What is a private listing? In Chicago's MLS, a private listing is a home shared only with other real estate agents, not on Zillow or other public sites. Used for a short pre-market period, it builds interest and urgency before the home goes live. Many of my sellers get strong offers in that private phase, before the home ever shows up on Zillow. The choice is always yours.
Many sellers ask me about this, usually after a neighbor sold "before it ever hit the market." Is that the secret to a better price, or a way to get less? Honestly, it depends on how it is done. Here is how private listings really work in Chicago, and how I use them.
Chicago's MLS, run by Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), does not have a Coming Soon status. It has something different: a Private listing status. Here is how it works under the MRED Rules and Regulations:
These rules come from the National Association of REALTORS Clear Cooperation Policy and its 2025 Multiple Listing Options for Sellers. Both require your agent to explain your options to you in writing.
The painters are finishing, or you are still decluttering and getting ready for photos. A private listing lets agents and their buyers know the home is coming soon, so interest builds while you finish.
Days on market do not count while a home is private. If agents and buyers react strongly, you know the price is right. If not, you can adjust before the home ever shows up on Zillow. When we do go live, the home starts at day 1, with no public price cut.
With a new baby, a small child or a dog, every showing means cleaning up, putting everything away and leaving the house. A private listing keeps showings limited. If strong offers come in, some sellers decide to skip the open house and accept one.
Some sellers cannot close for several months, often because their next home is not ready yet. Some buyers need a longer timeline too. A private listing lets those buyers know your home is an option.
Sometimes a seller cannot sign a contract yet, for example while an estate or a divorce is being finalized. A private listing lets buyers know the home is coming, so the sale can move quickly once the paperwork is done.
Some sellers simply do not want their home online. A divorce, a sensitive family situation, a well-known name, or a home full of valuables are all good reasons. A private listing lets you sell with a much smaller audience. My posts on selling during a divorce and selling an inherited house cover sales where privacy matters most.
When the right agents and their buyers hear about a home before anyone else, it feels exclusive. Buyers who have been waiting for a home like yours do not want to lose it, so they are more likely to make a strong offer.
Fewer people see the home, and that is the risk. The private listing addendum warns that you may not get the highest price or the best terms, because the pool of buyers is smaller.
In my experience, that is not what happens. This year, the majority of my private listings received multiple offers and sold over asking. Of course, it depends on the neighborhood and the type of home, and not every home gets an offer, or several, while it is private. But the buyers watching private listings are not just starting to look. Most have already seen everything on the market, made offers on a couple of homes, and lost out. They are very serious.
Most recently, I sold a condo in Andersonville for $30,000 over asking on its first day as a private listing. It also sold for $30,000 more than an identical condo two floors up had sold for a couple of months before.
Could a home get more after a public launch? It is possible. But that does not mean the buyers who see it later would offer more.
Your home does not have to be on Zillow to sell, or to get multiple offers. Most serious buyers work with an agent. In 2025, 88% of buyers nationwide bought their home through an agent, according to the National Association of REALTORS. Those agents see private listings, and they bring their buyers.
On my listings, it works like this:
I time the launch so there is a lot of activity before the open house, and ideally offers. If offers come in early, the sellers decide whether to accept one, call for highest and best, or go ahead with the open house.
By the time the home goes live, buyers are already waiting. That is how my listings sell in about a week, often with more than one offer. My post on comparing multiple offers shows how we choose the best one.
A private phase makes sense if... | Go straight to a public launch if... |
|---|---|
You want buyers to hear about it first | You need the most buyers possible, as fast as possible |
Privacy matters to you | Your home is ready, and the photos are done |
You want to test the price before it is public | Homes like yours already draw lots of buyers |
The home needs a few more weeks of work | You are on a tight timeline |
My job is to show you the options, the rules, and what I would do.
When you choose who will sell your home, look for numbers you can check. Here are mine:
You work with me directly, from the first walk-through to the closing table.
It is a listing in Chicago's MLS that only other real estate agents can see. It does not appear on Zillow, Realtor.com, or other public websites, and the days on market are not counted while it is private.
Not in Chicago. A pocket listing is kept out of the MLS completely, and only one agent's buyers hear about it. A private listing in Chicago is inside the MLS, so every MLS agent can see it and bring a buyer.
No. Chicago's MLS uses a Private status instead. Agents can tell other agents and their own buyers about a private listing, but once a home is advertised to the public, it must go into the MLS within 24 hours.
Not in my experience. This year, the majority of my private listings received multiple offers and sold over asking. It depends on the neighborhood and the type of home, and not every home gets offers while it is private. Buyers who watch private listings have usually been looking for a while and are ready to move. Could a home get more after a public launch? It is possible, but it is not a given.
Yes, if you and your agent choose to allow showings. Buyers usually hear about it through their own agent.
Chicago's MLS has no minimum or maximum. Most sellers keep it short, and many get offers before the public launch.
You do. Your agent must explain the options and get your signed OK, but the choice is yours.
If you are wondering whether a private phase makes sense for your home, I am happy to walk you through it. I will show you the recent sales near you, the options, and the launch plan I would use.
Start with a free home value review, or schedule a complimentary consultation here. You can also start with my free Chicago Home Seller Course, or call or text me directly at 773.719.0989.
Dee Savic is a Chicago Realtor® with Baird & Warner, a 24+ year real estate professional, and a 27+ year Chicago resident with 300+ closed transactions. She helps buyers, sellers, downsizers, and relocation clients across Chicago, including Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, North Center, Roscoe Village, Andersonville, Uptown, Bucktown, Wicker Park, and the Gold Coast.
Dee Savic
Realtor® | Baird & Warner
4553 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
773.719.0989
[email protected]
deesavic.com
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