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More Available Than You Think: Off-Market Home Sales

Feel daunted by the lack of results when you Google, “homes for sale near me?” You shouldn’t. There could be plenty of homes for sale right underneath your nose in off-market home sales. But how to find them?

Looking to sell? Buy? Not sure? Give us a shout. 

It helps to have an experienced local real estate agent. 

There may be homeowners all around you looking to sell, but many have not gone public and put their home officially on the market. Who better to connect you with these hidden gems than a local real estate agent who knows your neighborhood — and your neighbors?

Three Families, Three Off-Market Home Sales  

An out-of-state buyer looked to find a new home in Texas. Based on their home size and space needs, I reached out to a previous client living on Hanover, but who was also actively looking for a new home. They hadn’t yet listed their home since they were still looking — but I knew it might be a fit.  

One off-market showing and the out-of-state buyer knew it was a great fit for their family.  The timing of closing and possession, however, became an issue — the Hanover family hadn’t yet found a home!  

Luckily enough, another client I had the opportunity to work with, who lived on Bryn Mawr, was also actively looking for their growing family. So I reached out to colleagues, and through my network, found yet another off-market option that matched their wants and needs. 

With open communication, all parties were able to find the right timing and new homes they loved — all accomplished outside of MLS.  

When you’re searching for a new home, it might look like nothing is on the market, but you never know. As an engaged agent, it’s my job to stay connected with past clients, family members, acquaintances and a vast network of current and previous colleagues. This opens up so much more opportunity for home sellers and buyers.  

Tips for Finding An On- Or Off-Market Home Sale

  • Align yourself with an agent that is well connected. You want to work with someone who knows more than just the local market statistics AND is also plugged in to local networks where you want to be.
  • Be open to off-market inventory. This spring and summer, about 40 percent of our transactions consisted of off-market home sales. Sellers are out there, you just need to know where to look.  
  • Prioritize the important needs, but know you may not get everything. In a market where there is low inventory, you might not be able to check every box on your list.
  • Be competitive with any offer submitted, and, in the end, be comfortable with contract terms. We don’t want you to feel buyer’s remorse or feel that you would have paid a little more for the house. Find a healthy balance between the two and be willing to walk away.

They say housing inventory is at an all time low, but is it? We think that really depends on who you know. With the right real estate agent you can find homes before they are even listed.