Have you ever Googled your address and looked at your home’s estimated value? Was it too high? Too low? Who comes up with the number? And why is it different, depending on the website?
In today’s digital age, third-party sites pulling from the MLS can help you get your home on as many screens as possible, but they also come with certain risks. These sites can often block buyers from directly reaching your listing agent; instead, they sell those leads to outside agents who may not know much about your property.
While automated features, like home value estimates, provide quick insights for buyers, they fail to account for capital improvements or local market nuances, often misrepresenting a home’s true value. It’s almost like the homeowner loses control of their listing.
So how do you fix it? It’s simple. You can avoid this pitfall altogether by beginning with a private exclusive listing.
“Private exclusives are Compass’ version of off-market listings, which have always existed,” says licensed real estate agent Cate Bauer, one half of The Carine & Cate Team at Compass. “The difference is that at Compass, we have an internal nationwide platform where these listings are posted. Instead of sharing a few details and photos over text, we create a full marketing package, including a professional photo shoot.”
“We can then properly share the listing internally with 30,000+ Compass agents and to Compass’ clients one-on-one through our Compass collections system before it goes public,” Bauer continues. “And if I am contacted by an agent outside of Compass inquiring about a private listing, I can easily share the property information with them as well. That’s the power of strong broker relationships and one of the key reasons I value my local broker connections.”
Cate Bauer.
A unique opportunity for buyers and sellers
“The market is so competitive today that listings can become stale after only two or three weeks,” explains licensed real estate agent Carine Nowak, Bauer’s mom and the other half of the team. “These days, some buyers won’t even look at a house after the first weekend because they think something might be wrong with it.”
Successful brands don’t release a new product and hope for the best. There’s always a period of refinement based on valuable feedback, and that’s exactly what the private exclusive period does.
“I want my sellers to have the opportunity to gather real insights, adjust if needed, and ensure their home is perfectly positioned before going to market,” says Bauer. “And, there’s also much less disruption to my seller’s life. For example, during the first weekend a house is listed on the MLS, you could have back-to-back showings over two or three days. It sometimes feels like you need to move out of your own home. However, during the private exclusive period, the showings are more evenly dispersed, and there’s more notification.”
For buyers, while it might seem smarter to wait until the house is officially on the market, there are benefits to viewing and making offers on these listings.
“A lot of buyers enjoy having access to this exclusive market, and they’re willing to pay for that,” Bauer explains. “Buyers appreciate the off-market process because there is often much less pressure involved in the entire transaction.”
Also, some buyers don’t have the time or want to spend every weekend looking for the perfect home or be one of dozens of buyers making an offer once they have.
“In the old days, there was one agent who specialized in each area,” says Nowak, who has been an agent since 2002. “I’d call that agent, explain what my client is looking for, and they’d say, ‘I have a property for you.’ These private exclusives are kind of like that, especially when you work with an agent who has strong broker connections in their market.”
Carine Nowak.
A three-phase approach for sellers
Private exclusives are often the first step in The Carine & Cate Team’s three-phase marketing strategy. Some sellers opt to remain in this phase and keep their listing private throughout their transaction, while others use this phase to gather valuable insights before transitioning to phase two (Compass’ “coming soon” period) and phase three (going live on the MLS).
Nowak and Bauer tailor their approach to each client, ensuring a marketing strategy that aligns with their goals while maximizing their home’s potential.
“You can’t have any showings during phase two, the coming soon period,” Nowak explains. “But sellers can begin to gauge interest in the home publicly and generate buzz with other agents. Typically, this period only lasts a few days before the public listing.”
Phase three is the public listing, and hopefully, a quick sale, thanks to the legwork done during the private exclusive and coming soon phases.
“As with any listing, there’s always a testing period, but traditionally, that happens with the clock ticking,” Bauer explains. “Private exclusives give homeowners the advantage of refining their strategy before going public, ensuring they’re positioned for success from day one.”
This partner content was published in the March/April 2025 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
Compass is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity. All Coming Soon listings in NYC are simultaneously syndicated to the REBNY RLS. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.
Private Exclusives may not be available in all markets, and availability is subject to change. Private Exclusives, inclusive of pre-marketing and listing strategies, are at the discretion of the seller. They are only visible to buyers and the Compass agents representing them in that market. Compass does not recommend one particular strategy or guarantee results. #1 in 2023 closed sales volume in the US per RealTrends.
The editorial staff at Connect To magazine.
