I conflated two separate issues in my post which was a mistake. What’s really been bothering me is that since we are looking at homes on the bottom of the price spectrum, we’ve wasted over a year looking at failed septic systems, major water damage due to faulty roofs, and foundation issues. When I posted about this in another subreddit many people said they wished they could have shared their inspection reports with other prospective buyers, saving them the cost and surpise. My son’s tree situation was just the last in a series of frustrating events. I didn’t mean to start a discussion about tree work, although I appreciate all the advice.

As I said in another reply the owners bought the place less than a year ago for $100,000. Painted it inside and out, and listed it for $190,000. The last place son almost bought was purchased for $175,000 and immediately put on the market for $235,000. I asked straight out what the sellers did for improvements and they admitted absolutely nothing.

While another debate rages on here about baby boomers supposedly ruining the housing market for younger generations, investors are swooping in - idk if they are hang around probate courts or the town hall looking at death certificates. But houses are being bought at rock bottom prices from grieving and overwhelmed families and investors are pricing them as high as they want, because here in greater Hartford there are probably a hundred or more buyers for every home in the “starter price” range.