Yes, a fresh installation of MacOS is feasible on an iMac.
Yes, a fresh installation of MacOS is feasible on an iMac.
Stupid question, I know, but I don't know a lot about Macs, but I do know that Apple loves to lock down their stuff. The reason why I am asking is because on Craigslist some dude is selling a 2011 iMac with an i7, 16GB, and a 1TB hard drive for $400 (which I will of course try to talk him down on), but it's not booting into MacOS. So I was thinking I could buy it, do a clean install of MacOS, and then resell it. Problem is, I'm not sure how I would go about doing a clean install of MacOS, or if it's even possible. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
Yes, installing a fresh OS on an iMac is straightforward. Check out Apple's instructions for more details: About macOS Recovery - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314
It depends on your setup. If you're using a standard keyboard, you can usually press the command button with the right key combination—often Ctrl+Alt+F or similar. If you need an official keyboard, check the manufacturer's specifications for the exact button layout.