When houses go on the market, there is a general assumption that the homes will stay on the market. While that is often true, these same houses may not stay on the market. If you had wanted to place a bid on a house, only to find that it went off the market, it could be for any of the following reasons.
It Was Sold
When a house is sold in a private sale, the owner does not have to disclose to other interested parties that it was sold. While this is a distressing practice, it is a completely legal one. You can still ask the owner if the sale has been made final, and let the seller know you are still interested. That way, if the private buyer changes his/her mind, you could still have a chance (albeit quite slim).
The Seller Decided to Not to Sell
Sometimes houses for sale just do not sell for a while. The seller may have become frustrated with the slow housing market and the lack of a sale. When that happens, a seller usually gives up and pulls the listings for the house.
The seller resigns to continue living in the house, until the housing market gets better. If that is the reason why you missed your opportunity to put in your bid on the property, you could still contact the seller and ask if they are still willing to consider the offer you were willing to make. You could still get the property, but you will not get it, if you do not ask.
The Property Has Transferred Ownership
Sometimes a seller needs to get out of the house fast. They will transfer the property to a real estate agency, or to another family member. The agency or other family member can choose to sell the property, renovate or remodel the property, or even rent the property out to others until a formal decision is made.
If the property is for rent, you could move in, see how you like living there, and then offer the new owners a "rent-to-own" contract option. If you do not like living there after all, count your blessings and move on. Either way, you have learned something valuable about the housing market and how houses for sale can go on the market for a short time and then suddenly end up off the market again.
