Andi Dyer

Let me help you find your future home

  • About
  • Contact Page
  • Refer a Friend
  • News
You are here: Home / Buying a Home / Off-Market vs. Off the Market

Off-Market vs. Off the Market

November 3, 2015 By Andi Leave a Comment

The Washington real estate listings consist of the lineup of area homes that are currently “on the market.” They’re for sale. Offered to buyers. Available for purchase. “On the market” is a straightforward real estate term; end of discussion.

So, you’d think that “off the market” should be equally unequivocal, and it would be, if it weren’t for “off-market,” with which it’s easily confused. And then there’s the fact that what actually happens after a formerly listed property goes off the market can result in a several different outcomes.

Sounds like a dose of contradictory Washington real estate jargon—but it can be sorted out with a little determined effort. Here goes:

In real estate, off the market denotes a property that was listed in the past but currently pulled from the market. It no longer appears in the updated Washington real estate listings, either because the owner has decided not to sell, or because the property is now in the process of being purchased (so more buyers don’t need to be recruited). When phrases like ‘under contract’ appear in a listing, it has the effect of being off the market at the moment, though interested buyers might keep an eye on it in case the sale doesn’t go through. An owner might withdraw a home if they now believe the market is not active enough to warrant more effort at this time, or because some event has caused them to decide to keep the house.

Off the market, in today’s web-centric real estate reality, is not quite as cut-and-dried as in former eras. Because the Internet never seems to forget anything, an off-the-market property may still pop up onscreen when buyers search for new Washington homes for sale (particularly when some of the national sites don’t promptly remove outdated listings). Your Washington Broker can keep you up-to-date on the current status of any local property.

On the other hand, Off-market is sometimes used as a synonym for “off the market,” but can be used by some national websites for upcoming properties that are being marketed, but have not yet been listed. More often, off-market is used to denote a property that is for sale but will not be advertised publicly. Since such a property isn’t entered into the Washington listings at all, most potential buyers will be unaware that it’s available. You might think this is a nutty way to try to sell a home, but there can be good reasons. Celebrity owners may be in a constant battle to stay out of the public limelight, and therefore resort to an arrangement (formal or informal) with a broker to discreetly market their home. Later news will say something like, “Janet Showbiz sold her 18 bedroom Bel-Air estate off-market for $11 million.” Some extremely high-end real estate offerings are offered quietly to other brokers. This is sometimes called a ‘pocket listing.’ When successful, it results in an off market sale.

You don’t have to be a celebrity to want to discreetly search for—or sell—an area home. If you are beginning to think over your area real estate options, whenever you call me for a no-obligation consultation, it will always be treated with complete confidentiality.

Filed Under: Buying a Home Tagged With: off the market, off-market, washington real estate

About Andi

World-wide traveler. Excellent shot. Lover of Cairn Terriers (specifically Shaymus). Vegetarian. Enthusiastic, yet amateur beer brewer. Licensed, independent Real Estate Broker and Designated Broker for Sterling Real Estate. I have the inside knowledge of the 'diamonds in the rough' hiding throughout Whatcom County. Want to learn more? Contact me at AndiDyer@gmail.com

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

  • The 7 Worst Habits Homeowners Need to Break Now
  • What You Need to Know About Researching Home Prices
  • Home Upkeep Tips for People With Better Things to Do Than Chores
  • Filing Taxes After Divorce: Tips for Homeowners
  • 7 Cleaning Tips for Keeping Your Home Spotless When Selling It

Testimonials from Happy Homeowners

Andi is a very motivated and talented professional who considers all aspects of any project before quickly moving forward with precise action.
~ Teresa

Andi quickly discovered our parameters and made sure we didn't waste time looking at properties we wouldn't be interested in and stay within our budget.
~ Trulia Reviewer

Andi has a keen instinct for smart marketing and is very responsible to her clients. She is a committed Real Estate broker and has a very sunny disposition. No matter what your needs are, be it finding a home or selling your current real property, her years of experience in the field are a huge asset!
~ T.W.

It has been a pleasure working with Andi. She always has a smile and a positive attitude. She put a lot of time and effort into selling my house and I couldn't have happier with anyone else.
~J.M.

Selling a house is STRESSFUL. There are so many things to do and so many cracks to slip into. Thanks to Andi, there were no cracks with her timely checklists; she showed me that selling doesn’t have to be so stressful. A good selling experience is possible! She is the broker to keep in your back pocket.
~ Rose W.

Andi was always on our side working to make our house purchase as simple and successful as possible. The best part about working with her was that she was always more focused on answering our questions, giving us good advice, and finding homes that met our needs than she was on closing a deal. All throughout the negotiations and closing she was there quickly handling any issues that may have risen. We would recommend her to anyone. If the time ever comes when I will be looking for a new home, there isn't any question on who my Realtor will be!
~Zillow Reviewer

About Andi

World-wide traveler. Excellent shot. Lover of Cairn Terriers (specifically Shaymus). Vegetarian. Enthusiastic, yet amateur beer brewer. Licensed, independent Real Estate Broker and Designated Broker for Sterling Real Estate. I have the inside knowledge of the 'diamonds in the rough' hiding throughout Whatcom County. Want to learn more? Contact me at AndiDyer@gmail.com Read More…

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest

I can help you find your dream home.

I am located in two offices to support my Whatcom clients. Come visit me soon.

Office Locations

Downtown Bellingham Office
2011 Young Street, Suite 101
Bellingham, WA 98225

See Location

Ferndale Office
1820 Main Street
Ferndale, WA 98248

See Location

Sterling Logo   Realtor logo   Sterling Logo       Sterling Logo

Copyright © 2021 · Log in