I find those questions silly as if there's an expiration date on the house, a "sell by date". It's something a buyer is taught to ask. When I bought my house I was glad it was available for me to buy it. Later I found out previous buyers couldn't get a mortgage because of their own situation. It wasn't the house's fault. Meanwhile the owner was busy doing stupid repairs/improvements the agent was advising him to do.
Not a house but the same rules are used in renting apartments. I have just rented an apartment on Friday. Agent was freaking out because it had been on the market for 34 days and I was refusing the applicants. He wanted me to do improvements, lower the price etc. I refused saying the right people haven't started looking for an apartment!!! Then Friday someone showed up and everything lined up. I accepted them immediately. Agent was going to wait till Monday to inform them and wanted to keep the apartment listed longer! I had a fit! Let the applicants know NOW so they could enjoy Independence Day and make appropriate future plans.
Agents have a way of messing with people's minds.
When I ask about how long a house has been listed and about other offers it’s not about an “expiration date”...it is about trying to guage competition for the house and what I should offer should the house hold some interest for me. Do i ask for lower than the asking price, should I bid at the asking price; or if it is a hot looking house in a prime location and others are interested, should I bid higher?!
The ‘why are they selling” is a natural question. Is something wrong with the house or are personal imperatives such as a new job or retirement influencing the need to sell?
Most informed folks looking for a home don’t look at house buying in terms of an “expiration date” like it was food...but rest assured, folks don’t want a bad lemon or a rotten tomato of a house deal!
Your agent probably didn’t want to do any work over the 4th week-end or he had someone in mind for the home that you might not have wanted. It happens.
“the owner was busy doing stupid repairs/improvements the agent was advising him to do.”
Good on the agent for being proactive, it’s part of their job and responsibility. Because a day or so before the scheduled closing the buyers are going to do a final walkthrough and the agent was preventing any last minute dispute or delay. Not only that, around three months after a closing, you would be amazed how many lawsuits are filed against sellers and their agents for frivolous “defects”. Believe me, a professional Realtor has seen and heard it all. So you can say an agent messes with peoples minds, but a great Realtor is golden.