What is PRE-MLS and Can I Buy a Home Before It is Listed?

What is PRE-MLS?

We’ve all seen those “coming soon” signs in yards, right? Well, in our local MLS service, the “Pre-MLS” status is similar. Pre-MLS status is a relatively new status in MLS which means that a property is listed with a brokerage, and it will soon be active and able to tour. Essentially, the seller has hired a real estate brokerage and intends to sell their home, but it is not quite ready for showings. Often, the home is being staged or prepared during this time. I think it’s cool that agents and their buyers can get the scoop on new and upcoming listings before they hit the market. If you are house hunting – I can send you these listings directly from MLS so you hear about them first.

Is it possible to buy a home before it is listed?

No, with some exceptions. Once a real estate agent is hired to sell a home and we enter it into Pre-MLS status , MLS rules won’t allow us to show it to ANYONE until it is able to shown to EVERYONE, i.e. until it is live/active in MLS. Therefore, when a home is in Pre-MLS status, we can’t show it. Fines are imposed on brokers/agents that break this rule. Exceptions would include homes with an unrepresented seller (for sale by owner), foreclosure sales or auctions, or Private Office Exclusive* MLS listings.

What if the seller wants to show the home early?

With listings, agents are often hired months before the home is ready which allows time to prepare the home. Now imagine that during this time a buyer asks to see the house early. Can we show it? Yes, but only if we make the house active in MLS. And we wouldn’t want to make it active in MLS until we have all the perfect photos, all the perfect staging, and all the marketing elements are ready. Why? Because if this potential buyer doesn’t really love it or actually isn’t qualified, then we are stuck with an active listing in MLS that wasn’t actually ready and this can have adverse affects on the salability and price of the home. Therefore it is uncommon for a home to be shown early.

In Conclusion

Buyers need to be financially qualified and watching for new “Active” and “Pre-MLS” listings daily. Buyers should tour open houses, drive by the Pre-MLS homes, ask their agent to dig up old photos if they can. As a result, buyers will feel confident making a quick decision when the right home comes along. For sellers, it is important to clearly understand the marketing options and make informed decisions. Pre-MLS can fit nicely into a marketing strategy as long as everyone understands the process.

I have used Pre-MLS for both buyers and sellers with great results and happy clients. Check my reviews on Zillow and see for yourself. Contact me to assist you buying or selling real estate in the Kansas City metro.

*A Private Office Exclusive MLS agreement limits the marketing of a property to agents within the same brokerage as the listing agent. It cannot be publicly advertised. Often, these private listings are use for clients with privacy concerns.