Vinny Steo
Vinny Steo
Owner/Broker

Are Off-Market Homes in Baltimore City Better Than MLS Listings?

It often occurs that home buyers feel that they have thoroughly scoured the internet searching for their ideal home. Once all of the typical outlets like realtor.com and Zillow have been searched, home buyers may feel lost or frustrated if they have found no leads. That is why it is important to know about the existence of off-market homes in Baltimore City and who to turn to in order to find these properties.

Our real estate team at Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty - Vinny Steo is happy to offer you access to off-market homes in Baltimore City of all kinds, and we are 100% dedicated to making sure you find the perfect home for you and your family. Our realtors want you to have all of the information, resources, and tools available to locate the perfect home for you.

What Exactly Are Off-Market Homes in Baltimore City?

If you are unfamiliar with off-market homes in Baltimore City, we will start this discussion by defining what they are. Off-market homes, or pocket listings/off-market listings, are homes for sale which have not been advertised to the general public. They will not be available to view on the typical real estate sites such as realtor.com, Zillow, or Redfin. 

When you find off-market deals, you are uncovering a sort of secret in the real estate industry because, typically, only realtors have access to them. If a home seller is using this method to sell their property, it is likely that they want to maintain their privacy and prevent the general public from knowing it is for sale. 

Commonly, celebrities and professional athletes will take this route, but it is also a frequent strategy for rental property owners who need to sell but don’t want current tenants to attempt to break their leases early or reduce the value of the home. Pocket listings present an easy option to avoid such issues.

How Do Home Buyers Find Off-Market Homes in Baltimore City?

So, now the question for home buyers is how to find these off-market homes in Baltimore City. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to locate these excellent homes and make an offer. It does require a bit more effort than simply looking at the typical home search websites we mentioned above. Of course, the fastest and easiest way to find them is by enlisting the assistance of a professional realtor such as ours at Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty - Vinny Steo.

Other ways to find off-market homes in Baltimore City include:

  • Direct mail marketing
  • Auction websites
  • Property management companies
  • Real estate wholesalers
  • Pocket listing services

Our team at Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty - Vinny Steo understands the importance of finding the perfect home in which to invest, and we are happy to do the heavy lifting for you. We are committed to providing you all of the assistance you need as well as resources, information, and tools to help you succeed in the real estate market. All you need to do is sit back and wait for the right home to be discovered.

What Are MLS Listings?

The most common way that home buyers search for a new home is through the MLS. MLS stands for “multiple listing service,” and they are databases that keep track of homes which have been listed for sale. These databases are maintained and paid for by professional realtors, and this makes the information on these websites free for the public to access since participating brokers pay for it. Of course, certain data is kept off of the MLS to ensure the privacy of the sellers.

For small realtors, the MLS presents a great way to compete with larger brokerage firms when it comes to getting the attention of home buyers. It essentially puts all realtors on the same level so that the competition is equal, and all realtors know that most home buyers will use the MLS to search for their new homes.

Reasons Pocket Listings Are Better Than MLS Listings

Many home buyers question why home sellers would opt for listing their homes through off-market methods than on the MLS. Obviously, homes on the MLS would get the largest number of views from potential home buyers, and a bidding war may even start. This could not happen with off-market homes in Baltimore City, but there are certain benefits about these listings that could entice a home seller to opt for off-market routes.

Some of these attractive benefits of off-market homes in Baltimore City include:

  • Being able to save money on sales commissions with the off-market homes in Baltimore City since there may or may not be an agent involved. If a realtor is involved, the commission will typically be lower than selling on the MLS listings.
  • Not needing to deal with the hassle of an open house or any home staging which can very often create stress and waste precious time for the home seller.
  • Preventing the general public from cannot accessing these listings and avoiding nosy individuals who have no intention of buying the house from invading their privacy. 
  • Giving access only to the most qualified home buyers so there will not be any concern over delays or financial problems. 
  • Negotiating a great deal with ample time for both home buyers and sellers.
  • Preventing unexpected surprises with more time to work through contract issues and transaction problems. 

In general, these advantages are not possible with MLS listings, and it is clear that the benefits of off-market homes in Baltimore City may outweigh those from the MLS for many home buyers and sellers.

Our Realtors Will Help You Find Great Off-Market Homes in Baltimore City!

Are you and your family ready to invest in a new home but can’t find any that meet your needs and criteria through the MLS? It may be time to consider checking out off-market homes in Baltimore City. Our team at Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty - Vinny Steo is happy to help you find these great homes so that you have as little stress and frustration as possible. We are committed to providing you with the best real estate experience as well as all of the information and resources you need.

If you are interested in learning more about off-market homes in Baltimore City and getting started with your home buying journey, be sure to give us a call at 410-220-0016 or fill out the form on this page with the requested information. One of our dedicated realtors will send you a detailed response as soon as possible. We can’t wait to hear from you and help you through the home buying process!