Odd Home buying experience

Factual Questions
1

Here’s the situation:

My fiance’ and I are in the process of buying our first home. We’ve found one we really like in a neighborhood in Dallas that we like, and that seems safe and nice.

The weird part is that the sellers seem really, REALLY eager to sell. To the point of agreeing to almost every demand we’ve made.

We had the buyer’s inspection done last week, and nothing major was wrong- just a few minor electrical outlet problems, a screwy sliding door latch, beat up gutters, and a crack in a shower door.

We asked them to have all of them repaired, thinking that it’d be the start of some negotiations, and that we’d get some, but not all repaired on their nickel.

To our surprise, they agreed to get everything fixed within something like 4 hours from the time we signed the addendum for repairs.

Now, after that, (after we’ve already signed the contract), they’re offering us more money to close earlier, to the tune of doubling the new carpet allowance.

I’m kind of suspicious, but then again, I was with the inspector when he inspected the place, and he pointed everything out to me in detail, and seemed to be a very thorough and bright fellow.

What reasons can you all think of that the sellers would be in such a crazy hurry to get out?

2

Maybe they have someplace else to be?
A job transfer, for example.

3

The most likely things I can think of are that they’ve bought another place and don’t want to have to pay two mortgages any longer than possible, or that one of them has a job in another city and needs to start as soon as possible.

If the inspector says everything checks out, I really wouldn’t worry about it - be grateful you’re having such a smooth experience.

Congrats, by the way!

4

They’re under pressure to sell. Looming foreclosure? Job change? They have a contingent offer on their dream house? Who knows; maybe you’ll find out at the closing.

5

Or maybe they have to start paying another mortgage, and don’t want to make payments this month on two different houses.

6

It could be lots of things. Maybe they found a different house they like, and can’t qualify for the mortgage until they unload “your” house. Closing a month sooner is one less mortgage payment for them, and if they are early in thier mortgage that is almost all interest, so won’t change what it takes to pay off their mortgage at your closing…and maybe they just really really don’t want to spend another August in Dallas!

ETA: School is starting soon. Maybe they want the kids to start at a new school when they won’t be the only new kids in the class.

7

Be careful, you could be walking into a spectral bride situation!

8

I bought a house a couple years ago. The house was my dream house, and the owners were eager to sell. I made a low-ball offer, and they immediately returned a counter offer that was pretty close to mine. When they didn’t hear back from me right away, they made a counter-counter offer that was even lower, plus they offered to throw in a freezer, washer/dryer/etc. They also fixed every little thing that the home inspector mentioned.

It was all about a two mortgage situation. I kinda felt bad for them, but you gotta take care of number one first.

9

I don’t know how the market is in your area, but my house has been on the market since last September. Many houses around here have been on the market a year or more, the real estate bubble has burst, for now at least.

So when I got an offer $7,000 below my asking price a couple weeks ago, I accepted it with no counter-offer. I’m paying 2 mortgages which is no fun.

10

I’m in the two mortgage situation right now. If someone made an offer on my house, I would bend over backwards and do flips to make sure everything was fixed to their liking to the best of my ability. If they were minor things like the ones you listed, I’d have them fixed so fast your head would spin.
It’s a buyer’s market.

(anyone want a 3 bedroom cape cod in a great school district outside Pittsburgh?)

11

[QUOTE=Solfy]
I’m in the two mortgage situation right now. If someone made an offer on my house, I would bend over backwards and do flips to make sure everything was fixed to their liking to the best of my ability. If they were minor things like the ones you listed, I’d have them fixed so fast your head would spin.
It’s a buyer’s market.

[/QUOTE]

I received a 6 item list from my buyer’s home inspector. My first inclination was to bend over backwards even though some of the items were frivolous (a drip pan under the hot water heater?) Also on the list was a arbitrary septic pumping. I didn’t outright refuse the inspector’s list, but I sent word to the buyer that between taking a $7K cut off the list price, paying for fixing some mold the termite inspector found on the floor joists, and pledging $3K in closing costs, I thought I had done enough. Luckily he agreed.

Long story short, buying a house is a lot easier than selling one.

12

It’s probably haunted.

13

As someone who had a house on the market for almost a year, I can tell you that after the first six months or so, I would have done ANYthing to sell the damn thing. It’s a major hassle to keep your house in “show” quality all the time, and the closer we got to our move date, the more anxious I was to sell.

When it finally came down to selling, the damn buyers wanted my bookcases, which I had literally spent over a year searching for. I wanted them. But I didn’t think twice about saying “OK” because my need to get rid of the house was overwhelming.

The house was nice, too. I was the first owner, and as far as I know, there was nothing wrong with it.

14

Come to Michigan. Everyone will bend over backwards to unload their house.

Oops… Southeast Michigan.

15

[QUOTE=bump]
What reasons can you all think of that the sellers would be in such a crazy hurry to get out?
[/QUOTE]

Yeah. It’s definitely a buyer’s market. At least around here. Any idea of how much action the house has gotten? How long has it been on the market? Maybe the sellers have been discouraged about lack of interest and doing their damnedest to make the most out of the nibble they’ve got.

16

Maybe they want to get the money before the real owners get back from vacation!

17

[QUOTE=Solfy]
I’m in the two mortgage situation right now. If someone made an offer on my house, I would bend over backwards and do flips to make sure everything was fixed to their liking to the best of my ability. If they were minor things like the ones you listed, I’d have them fixed so fast your head would spin.
It’s a buyer’s market.

(anyone want a 3 bedroom cape cod in a great school district outside Pittsburgh?)
[/QUOTE]

how much and where?

18

[QUOTE=bump]
Here’s the situation:

My fiance’ and I are in the process of buying our first home. We’ve found one we really like in a neighborhood in Dallas that we like, and that seems safe and nice.

The weird part is that the sellers seem really, REALLY eager to sell. To the point of agreeing to almost every demand we’ve made.

We had the buyer’s inspection done last week, and nothing major was wrong- just a few minor electrical outlet problems, a screwy sliding door latch, beat up gutters, and a crack in a shower door.

We asked them to have all of them repaired, thinking that it’d be the start of some negotiations, and that we’d get some, but not all repaired on their nickel.

To our surprise, they agreed to get everything fixed within something like 4 hours from the time we signed the addendum for repairs.

Now, after that, (after we’ve already signed the contract), they’re offering us more money to close earlier, to the tune of doubling the new carpet allowance.

I’m kind of suspicious, but then again, I was with the inspector when he inspected the place, and he pointed everything out to me in detail, and seemed to be a very thorough and bright fellow.

What reasons can you all think of that the sellers would be in such a crazy hurry to get out?
[/QUOTE]

If you have done your due diligence it only means they are eager to have nothing prevent the sale.

Home inspections don’t turn up things like a psychotic neighbor but ya pays yer money and ya takes yer choice. Don’t forget to poll a few neighborhood peeps as part of your background research. Then, since you have already agreed on the price, just be happy you have motivated sellers.

19

As someone who has a house for sale in the Dallas metro area, I can state unequivocally that there are those who will do almost anything to GET OUT OF THE DALLAS METRO AREA.

And it has nothing to do with multiple mortgages.

20

They left the bodies, and only moved the headstones?