Buyers always want to know Why are those people selling?. They are afraid that there is something wrong and they do not want to make a mistake.
Its good to be cautious when make a big purchase decision at this time in our lives. Moving is a big deal and needs to be treated that way. Many of the people we work with are moving after living in one place for 30 or 40 years! A bad decision could have traumatic results.
Some people make decisions on the spur of the moment, spontaneously, without much planning or thought. Sometimes I envy those people, but not when it comes to buying a retirement home in a new area.
People sell for many reasons and coming out of the worst housing market in history, some reasons might include:
They bought before selling
They bought their new home before they sold their family home. When they were unable to sell that home, they may have realized that it would be easier to sell this home. It is probably newer and in a desirable community.
They did not have a Buyers Agent
They got in their car and started driving around to different communities without a Buyers Agent. I have heard stories about people that bought in a new home community without being represented by their own Agent and never knew about certain fees or exactly what was included or not included. The Community Sales people work for the Builder or the Developer and are not subject to the same State Laws or Code of Ethics as a Licensed REALTOR
New Years Resolution
They were sure that in retirement they were going to go to the gym every day and swim regularly in that indoor pool. They were going to shoot pool, play bocce or Mahjong in the afternoons. Have you ever noticed how those New Years Resolutions often fade by Spring? Most people moving into an active adult community with all the amenities DO use them and realize that it would cost much more a la carte to join other facilities or obtain the maintenance services included in the HOA fee. But there are those who realize that they are paying for services and amenities that they just do not use and never will.
Life Happens
Sometimes things have just changed in their lives and they just have to adjust their plans.
What matters most when you are the Buyer is to make sure you know what you want. That is why it is so important to work with a Buyer Agent that can help you make a good purchase decision. Ask yourself Can I see myself living here in 5 years or 10 years?