no....they only need to know information about the house....they're buying the house....personal information is not relevent....it's crossing the line.

If it is a material fact about the house, yes.   If it is not, they can ask & up to seller/listing agent to answer.

The sellers have a duty to disclose information about the property that affects the property, or may affect it.  If they know of a material defect, or a latent material defect, or a road change, or a zoning change, or other disclosure -- and if that's the reason they're moving -- they should disclose.  But, they never do.  So a buyer and their agent need to perform their own due diligence.  

It's all about the house not about the people. So I would say no.  

Nope.  Nunya bidness.

Not really but they always ask Debbie, good question.

As Spirit Messingham said, only if it relates to a disclosable material defect, otherwise, it is absolutely NONE of their business.

IMHO no it's none of their business. 

Debbie,

The "right" is a heavy word! The buyers have no rights in this instance. A

Sure, and there's just one good reason:
They'd rather have the money than the house!  :D

Seriously, since the reason for that question is usually to attempt to determine some level of distress that can justify a low offer, the broker really should not be disclosing without the seller's express permission anyway.

Yes, as long as the buyer chooses to beleive, "To be closer to family."

I trust the buyer is able to observe the rail road tracks 12 feet behind the house that has traffic at 10 am 3 pm 7pm and 4 am.

Hi Debbie -- I don't think there is a "right" but buyers always ask and it is a part of the discussion when I'm listing a property.  How do you want me to answer when people ask -- where are you selling? I ask the seller.    That answer becomes my response.

Debbie, I will only disclose if authorize by the Seller. Usually no I do not give any thing which may place my Seller at a disadvantage. 

Debbie Reynolds No, buyers do not have the right to know why the seller is selling. It is up to the seller, if they wish to disclose a reason. I would only disclose it with seller permission.

Buyers may not have they right to know the reason a seller is selling, but if disclosing the reason doesn't damage the seller, why not tell the buyers?  

If it appears to be a big secret, people tend to jump to conclusions and think all kinds of crazy things. 

They have the right to ask but never the right to know unless it's directly from the Seller. They certainly won't hear it from me, ever.

Debbie, I get that question a lot. The seller will tell you why. It may night be the truth and there is not much a buyer can do.

Imagine if the seller was forthright and said, "I'm selling because the guy across the street sits in his front lawn everyday facing my house while wearing a Freedie Kruger mask",........now how about an offer!

Aside from possibly violating any disclosure issues in the pertinent agreement that is valid in the situation, this would also likely cross the boundaries of privacy legislation that exists in my market.

No.  And I don't know why they would care.

No, they can ask you as their agent but it is not mandatory to expect an answer.

Debbie - It is not the 'right' of the buyer to know why the seller is selling their home. The buyer does have the 'right' to have any known material defects disclosed to them by the seller and that is it. The buyer can ask why a seller is selling, but it is up to the seller whether they want to share that information or not.

It certainly isn't a "right" of the Buyer.  The Seller only has to disclose material defects, if that is the issue.  Beyond that, the Seller has no reason to disclose their reason for selling. 

No they do not, sometimes its obvious like an estate sale or an investment property or a military relocation

No, but if I'm representing I ask anyway. Buyers always ask me and while it's not relevant to their purchase, you'd be surprised how many times a listing agent will spill the beans.

The "right" I am not sure about that but I think its a fair question. I would want to know but in the end I dont know if its that important... unless its an issue with the property then trying to pass that off to someone else is likely a lawsuit waiting to happen

No, but that won't stop them from asking, especially if the seller is present when the property is being shown.  Just one of many reasons the seller shouldn't be present.

Let's face it, the buyer is always curious and it "humanizes" the house to the buyer. So, although they have no right to know, it's good to have a story like couples who are always asked "how did you meet". 

I always say, they didn't say, but it is probably the ghosts. 

No!     In our area its because they are going to a retirement home or moving closer to family for help.