co-ops are sold ‘as is’ I don’t see the point of looking for nicks in the countertop etc. — surely during your visit when you decided to bid you would have noted the general condition and factored that into the price…just my 2 cents.
Excellent point Pete and something I certainly should have been more clear about in the post. These particular clients are buying in a new condo conversion. Btw, walk-through was cancelled 3 times last week and it turned out the apartment had no bathrooms. Seems they finished them on Friday.
As far as “as is” contracts go, I would love to hear the opinion of an attorney on this. It’s my understanding (and I could totally be wrong) that “as is” is at time of contract signing. Having said that, if the seller moves out and tears up the walls (even nicks), floors, or anything else I believe the buyer would have recourse at the closing table. If that is the case, I should have been more clear and hopefully this comment clears that up a bit.
As an anecdote, I had a closing some years ago where the sellers were going through a bitter divorce and on the day prior to the buyers walk through one of the sellers came into the apartment and destroyed the place busting holes in walls and tearing up flooring just to spite their partner (dumb move I know as it cost them $75K at closing table). When the buyer did the walk through it certainly wasn’t “as is” at time of contract signing thus the big concession at closing by the sellers.
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