I need perhaps some behavioral advice. Have been looking for a few years for land in southern MN/northern IA on which to build an old fashioned foursquare and barn/outbuilding...something about 10ac+. Found a small place in IA -in a very quiet community- where there was a [raze-ready] foursquare farmhouse already on it (but new electrical/furnace)(but sagging foundation); tornado ripped down all the outbuildings years ago, so it's a cleanup waiting to happen. Of the 9ac, 3 is woods (with deer and turkey sign), 1ac is tilled and the rest flattened buildings, but a good chicken coop, couple small grain bins, and an old barn ready to collapse. House -if salvageable- needs LOTS of work. But built well in 1912. After talking/texting/emailing seller, finally said I'd give her the asking price. But instead of starting a paperwork process, she came back with "I thought you weren't interested...." and "You're wanting to move here...?" and "I was planning on doing a new septic system in April....", "I'm sorry I can't remember if I asked your last name. What's your wife's name?" Basically everything BUT an agreement.

Wtf is going on here?! Don't normal people just say great, I'll forward a purchase agreement? I'm so baffled by this seemingly ruse being played by little miss Okie-from-Muskogee. She's unresponsive, yet the place has been for sale for 8-9 months and no one wants to take on the manure pits, etc (except me). I've come out and asked her if she was either A) wanting a bidding war/more money or B) was being sentimental about the place (was her grandparents'). She said "Neither". (Quite frankly I'm really pissed because I've looked for so long and now I've found a place, yet I'm up against this game-player.) Should I put this in the rearview mirror? Or how else can I approach this? I've tried the 'I'll be a good steward of the place' route, met her asking price, even offered to buy more land around the place from her mom (who owns all the farmland around it). Frustrating.

Des Moines, Iowa

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