Typically, the elderly parent or relative lived out in the boonies and the heirs live somewhere "better" and not close by. The heirs don't want that old house, and it's vacant, vulnerable to squatters, vandals, critters. There's probably no insurance. It hasn't been kept up. The lawn needs care, the snow needs removal. The heirs simply can't be bothered. It's not worth it, in their eyes.
Oh, I get the situation. (We are nearing the end of an overhaul of a country home with "delayed maintenance" ourselves.)
Just the same, if there is potential, there is value, and not just to one buyer. So making a heap of money wouldn't be a piece of cake if the price was fair.