Welcome to the end of Halloween month. Just one last helping of creepy, cringeworthy commentary and then we will return to our regularly scheduled program. Hang with me here.

Imagine you are perusing real estate online and, suddenly, there it is again. The house you saw online a few weeks ago. You remember it because it had the kitchen you loved, the backyard you could picture yourself in and a bathroom with wallpaper you had already mentally replaced. The house was there, and then it was gone. It literally disappeared for a couple of weeks. This generally means it was either sold or has gone under contract. This was no mystery. Out of the 15,476 current active listings in Utah, this was certainly one of the good ones. Even the wallpaper in the bathroom wasn’t distasteful, just not your style. Perhaps you felt a sting of disappointment, but you just buckled up and held tight for the next one.

Then, just as you had all but given up hope of finding “the one,” the home that disappeared suddenly reappeared with the bold description: “Back on the market.” Like a zombie crawling out of its grave, the house has returned. It looks like the same house. It was certainly the same address. The kitchen that you fell in love with was the same. Even the bathroom wallpaper was still there. However, something happened between its departure and its resurrection, and you’d like to know what. Did the buyer’s financing fall apart, or is there something lurking in the basement that wasn’t mentioned in the charming property description?

This is not an unreasonable question. Something really could be wrong with the house. Aside from skeletons in the closet, or poltergeist sightings, there are plenty of other things that can cause a property to rise from the grave of almost sold houses. In fact, some have nothing to do with the house itself.

For starters, financing can fall apart. A buyer may have been preapproved, but preapproval isn’t the same thing as a final loan approval. This is a preliminary check that most lenders do before issuing a prequalification letter. A change in employment, an unexpected issue with credit or a major purchase before closing can throw a wrench into the works. And when your lender says, “Don’t make any large purchases before closing,” that includes the shiny new truck you decided to finance three days after receiving your prequalification letter. Financing it doesn’t make it less of a purchase. It just gives the lender another monthly payment to worry about. Sometimes that throws you right out of the game for home loan qualification.

Sometimes the appraisal comes in lower than the agreed-upon purchase price. When that happens, the buyer and seller may need to renegotiate, the buyer may need to bring additional funds, or the parties may decide they can’t make the numbers work and they decide to walk away.

Then there’s the inspection. This can be the spooky part. Yet it doesn’t have to be. Maybe the inspector finds a significant issue with the roof, foundation, plumbing, or another part of the home. Or perhaps the report contains a long list of smaller items that feels overwhelming to the buyer. The buyer and seller may disagree about what should be repaired, who should pay for it, or whether the buyer wants to move forward at all. While the skeleton can be removed from the closet, some people just aren’t comfortable with the lingering spirits left behind to wander the halls at night while you’re trying to sleep. Go figure.

Sometimes, the buyer simply gets cold feet. Buying a home is a big decision, and occasionally the excitement of getting an offer accepted gives way to the realization that this particular house, or this particular moment, isn’t right for them.

A deal can also depend on the buyer selling another home first. If that sale doesn’t happen, the purchase may fall apart too. One transaction can be connected to another, and when one falls over, the rest can follow like a row of particularly expensive dominoes.

None of this means buyers should ignore the fact that a home is back on the market. It means they should ask questions before assuming the worst. Have your agent contact the listing agent and ask why the previous transaction ended. Was it related to the property, the buyer’s financing, an appraisal, or something else? Did the previous buyer have an inspection? Were any significant issues discovered? Have any repairs been made? You may not get every detail. Some information about the previous buyer or transaction may be private, and the listing agent may not know the full story. But it’s a reasonable place to start. If issues were discovered during inspections, it is then considered material knowledge, and the seller is legally obligated to disclose it to any new buyer. Review the seller’s disclosures carefully, and if an inspection report or repair documentation is available, ask to see it. Then do your own due diligence. A previous buyer’s inspection can offer useful information, but it doesn’t necessarily replace an inspection conducted for you. You may have different concerns, and you’ll want the opportunity to ask your own questions.

For sellers, having a deal fall apart can be frustrating. You’ve probably cleaned the house more times than you care to count, made yourself scarce for showings, celebrated the accepted offer and perhaps started packing. Now the house is back on the market, and you’re wondering whether every buyer who sees it will assume there’s a body buried in the backyard.

The best approach is to be straightforward about what you know. A house returning to the market can feel like a setback, but it can also be a second chance. For the seller, it’s another opportunity to find the right buyer. And for the buyer who thought they missed out, it might be the house they hoped would come back.

Just ask a few questions, do your homework and remember: A house coming back from the dead isn’t necessarily scary. Unless, of course, it comes back with the seller’s Halloween decorations still in the yard in February. Then we may need to investigate further.

Jen Fischer is an associate broker and Realtor. She can be reached at 801-645-2134 or jen@jen-fischer.com.