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?