If the seller seems odd about anything during the sale, that is good
reason to let it go.

Well from the seller's perspective the same goes. I've had good buyers
and bad ones.

I have a somewhat unique perspective here, as I have met both the potential
buyer (Jack) and the seller. (Last week I flew to Wisconsin to lend a
casual eye to the bird for Jack.)

In this case, I'd say both parties were "good", but distance and
circumstances conspired against the sale. IMHO, here's why:

1. Jack is 1500 miles away
2. The seller had a local buyer that was interested in the plane.
3. Jack understandably wanted a pre-buy inspection conducted at a "neutral"
location.
4. The seller was understandably wary of letting his prized Arrow be
dismantled by an unknown shop, especially in light of #2, above.
5. The seller made personal contact with the "neutral" shop that made him
even more uncomfortable.
6. The seller started to ponder the awful possibility that (a) the "neutral"
shop could tear his plane apart and find something wrong, which would (b)
cause his erstwhile potential buyers -- located inconveniently on the other
side of the continent -- to withdraw from the deal and (c) potentially leave
him to pay the "neutral" shop for the work, if Jack and his partners turned
out to be nefarious cretins.

All of these factors came into play -- most importantly #2. IMHO, without
#2 the seller might well have silently swallowed his worries, and gone
through with the deal.

But who knows? The whole experience can be frustrating, but in this case
it's probably all for the best that the deal fell apart.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"