Why I Still Believe in Putting Your Home on the Open Market
Why I Still Believe in Putting Your Home on the Open Market
— A Seattle Listing Agent’s Take After 26 Years
I’ve been listing homes in Seattle for 26 years now. I’ve seen hot markets, slow markets, bidding wars, tech booms, and everything in between. And lately, there’s been a lot of chatter about private listings and “keeping things off-market.”
I get it. On the surface, it sounds appealing—quiet, controlled, maybe even a little exclusive.
But if you asked me what consistently gets sellers the best results over the long run?
It’s still broad exposure. Every time.
More Eyes = More Opportunity (It’s That Simple)
When you put a home on the open market—on the MLS, syndicated everywhere, visible to every agent and buyer—you’re not just “listing” it. You’re creating a moment.
In Seattle especially, where buyers are savvy and competition can heat up quickly, that moment matters. Homes sell fast in areas like Green Lake (Seattle) and Phinney Ridge when we market them to all buyers on Day 1. This allows the home to hit the market so that the 23,000 brokers in the mls along with their buyers see it without dilution.
More exposure means:
More buyers walking through the door
More interest early on
And often, stronger offers
I’ve watched it play out hundreds of times. The homes that get the most attention in that first week? Those are the ones that tend to perform the best.
Off-Market Sounds Nice… But There’s a Catch
Now, I’m not against private listings. There are situations where they make sense—maybe a seller wants privacy, or they’re still getting the home ready.
But here’s what I always tell my clients:
You’re trading exposure for control.
When fewer people know your home is for sale, you’re naturally limiting competition. And in this business, competition is what pushes price and terms in your favor.
It’s not that you can’t sell off-market—it’s that you might never know what the broader market would have paid.
Seattle Buyers Are Paying Attention
One thing I’ve learned about this market: buyers here are engaged.
They’re watching new listings daily. They’re waiting for the right home. And when something hits the market and checks their boxes, they move.
If your home isn’t out there—fully visible—you’re missing a chunk of that demand.
And those buyers? They don’t always come back around later.
My Job Isn’t to Limit Your Options—It’s to Explain Them
If a seller comes to me and says, “I want to try selling this quietly,” we’ll absolutely talk it through.
But I’m also going to be very clear about what that means.
Because after doing this for 26 years, I’ve learned something important:
It’s not about pushing a strategy—it’s about making sure you understand the tradeoffs.
The Truth About “Exclusive” Marketing
There’s been a trend toward positioning private listings as something special—like you’re getting access to a hidden opportunity.
Sometimes that’s true.
But sometimes it’s just less exposure dressed up as a feature.
And as someone who represents sellers, my job is to ask one question:
Does this approach help you get the best possible outcome?
Most of the time, the answer points back to the open market.
The Bottom Line
Every home—and every seller—is different. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
But if your goal is to:
Maximize your price
Create competition
And let the market fully respond
Then putting your home in front of everyone is still the most reliable way to get there.
After 26 years in Seattle real estate, that hasn’t changed.
And I don’t see it changing anytime soon.
Full article: https://www.housingwire.com/articles/gary-keller-why-broad-listing-exposure-still-matters-in-real-estate/
