Why do they want my neighbour's house?

[Spidergloves]

I live in an isolated part of a village with few other houses around.

My next door neighbour died in the pandemic and the house is still stuck in a lengthy and complicated probate situation. It has now been sold but it is in a major state of disrepair and will need a huge amount of work to be habitable again. There has been no exchange yet.

The first sale fell through and this morning I have just had another previously interested buyer knock on my door asking about it again. Both younger men (under 40) keen to make known the amounts of cash they were looking to throw at it as if that's any concern of mine.

This property is not modern and would not make a developer any money. Something about these potential buyers and their pushy, money talks attitude has set off big alarm bells with me both times.

Am I being silly, a bit of a nimby? Or right to be cautious? Why would they want this house? Has anyone else dealt with this inexplicably pushy sort of buyer?

Probably hope that you are in contact with relatives of the deceased. I'd just ignore it tbh.

When you say you live semi-rurally, are there a lot of fields/land to the rear of you and the neighbouring property?

If so, could definitely be a land-grab opportunity. There are a few places near me where owners have a fair amount of land that could warrant a substantial housing estate. But there is no viable access from the road - just a couple of pesky houses standing in the way that, if they were sold, could create a viable road in to a new estate.

It’s probably the plot they are interested in, more than the house. We bought a bungalow on a half acre plot and were up against several developers who wanted to put four three bed terrace houses on it. Thankfully the vendor wanted it to go to a family so we got it.

If it’s in a bad state of disrepair then I can pretty much guarantee they are trying to do something similar and are probably after your plot too.

They may be looking to renovate or known it down and sell for property development (in which case expect 3 small houses crammed on to the same piece of land.)

Just refer them to the estate agent. Nothing to do with you.

'knock it down' (sorry lost reading glasses)

No they don't. It all depnds on the price that's paid and the costs of renovation, some of which you don;t know until you start stripping it out. Many people, even builders, have lost their shirts on that combo.