Asking the question “what is a pocket listing?” can lead to discovering a flurry of unfavorable online reviews.

But selling without the MLS – when done in the right way, can bring a number of distinct advantages. These include:

• Reduced Hassle: By listing your property with a niche group of the highest producing agents, you’ll eliminate having to give multiple showings to less serious buyers – saving you time and hassle. This is something you can also benefit from with a pre-MLS listing.
• Heightened Privacy: For professional or personal reasons, you might not want a listing to be marketed to everyone. Keeping a home off-MLS means your property will be marketed in the most discreet way possible.
• Helps Market a house that Shows Poorly: Some sellers don’t have time to renovate a property before it goes to market. But an elite agent has the ability to persuade the buyers they deal with to look beyond flaws and see potential.

But selling off-MLS isn’t for everyone.

If you’re selling a typical family home, an MLS listing will ensure you reach the broadest range of buyers possible and naturally receive more viewings. Although with TAN off-MLS you’re only excluding 10% of the real buyers, and they may not be the most motivated or qualified, anyway.

Sometimes an MLS listing can lead to a faster sale, but when you factor in any necessary time needed for preparing and marketing the property, this can end up making the entire process that much longer.

In the end, it all comes down to working out which solution is best for you based on your own personal circumstances.