As private, off-market listings become more common in Los Angeles real estate, the debate has largely focused on procedure and rules. But for Courtney Poulos, Founder of SERHANT. CA and Team Lead of ACME | SERHANT., the more important question is simpler: what gives the seller the best possible result? Poulos argues that the conversation should shift from compliance to outcomes, and she has a proposal that she believes could deliver both the privacy some sellers want and the broad exposure most need.
Poulos acknowledges that for some sellers, privacy matters more than price, and an off-market sale may be the right choice. However, she points out that sellers who pursue that route are often asked to sign an acknowledgment that keeping a listing off the market could mean fewer showings or a lower sale price. She also notes that many buyers are not yet working with an agent; they browse online, watch the market, and may not reach out until something catches their eye. In her view, every channel a listing is kept out of is a chance to miss those buyers. “I still feel like access is important, and we should not fracture,” she said.
Her middle-path idea is straightforward: if a seller wants to stay off the large consumer listing websites, the listing could still be shared in a system that every licensed agent can access, rather than only agents within a single brokerage. That way, the seller keeps the home out of public view while still reaching as many agents as possible who may be representing qualified buyers. More buyers, she believes, give a seller a better chance at a higher price. The key, she says, is that everyone plays by the same rules, with all agents able to see each other’s off-market listings. Poulos also believes that once a listing is in the MLS and available to other agents, there should be no time limit on how long it can be marketed to those agents off-market. Some homes are highly specific and may not sell quickly, and sellers should be able to keep that private marketing going for as long as they choose. “The MLS needs to take its handcuffs off of us,” she said.
Poulos also believes it is fair to ask who benefits when a listing is marketed only in-house. Keeping a listing within one brokerage can increase the chance that the same brokerage represents both sides of the transaction, which can be financially attractive for the brokerage. That is not necessarily wrong, she says, but sellers deserve a clear understanding of the tradeoff. If the goal truly is serving the seller, she believes there is little reason a private listing should not be visible to every licensee.
While a shared system like the one Poulos describes does not broadly exist today, she encourages sellers considering a private sale to ask their agent direct questions: Will my home be visible to agents outside your brokerage? How many buyers’ agents will realistically see it? What might I be giving up on price compared with a full public launch? For sellers of higher-end homes on the Eastside of Los Angeles and beyond, she believes the best strategy starts with the seller’s goals and works backward from there. Sellers preparing to list can find more guidance in the ACME | SERHANT. Buyer and Seller Toolkit.
