@Nrdsb4 - our house is older, on a giant (by local standards) lot, and in a very desirable location. Looks like a prime candidate for a teardown to be replaced by a McMansion or a McBox. We have been bombarded with inquiries from builders a year or so ago! Those guys don’t waste time research, they use the so called “spaghetti approach” - throw enough spaghetti at a wall, and some might stick. We’ve got teflon walls in this place. 
In my area, it’s not uncommon for owners to get queries about whether they want to sell. As far as I know, if the owner says they will sell, they are then presented with a fair market offer. When not many houses are on the market, and the buyer’s agent has found one, she wants a sale, not a disgruntled homeowner.
@Nrdsb4 - my H felt both those houses were probably priced on the low side. One was an elderly woman and I’d bet the house was outdated inside but it’s a beautiful lot. It will be interesting to see what the buyers do with it. I’ve noticed that where in the past those older ranch style homes would have been torn down and a huge house built they are now just being remodeled.
Considering how we bought our lake house, as well as many of the comments written here, I’m betting that the couple who is house hunting had their realtor call every zero lot house that backs to the golf course, hoping that they get a willing seller.
I will be interested to see how it shakes out.
There had been a recent spike in our neighborhood in additions to homes that were more starter size. They will not be McMansions when the addition is done but mid-size for our neighborhood when they are done. Yes, they are giving up some yard space, in some cases, but in others they are just building out over the garage for a nice master and en-suite bath. Saving the real estate commission and moving expense can pay for a lot of the addition and make the home somewhere a family can stay through HS. Our public schools are excellent so they are avoiding the cost of private school as well.
We tried buying a house that wasn’t for sale. We’d been looking for a house in the water and that was the one I nicknamed the dream house. We wrote a letter and the realtor contacted them. The woman’s husband had died years ago. She toyed with it at first but then declined. We ended up buying across the river from her.
When DH was calling everyone on a certain ridge on the lake, one man said he would definitely consider selling and to call back in a few days for a price. When DH called back, the wife answered and told him to go pound sand. 
In the NYC northern suburbs, things still sell fast if priced right. People get greedy tho.
I think this business of calling around is how some realtors are trying to stay ahead of the “disruption” curve. Redfin and others are trying to change the home buying process (which NAR resists as heck because it is endangering their commissions). By brokering a direct transaction, the realtor can avoid those MLS, staging, and other fees and still pocket a decent commission.