What Is A Pocket Listing? Occasionally I watch HGTV shows, mostly Property Brothers and Income Property, surprising I am sure since I live those shows every day! Last week I watched the season opener of Selling LA, just to tease myself with the gorgeous ocean views we don’t have here in DC. Somehow the Potomac River just doesn’t have the same effect – go figure. I digress.
A term was thrown around that show that sparked a blog topic for me. One of the agents said she’d look through the MLS as well as any Pocket Listings available. Let me clarify the term “pocket listing” for you:
- A Pocket Listing is a house an owner has expressed interest in selling, but doesn’t want to formerly list the property in the MLS (like all of the houses you’ve seen on the internet or have been sent by your agent). It’s almost like an underground property, if the right people know about it or express interest, the seller would entertain the idea of selling it.
Many times, pocket listings occur for very expensive properties or well-known individuals who don’t want “looky-loos” coming by just to check out their personal belongings and/or house.
We don’t see them often in the DC Metro area, including Arlington, for properties under $1M, so rest assured that what you see listed for sale is what your options are for picking a home.