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It doesn't affect you one bit why they're selling - if you like the house and the price is in your budget, make an offer, get an inspection, and see what happens.
It's possible that they realized they could move a bit farther out from the city and get more land for roughly what they're paying now. It's possible that they just can't afford the house, or that there's an impending divorce, or...any number of other reasons.
It's also entirely possible that the house is a money pit with problems everywhere and they want to get out - if that's the case, a reputable home inspector should be able to point that out to you.
Down economy? Reduce-priced homes? Mother handling the sale=no commission paid. Sounds like financial reasons to me...but, it still doesn't really tell the whole story.
Along with a home inspector, I'm a big fan of due diligence, too. Research permits (big finished basement? where's that electrical permit, please!) and walk through any construction/issues not covered by a permit with your contractor.
No permits? Would be really hesitant to continue. DIY'ers love to do their basements for extra sq footage. You're right, there's no telling what's underneath. Friend's SIL did their basement but did not seal against rodents. Nine months they lived with rats chewing and infesting the ENTIRE home. Whole basement had to be gutted, belongings in basement thrown out, place disinfected. Horrible. Shortcuts and word done by "buddies" -- never a good idea.
When you do the inspection, anything the HI red flags, bring a contractor in next day.
It could be problem neighbors, but there is no way for you to know unless you see a problem yourself.
A problem neighbor for one person might not be for another, and the real problem neighbor may be the one selling the home.
they aren't going to tell you that and unless the seller is home and you get to meet them there is no way to know, plus if you ask how the neighbors are I would say they are fine.
As everyone else has been saying it doesn't matter why. Perhaps it costs to much for them, they want a home in a different location, they decided it isn't the right home for them, who cares? If you like it, have it inspected and everything is hunky dory that's all you need.
BUT, the sellers have owned it barely 6 years and paid too much. They also spent a significant amount on finishing the basement. Of course, they have way more into it than the city's valuation, even taking into account the average amount of under-assessment in this area. They are very unlikely to make back the money they have spent.
The listing agent is the mother/MIL. She said they wanted to move to someplace with more room for the kids. The house and yard are not small (not huge either). There are 4 bedrooms. It's in a pretty nice area of the metro area for lots of reasons.
So, that might be the main reason and it might not be. I'm not going to ignore my radar, but other than a sense of something's a bit off with their story, how can one figure out why a seller is really selling?
I often tell my couple clients (I'm a psychotherapist), "When you marry someone, you're marrying a set of problems." (don't worry, the rest of the discussion is much more positive and strengths-based :-) Likewise, when buying a house, one's buying a set of problems. How do you determine what set of problems you are buying when you buy a house?
(Of course we'll have an inspection, but those aren't foolproof by any means. Also, since the basement is fully finished, that hides a lot of info, IMO.)
You will never truly know why they want to sell, maybe they are embarrassed to say that it's too expensive for them, at any rate their loss may be your gain. People sell for many reasons. Don't worry about it.
Yes. There are so many reasons they're selling the house you could drive yourself crazy thinking about it. It could be they got a new job, kids/spouse doesn't like it, wanting to move to another area of the country for a multitude of reasons, better schools, length of commute, Nazi HOA, can't afford the house, house too big/small, bored with the house, bored with their lives, bad neighborhood, high utilities/MUD taxes, demotion at work, don't get along with Neighbor X next door, whatever. In terms of "buying into a set of problems," I'd be a lot more concerned about that if I were buying a used car than a used house.
I'm one of those people who is always curious as to why people sell homes. I'm kind of like the "Mrs. Kravitz" of real estate. I always wonder "is there a bad reason why they don't want the home anymore?" In any case, you don't have to be like me, but we're out there, always curious. That being said,
1) I would properly research and investigate the area (is there going to be some major development that will be building there that decreases home values)
2) How are the schools because that affects resale value even if you don't have school age kids.
3) Is there an HOA? To some, this may be a big negative.
4) Is it in a flood zone? Double check.
5) Research inspectors, and don't hire one recommended by your realtor. See if you can get samples of their reports, and find out how long they've been in the business.
6) How are taxes?
7) How is infrastructure (near trains, stores, civilization?).
8) Study comps and see how long homes stay on the market in that area. I was first interested in one suburb, but found out that despite the beautiful homes for sale, they lingered on the market. That can tell you that the area is undesirable for a reason, and you need to find out why.
There are a million reasons why people move, and that's why you have to research a lot because there are a million reasons to buy or not buy a home.
I would then park in the neighborhood in the evening with the windows down and see how the neighbors are and I would probably do a more in depth inspection using the companies for most of the big ticket items. Otherwise, it ain't my business.
It is really zero business of yours the reason for selling the house.
If your "radar" is up, then skip the house. You have already stated
that a home inspection is not bullet-proof and that finished basements
can hide problems. If you buy it then you will always have that nagging
feeling that something is fishy. Continue your search and let another buyer get
a great deal on the house.
The reason all sellers are selling is "Because they want a different house." Beyond that, who cares, and you shouldn't care either. There is nothing wrong with wanting a different house.
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