How to convince neighbor to sell to me?

[Matt Mach]

Hello BP,

I have an interesting lead and I'm not sure how to proceed. My next door neighbor has abandoned her property since December. Quick back info is that she's a single older (60s?) woman, it's her family home and her Mom (who was living there) passed about 2 years ago. She doesn't work, lost her car and I assume she simply can't support living in the house. She moved to her sister's house in NH, they co-own the house I want to buy.

I was able to get her number from a different neighbor and she answered when I called the first time. She told me she hadn't talked to a reator yet but they were putting up the house for sale in the Spring. She quickly asked me for an offer and going off Scott's book on flipping I didn't give a number but asked her what she was looking for. She just danced around the question and said they were going to make a decision in the "spring".

I since called back and left a voicemail saying I could offer cash for the house but no offer.

So my question is, how do I tread from here? I don't want to harass her but also know that if a realtor convinces her to get on the market I'm done for. What would you do?

[Gino Barbaro]

@Matt Mach

Hi Matt

find out what you need to offer her to make a profit on the house.  Do you intend to buy and flip or hold for a rental.

You should convey to her that you will make it easy for her to sell to you, and you will be saving her the broker commissions.  You can tell her you will by as is.

It's time to give her a number, and see how she reacts.  Your focus should be on trying to solve her problem while making a profit for yourself

Gino