To want to know why vendors are selling

[shoebedobedobedobedoo]

We are at exchange stage(as in about to). Nothing has come up in survey or searches. When we first looked at the house EA said vendors were moving due to ‘change of circumstances‘. On second viewing we were told vendors had already moved out into rented. They had taken NOTHING with them. No furniture, no kids toys, nothing. It looked like they had walked out one morning and hadn’t come back. We had our offer accepted (had to increase twice). We have subsequently had 2 other nebulous reasons as to why they are selling, and most recently told they wanted to move to a detached house. On our 3rd viewing all the woman’s was gone, but not the mans. All kids stuff still there. Pre exchange visit almost everything gone.We know (via reliable village gossip) that they have moved into a much smaller rented property less than 1/2 mile away. Were they sleeping and sitting on the floor? Neither direct neighbour even knew they were moving or that the house was on the market until we knocked on their doors. They haven’t spoken to the neighbours to tell them they are going/have gone.
The house has had extensive work done by the vendors, all in a diy kind of fashion.
Why would anyone move out of an obviously loved family home into a smaller rented place before they have even had an offer on their house? And why all the odd reasons for moving. Why not at least just give one reason and stick to it. We are worried that there may be something major wrong with the house, not picked up in the survey (there a long list in our last purchase) or the vendors know something about an as yet unpublicised building project (it’s surrounded by farm land). Would you be worried about buying this house or am I over thinking this?

[Woodlandwitch]

So many reasons

When I left abusive exh I just ran away and left anything I couldn’t immediately take and never went back

It probably would have seemed weird to potential buyers.

[TyrionsNextWife]

The first thing I would think of is that they’ve had a major change in finances, but don’t want to discuss their debt, money issues etc. Or they could be in the early stages of separation and again don’t want to discuss it.

[MM29]

I do think your overthining it

Surely your solicitor would have picked up on development plans?

They may think the house is woo and so have just packed their stuff and gone 🤷‍♀️

[ThatMuppetShow]

Have you had a full survey?

How do you know their rented property was unfurnished?

They could make up any reason anyway, so there's no point in even asking further, you will never really know.

[AlunWynsKnee]

If they've moved into a rental it may have had some furniture that they were putting in storage before bringing their own and they might have wanted to be in for something like school admissions deadlines.

[BackOnceAgainWithABurnerEmail]

All you can do is have the best survey you can and ring the counsel about planning. I would suspect money issues

[GrumpyHoonMain]

Sounds like money issues may be forcing them to sell.

[shoebedobedobedobedoo]

Thanks.
Yes, full survey. Nothing picked up- but our last full survey didn’t pick up that there was loads of damp in the house or that it needed a new roof!


How do you know their rented property was unfurnished? I don’t. But most people would consider a move into rental that involved getting rid of almost all of your furniture (we were offered it) a backwards step.

We do think it’s probably a separation or drastic change in financial circumstances. And yes, we will probably never know

[Booksandwine80]

It’s none of your business really is it?

[Drabarni]

None of your business, as long as the sale goes through.

[shoebedobedobedobedoo]

It’s none of your business really is it?
Sorry, I disagree. When I’m spending 6 figures on something I think it is my business. We have said that we aren’t interested in details, more than ‘personal’, but it’s the fact that the reason keeps changing that bothers us. If they’d said they wanted to move to a detached house at the start and stuck to it we wouldn’t have queried it.

[cabbageking]

You can check any planning on the Council website.
It is always best to check any house you are buying as it may have information about any double glazing and any outstanding building regulation/electrical work about the house but also the neighbours houses.

The owner has to complete a form re any issues/complaint with neighbours and clearly there are none.

You can clarify with your solicitor that everything will be removed by completion date but you may never know the reason.

[Moondancer73]

Maybe it's getting away from an abusive relationship, an ill parent, a downturn in finances?

[Woodlandwitch]

I wouldn’t have liked people wanting to know the details as to why we were selling which were personal and not house related.
I loved the house.

[Venger]

I agree it's none of your business and they're under no obligation to give you any details beyond "personal reasons". If you can't comfortably hand over those six figures without knowing the details then maybe it isn't the house for you and you should pull out?

[mumwon]

divorce death emigration nursing home downsizing for whatever reason (which could be caused by any of previous reasons ) as long as paperwork is signed & you can take over property … if it were bankruptcy or debt I would have thought they would have sold everything - your solicitor should have checked for flooding risks or planned new development on searches & if you had survey that wouldn't have stopped - or perhaps the property was rented out & tenant did flit

[GooseFeather]

Many, many reasons why they might move to a short term furnished rental. Easier to sell without a chain for starters. Their reason for selling is absolutely none of your business as long as everything checks out on your end.

[insancerre]

It really is none of your business
There could be lots of different reasons why they are selling

[Nofunkingworriesmate]

I thought you were legally obligated to report neighbour disputes or building development? You have had full survey so chill out ... my folks died in car accident leaving all personal bits in house during viewings and didn’t tell buyers

[Passthecherrycoke]

I wouldn’t dream of explaining to a buyer why I’m selling them my house, beyond a generic “want somewhere bigger” or whatever. I have zero relationship to these people, why would I? It’s a transaction.

Although at a guess I reckon they have financial issues that have not yet quite hit disaster and they’re selling up before the shit really hits the fan.

As for leaving their belongings, I guess the advantage of doing what they are is you can move everything slowly

[timshelthechoice]

Lots of possible reasons, most probably financial. If this bothers you so much then you pull out of the deal. They are under no obligation to detail anything to you beyond the legal.

[Span1elsRock]

Our house is on the market. We're moving because of another twat in the village whose dog keeps attacking ours, but I don't want to verbalise that in case we put anyone off, especially if they have pets.

We've just said we're looking for a fresh start. Which we are - to us that means walking our dogs in safety and without having to go out in pairs.

[MoreCuddlesForMummy]

We got a load of fluff from the people who owned our house before us. They were loving to Spain or France but they couldn’t decide where. At the last minute their mail redirection was messed up and could we just “return to sender”. Which I duly did for 3/4 months and then I got suss and opened all the mail; they were in SO MUCH DEBT and I think they skipped out on their mortgage too. I still occasionally get an old debt collection letter for them and we’ve been in for 5.5 years.

I would be inclined to think it was a combination of the relationship breaking down and finances going belly up. But that’s just my feeling.

[whatsleep]

It’s haunted 👻👻👻!!!

[Bluntness100]

If it's nothing to do with the property, which it appears it's not then it's absolutely nothing to do with you op. Buying their house doesn't mean you get to pry into thr sellers private lives.

And if it was something that was to do with the property that they had to move out as it was uninhabitable, then you'd bloody know, you'd see it, or the survey would pick it up.