If Private Listings Are About the Seller, Why Not Let Every Agent See Them?

The debate over private listings is often framed as a question of rules and procedure. For sellers in Los Angeles, California, one team lead believes it should be reframed around a simpler question: what gives the seller the best possible result?

Courtney Poulos, Founder, SERHANT. CA, Team Lead ACME | SERHANT., has a proposal she believes could give sellers both the privacy they want and the exposure they need.

Poulos acknowledges that for some sellers, privacy matters more than price, and for them an off-market sale may be the right choice. But she points out that sellers who go that route are often asked to acknowledge in writing that keeping a listing off the market could mean fewer showings or a lower sale price.

She also notes that many buyers are not yet working with an agent. They are browsing online, watching the market, and may not reach out until something catches their eye. In her view, every channel a listing is kept out of is a chance to miss those buyers. “I still feel like access is important, and we should not fracture,” she said.

Her idea is straightforward. If a seller wants to stay off the large consumer listing websites, the listing could still be shared in a system that every licensed agent can access, rather than only the agents within a single brokerage.

That way, she explains, the seller keeps the home out of public view while still reaching as many agents as possible who may be representing qualified buyers. More buyers, she believes, give a seller a better chance at a higher price.

The key, in her view, is that everyone plays by the same rules, with all agents able to see each other’s off-market listings.

Poulos also believes that once a listing is in the MLS and available to other agents, there should be no time limit on how long it can be marketed to those agents off-market. Some homes are highly specific and may not sell quickly, and in her view sellers should be able to keep that private marketing going for as long as they choose. “The MLS needs to take its handcuffs off of us,” she said.

Poulos believes it is fair to ask who benefits when a listing is marketed only in-house. In her view, keeping a listing within one brokerage can increase the chance that the same brokerage represents both sides of the transaction, which can be financially attractive for the brokerage.

That is not necessarily wrong, she says, but sellers deserve a clear understanding of the tradeoff. If the goal truly is serving the seller, she believes there is little reason a private listing should not be visible to every licensee.

A shared system like the one Poulos describes does not broadly exist today. Until it does, she encourages sellers considering a private sale to ask their agent direct questions. Will my home be visible to agents outside your brokerage? How many buyers’ agents will realistically see it? What might I be giving up on price compared with a full public launch?

For sellers of higher-end homes on the Eastside of Los Angeles and beyond, she believes the best strategy starts with the seller’s goals and works backward from there. Sellers preparing to list can find more guidance in the ACME | SERHANT. Buyer and Seller Toolkit.

About ACME | SERHANT.
ACME was founded in 2011 as a boutique brokerage in Los Angeles specializing in residential real estate, luxury properties, and renovation-resale strategy, and as of April 2026 is now ACME | SERHANT., under the umbrella of the national firm led by celebrity real estate agent Ryan Serhant.

This article is based on information provided by the expert source cited above. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or real estate advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals before making any real estate or financial decisions.

Disclosure: Individuals or companies mentioned may have a commercial relationship with KeyCrew.

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