By NICK HARDER
Orange County Home magazine

Whether you are buying a new home or an older home, the walk-through is your opportunity to make sure that everything is in working order and that you understand how everything works. Here's a few suggestions for your walk-through:

Take a notepad or a small tape recorder. You'll hear a lot that you may forget later, things that may not be written and provided for you.Take a notepad or a small tape recorder. You'll hear a lot that you may forget later, things that may not be written and provided for you.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. The only dumb question is one that is not asked. The walk-through person may use a term or say something you do not understand. Ask what it means.

Ask a question only on the subject or room that the walk-through person is talking about. Don't get ahead or off the track. You'll waste a lot of time and won't concentrate on what's at hand.Ask a question only on the subject or room that the walk-through person is talking about. Don't get ahead or off the track. You'll waste a lot of time and won't concentrate on what's at hand.

Don't expect the house to be perfect. If there aren't any problems, it may be a miracle or the house wasn't tested properly. Most new homes have a few things wrong, from botched paint jobs to uneven towel bars.

Test faucets, the heating and cooling system and lights and fans. Flush the toilets to make sure they work properly. Test faucets, the heating and cooling system and lights and fans. Flush the toilets to make sure they work properly.

If you think there's a problem with something and the walk-through person doesn't agree, write your objection on the walk-through check-off sheet before signing it.

If the walk-through person doesn't let you write in the problem or register it in some similar way, don't sign anything that says you're satisfied with the home. You may not have a legal leg to stand on later. If the walk-through person doesn't let you write in the problem or register it in some similar way, don't sign anything that says you're satisfied with the home. You may not have a legal leg to stand on later.

If the walk-through person says things will be delayed unless you sign, then you'll have to decide whether you're willing to put up with a possible delay or the unsolved problem.

If the walk-through person says you shouldn't worry about a problem because its solution is covered in the new-home warranty, ask to see that part of the warranty. If the walk-through person says you shouldn't worry about a problem because its solution is covered in the new-home warranty, ask to see that part of the warranty.

Make sure you know how to contact the customer-service representative and the length of the warranty. Read your appliance warranties as well, because they'll likely be different than the builder's warranty. On older homes, you may want an insurance policy covering home systems and appliances included in the sale.

When in doubt about what to do, fall back on the one thing that helps all of us: Your common sense. When in doubt about what to do, fall back on the one thing that helps all of us: Your common sense.