Isaac, I understand your frustrations. But I am also on the receiving end of such communications and calls, as well as close relatives and friends. You have to understand the selling of a "home", unlike that of an investment property, is something very personal, and involves careful thought.
My first experience with this is back in the 80's, my dad owned a mix use property, two stores on the ground floor, and apartments upstairs and he lived in one and four garages. He was sick, hospitalized, then decided to close the business he ran in one of the stores. The other store was vacant. The mortgage was also paid off. He was planning on putting in new store fronts, residing the building before renting it out, but it took a while since he's recuperating, so the place look vacant of over a year. Guess what?? He got mail offers, phone calls to buy his place some callers are so convincing he actually wanted to sell.
He didn't sell because I convinced him it was a bad idea. He had a cashed based business, reported little income, and his social security wouldn't be much. But he had a stack of cash, and once the building is renovated, the store rents, apartment rent, garage rent will fund his retirement. Also I warned him if he live a long life, like his parents, and brothers, the sale of the property for $250K won't fund his retirement, He died a few years ago, the rents indeed fund his retirement over 30 years, still had the building and his children, myself included sold it on a step up basis for $1.1million. And yes, $250K cash won't fund a retirement of 30 years.
Then I had a tenant whose parents died, and left him and his two siblings the family home. Problem was some years back my tenant renovated his parents home, added living quarters on the 2nd floor, was ready to move in. Due to a dispute, did not. On his parents death, wanted to move back, in but had to deal with his siblings, which took over a year. Meanwhile, he was getting calls on the vacant house. Question is, is it good idea to discuss his family problem with total strangers, or just say NO, I'm not selling.
And I knew of a few people who lived in their parent or grandparents home, rent free, years after their parents are gone. In some cases, the property looks unkempt. One lady who works with me never got a raise, because our employer, a private company, does not fire poor performers, just not give them raises. She said, "that's OK, I'm not paying any rent". Imagine a fast talking cold caller convince the owner, her grandma. to sell and she'll be out on the streets.
Finally, sad to say, my mom in law just past last year, and we finally settled her estate, including real estate, sold on a stepped up bases. She has not lived there for two years after leaving the hospital, staying with her children including us. Her thought was she'll get well soon enough to go home, though she's in her 90's. So are we going to sell it to an investor, or keep the vacant home for her? My wife goes a few times a month to clean up the place, so it's another situation where it's NO, the property is not for sale.
My MIL was not the only one in such a situation. A house vacant for several years down the block from me was in the news, some fraudsters look a $200K home equity loan, cashed out, then disappeared. Turned out the owner was in a nursing home out of state, and the family is holding the property till he's well enough to get home.
Isaac, there are many cases where apparently vacant unkempt properties are NOT for sale. You'll have to be patient and get at it, in some cases, 5 to 10 years or more. In @Kai Van Leuven example, I doubt whether the person living there, most likely rent free, in her grandma's home is anxious for grandmas to selling it, and he winds up homeless on the streets. It takes super salesmanship to convince someone to go homeless.
