Why Listing Your Home on MLS Matters vs. Selling Your Home Without an Agent

The entire world of real estate has been carefully curated and thought out, all with the buyer and seller in mind. The real estate world has made it a priority to develop tools that make selling your home more efficient and convenient, creating an ideal experience for all parties involved.

Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is a unique and private database of property listings created by a cooperating coalition of real estate agents. These multiple-listing systems help to provide accurate data about properties for sale and aid in making these properties available to the necessary and desired parties. Information is consistently up-to-date about properties and allows users to search for homes more accurately, creating filters based on features, location, price, and other specified criteria.

As great as the MLS sounds, it is still possible to sell a home without using a multiple listing service. Where the MLS systems create convenience and connection in the real estate world, selling a property without being listed is a tactic that makes for a more discreet sale. Working with a qualified real estate agent, either option will breed great results, but different factors come into play when deciding to list a property for sale publicly using an MLS or off-market.

Let's take a look at what it's like to sell a property on the MLS versus attempting to sell a property without its use.

The first step to getting access to the MLS database is to hire a qualified real estate agent. A qualified real estate agent will belong to one or more MLS systems. Certain ethics classes must be taken through the board of real estate agents to maintain consistent MLS access. Agents in any given market area are also able to create their own MLS systems locally and share access to those systems with other agents as well.

When inside the MLS, the interface displays an electronic database that showcases affiliated brokers' listings. These are published in order of the listing day and can be updated as often as needed. Like other home listing methods, listings on the MLS will have the price of the home, the location, photos, descriptive text, and any additional visuals, such as videos or virtual 3-D tours. Listings will be available to view and review as often as need be until the home is sold or the listing is otherwise removed.

You will have the ability to navigate through the MLS with your real estate agent by filtering with your specific search requirements. Searches can be filtered by home features, location, pricing, size, and more. Search results can also be generated and exported into hot sheets by adding in your specific specifications and conducting a search. You will receive a list of properties to review that fit your requirements.

The outcome of selling a home using the MLS is consistently favorable in the case of most home sales, mainly because it is designed to be standardly effective. Essentially, the MLS systems create a secure and fool-proof way to connect with interested parties and their agents. When using the MLS, you won't have to worry about buyers who may or may not have the best of intentions. Other selling methods without the help of an experienced real estate agent put you at a certain amount of risk as a seller. When you use a real estate agent who utilizes the MLS system, you will likely experience an overall better sale, classified by the speed of the sale, profits, and buyer interactions.

It is equally possible to sell a home without the assistance of an MLS system or a qualified agent, but it’s much more difficult. Sales that are often done outside of the agent's MLS system are called off-market or pocket listings. These sales take place outside of any MLS platform and/or without an agent. These are not marketed to the general public or local real estate agents. Generally, they travel through more targeted audiences and often rely on word of mouth. Whether you are selling as an owner or working with an agent who does not use the MLS, pocket listings will often be made available to niche market real estate investors or corporate divisions looking to purchase the property.

Selling a property off-market offers a different amount of flexibility and discretion than on-market listings. You will be able to stringently control who the listing is available to. If you wish to sell a property in a manner that is very selective and discreet, going for an off-market listing is likely better for your needs.

If your home is listed without using the MLS, you will likely need to discuss with your agent how you are okay with the home being listed and how they can list it without making the listing public. Keep in mind that making a listing private and unavailable to the general public or readily available to other agents will possibly slow down the speed at which your property sells.

Whether you are interested in conducting a sale with or without an MLS system and its convenience, you need an experienced Real Estate Professional. Lesli Ray is the perfect option to assist you in your purchase of Austin Land & Luxury real estate. Whether you require a sale that can be conducted as a pocket listing with more discretion or are content with having your listing publicly available on the MLS, Lesli Ray can assist you with all facets from beginning to end and beyond. Contact Lesli today to get more information on selling your home or land.