Houses popping on and off the market are a common occurrence. The situation occurs when the home is listed and an offer is accepted. At some point during the escrow period, the buyer and seller come upon an issue that results in the real estate transaction falling apart. At that point, the seller puts the house back on the market.
When considering homes that have come back on the market, a buyer must try to ascertain why the house is back on the market. In many cases, it can be a relatively simple reason such as the buyer thought they had financing, but could not actually get it. Sometimes, the buyer will also just change their mind or determine another property better fits their needs. None of these issues should cause you any concern if you are considering making an offer on the property. There is, however, another reason that should cause you concern.
In many cases, a home will fall out of escrow because the buyer and seller cannot agree upon a solution to a problem related to the property. The problem can be anything from issues with title to the property to defects in the property. This last issue is often the problem. A buyer will perform a home inspection and find there is some expensive problem such as termites, a leaking roof or something else. The buyer then comes back to the seller and demands it be fixed or the seller provides money for the buyer to make the fix. The seller then refuses or will not offer enough funds to pay for a fix. Obviously, this situation should be a warning light for buyers considering homes that have come back on the market.
So, how do you determine the cause of the problem that led to the home being put back on the market? One indicator is the price. Specifically, you need to compare the listing prices from before the failed transaction to the current listing. A reduced price, particularly a significant reduction, is almost always an indication that there is a fundamental problem with the home. Conversely, a similar listing price can be an indicator the problem with the real estate transaction was a buyer issue.
Homes that come back on the market can present dangerous situations or potential opportunities. The important thing is to understand why the original transaction failed.
