By Mel Dorman, May 25, 2021
On the day before closing, it’s a good idea to always do a final walk-through of the property you’re buying. You never know what surprises await you, if you’re unsuspecting.
Recently, I had a home inspection to attend, and I showed up a few minutes early. I opened the door, walked in, and set my things on the kitchen counter. I started to notice that things were amiss. There were soda cans and cigarettes on the counter, open cabinet doors, empty wrappers on the floor, and other indications that something was askew. I walked into the first-floor bedroom and found that someone had clearly been camping out here. Whether they had found an open window, picked a lock, or otherwise broken in, we weren’t sure, but it was unnerving.
It’s a known fact that vacant homes are a target for vandalism and folks looking for a place to stay, however it was a bit surprising to find, when I was expecting to be alone in the house. My home inspector arrived shortly thereafter, and we checked the property. After that it was a series of phone calls and the seller ended up changing all of the locks on the doors and clearing out the trash left on the floor by whomever was staying there.
Ultimately the situation was resolved, and everyone was happy with the outcome, but I’m glad that this was discovered before closing. This is yet one more reason why you should always do a final walk-through of a property before closing so you can head off these sorts of tricky situations before it’s a done deal.
Mel Dorman
Broker | OR & WA
She/They
Ten years ago, Melissa was living in a slum in Kolkata, India, helping over 200 women escape sex trafficking by providing alternative work at a social business...
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