Off-Market Listings: What They Really Mean (and How to Handle Them as a Realtor)

In today’s competitive real estate market, buyers and investors are searching for any advantage they can find — and one phrase you will hear more than ever is: “Do you have any off-market deals?”

But what does off-market really mean?
Are off-market listings a good idea for sellers?
And as an Ohio real estate agent, how should you handle these conversations with buyers?

I’m Mike Ferrante with Century 21 Homestar and the 21 Mike Team, serving Greater Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and essentially the northern half of the state — all the way from the Lake Erie shoreline down through Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Columbus, and Mount Vernon. If you have real estate questions or want to discuss joining our team, hit me up: mike@21mike.com or visit 21mike.com.

✅ What Does “Off-Market” Mean?

There are two common situations where properties are referred to as off-market:

1. The home is not listed on the MLS

The property isn’t actively advertised on the internet, real estate portals, or within the full broker network.
Sometimes sellers want to keep things private — maybe they don’t want photos online, or they don’t want neighbors knowing their plans yet.

2. A “pocket listing”

This is when an agent knows about a property before it is publicly listed and keeps that information “in their pocket,” sharing it only with select buyers.

Think of it as a quiet pre-listing period. It is typically driven by a seller saying:

“I want to sell, but I don’t want it blasted everywhere yet.”

🤔 Why are buyers obsessed with off-market deals?

One word: competition.

Buyers believe that if fewer people know about the property, they will:

Avoid bidding wars
Get a lower price
Get access before the general public

Sometimes that’s true — especially for investors. But here’s the reality most buyers don’t understand:

A property being off-market doesn’t automatically make it a deal. ⁉️⁉️⁉️

Most sellers today know the market is strong and aren’t discounting simply because someone found the house through back channels.

🏡 Why would a seller choose off-market?

Reasons vary, but these are the most common:

They value privacy
They want to “test the waters” before going public
They already have a buyer in mind (neighbor, friend, investor)
They want to skip showings, open houses, and traffic through their home

However…

Limiting exposure usually limits the seller’s outcome.

More marketing = more buyers = stronger offers.

And 99 times out of 100, the best price happens when the home is on the MLS and fully exposed to the market.

⚠️ What agents need to be careful about

There is a thin line between:

Honoring a seller’s request, and
Accidentally limiting the buyer pool (which can start to feel like steering)

Off-market and pocket listings must always comply with:

Fair housing laws
State requirements
MLS rules (for example: Clear Cooperation rules)

If the seller wants to restrict marketing, get it in writing, and review your brokerage and MLS policies first.

🧩 How to respond when a buyer says:

“Do you have any off-market deals?”

Here’s a script that keeps the door open and positions you as a trusted resource:

“Yes, I sometimes hear about properties before they hit the market.
Let’s talk about your price range, area, and criteria.
And let’s not limit your opportunities — there are great deals on the MLS too.”

Then… capture them as a buyer client.

When they feel you have access to something exclusive, they stay loyal.

⭐ Final Takeaway

Off-market deals are not magic shortcuts.

For sellers → full exposure usually leads to the best price.
For buyers → you may find opportunities off-market, but the MLS still offers the largest pool of properties.

For agents → say yes, qualify the lead, and use it as a door opener.

Off-market simply means “not publicly advertised,”
not “automatic bargain.”

If you want more buyer business, respond with curiosity — not resistance.

Want more strategies like this?

We train real estate agents every Tuesday, live and free.
Visit 21mike.com and click the appointment button at the top to learn more or to schedule a call about joining the team.

For more great Real Estate content:

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https://freebeerandrealestate.buzzsprout.com/