Red Flag? Tenant won't allow Access to Property

[Carl W.]

I found a multifamily home in my area that I'm interested in potentially purchasing. I've had my eye on it for some time and finally had the opportunity to tour it, however, when we arrived the tenant refused to let us inside. My agent was confused because the showing was scheduled in advance with the home owner the day before and everything was set. Of course, I was greatly disappointed because the home has been on the market for quite some time and I'd been afraid someone else would make an offer. It's a nice home in a great location.

Anyway, my RE agent went back to ask the tenant what the issue was and we were told we couldn't gain access because they had Covid-19. Enough said! We immediately left. But then the homeowner called my agent to ask where we were and what the hold up was with the showing. My agent explained the situation to the owner and requested a future showing ASAP. It quickly became clear to us why the property remains on the market. The tenants are not cooperating with the homeowner in showing the property, which would also explain why there are no pictures of the inside either after all this time.

This is definitely a case of disgruntled and/or deadbeat tenants. My concern is what that means for someone interested in purchasing the property. We don't have much information yet, but I'm hoping these tenants are not on a long-term lease. I would hate to inherit another person's headache. Has anyone ever dealt with a situation like this before? Any advice or tips?