Unable to read output from serial device using python

I am trying to write a python script to interface with an AR488 GPIB to serial converter (documentation: here). I can write/read to the device perfectly fine using a terminal program (termite), but when I try to implement communication using a python script, I do not receive anything.

I verified functionality of the device and comms settings using termite:

successful tx and rx with device in termite

And verified the serial settings being used:

termite settings used for successful tx and rx

These match with the settings I use in my python script:

import serial
import time

def send(port, command):
    time.sleep(0.1)
    eol_char = '\r\n'
    port.write((command+eol_char).encode("ASCII"))
      
def read(port):
    time.sleep(0.1)
    reply = port.readline()
    decoded = reply.decode("ASCII")
    return decoded.strip()
    

#Create an Serial instance
ins1 = serial.Serial('COM9',
                baudrate = 115200,
                bytesize=8,
                timeout=1,
                stopbits = serial.STOPBITS_TWO,
                parity = serial.PARITY_NONE,
                
                )

#Request ver
send(ins1,'++ver')

#Read and print the response
ans = read(ins1)
print('ver: ' + ans)

#Close the serial port when finished.    
ins1.close()

However, when I run the script, the console only writes "ver:". My variable explorer tells me ans is a str of size 0. What am I missing?

EDIT: following quamrana's suggestion, I edited the script to the following, which I think should read in byte by byte. However, using breakpoints, I notice that the while loop (line 18) in readsingle, is skipped. Does this mean there are no bytes in the input buffer?

import time

def send(port, command):
    time.sleep(0.1)
    eol_char = '\r\n'
    port.write((command+eol_char).encode("ASCII"))
      
def read(port):
    time.sleep(0.1)
    reply = port.readline()
    decoded = reply.decode("ASCII")
    return decoded.strip()

def readsingle(port):
    time.sleep(0.1)
    out = ''
    while ins1.inWaiting() > 0:
        out += ins1.read(1)
    return out
    

#Create an Serial instance
ins1 = serial.Serial('COM9',
                baudrate = 115200,
                bytesize=8,
                timeout=1,
                stopbits = serial.STOPBITS_TWO,
                parity = serial.PARITY_NONE,
                
                )

#Request ver
send(ins1,'++ver')

#Read and print the response
#ans = read(ins1)
#print('ver: ' + ans)

ans2 = readsingle(ins1)
print('ver: ' + ans2)

#Close the serial port when finished.    
ins1.close()