At the pre-closing meeting, the homebuyer is close to the moment they've waited for so long—move-in day. Today, they'll see the home they chose, with all of the selections they made to personalize it. If the customer is happy with what they see and hear at the pre-closing meeting, they're more likely to be happy with the quality of the home and be more willing to refer friends and relatives to your company.
At the pre-closing meeting, talk to your customers about the following areas:
Site: Review the landscaping and lawn features, if they've been installed. You should also review the location of flatwork and window wells. Review any grading work that has been done.
Exterior: This is the final review of the exterior features of the home and the structural options as they've been installed.
Mechanical: Your biggest priority at the pre-closing meeting is to educate the homeowner about their new home. You need to demonstrate the location and operation of all of the major mechanical components of the home, such as the heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical systems. You should also demonstrate how the appliances and specialties, such as garage door openers and ceiling fans, work.
Interior: The pre-closing meeting is the final opportunity to review the customer's selections and upgrades. The meeting is also an opportunity to tour the home to check the condition of the interior surfaces and finishes. During this tour, you and the homebuyer will create a punch list of repairs and corrections that should be completed before the homebuyer moves in. The punch list establishes the list of items that the company is responsible for repairing. Any additional damage done during the move-in process will be the customer's responsibility.
More information can be found in our related article, "Managing Customer Expectations through Construction Meetings." Also, BuildIQ University offers these related online training courses:
