I got the impression, this was their first time back to the ranch since those days. Maybe they had talked about selling it but wanted to wait and to see how they felt after some time had passed. It would surprise me to find out Helen already had a Realtor on standby.
Everyone is different. There was people that thought I should have moved and sold the house that I was living in when my boyfriend shot and killed himself. I lived there for another eight years.
Was the woman the owner of the store, or was she just the sales clerk? If she was just the clerk, I say FIRE HER A$$! I've seen articles about court rulings where Doctors have refused services for elective procedures and Pharmacists for refusing to fill certain prescriptions due to religious and moral beliefs.