Houses for sale in Fountain aren’t always easy to find. This is especially true for pocket listings. But what is a pocket listing and are they good options for your new home?
A pocket listing is also known as an off-market home. These homes are marketed privately, usually to an exclusive pool of homebuyers. There are several reasons why a homeowner would choose to sell their home outside of the MLS:
- They already have a homebuyer in mind
- To maintain privacy
- To avoid a bidding war
- Test out an asking price
Whatever the reason, getting a heads up about these homes can increase your available options by approximately 50%! That’s right, half of all available homes for sale are off-market homes. This means that they won’t come up doing a traditional online search.
Here, we look at pocket listings and let you know how to find the best off-market homes for sale in Fountain.
Team Up with an Expert Realtor
You may already know that working with a realtor is a good idea. For pocket listings, the help of a realtor is vital.
An experienced realtor will have both intimate knowledge of the area and communicate with other realtors about exclusive offerings. This insider information can give you the upper hand when finding off-market homes. After all, information is everything when you are trying to score a great deal on a hidden gem home!
Search Online Communities and Forums
You can find information about pocket listings on websites, forums, blogs, and other online communities. One way to start is by searching sites like Craigslist. You can also check Facebook groups or other social media sites. Even real estate sites like Zillow have some off-market listings.
Another option is to look through your local newspaper to find ads for For Sale By Owner properties. FSBO home sellers can’t list their homes on the MLS, so they may turn to newspapers, local real estate blogs, or direct mail marketing to spread the word about their homes.
Lastly, there are pocket listing services online that help match buyers and sellers. While you can’t purchase a home from these sites, you can communicate anonymously with sellers and schedule property tours.
Keep in mind that searching for listings online on your own can be challenging. Without a realtor, you run a greater risk of falling victim to real estate scams. In addition, online listings aren’t as up-to-date. Many listings may be expired, while others may already have multiple offers from other buyers.
If you want the best chance of finding the latest listings so you can be the first to make a competitive offer, then a trusted realtor is the way to go.
Reach Out to Homeowners
A great way to learn about off-market listings is to ask homeowners in the area you want to buy. Chances are, they may know of a neighbor who is selling or planning to sell their home.
This can be accomplished through door-knocking, sending out mailers, or hanging up flyers on public bulletin boards. You can also post on social media or community forums.
Network With Real Estate Professionals
Aside from realtors, other professionals in the real estate industry may know about pocket listings in Fountain. Talk to general contractors, real estate investors, property managers, and lenders.
These professionals will likely encounter or work with off-market properties in some way. They can either give you a heads-up about new listings or ask some of their clients to see if they plan to sell soon.
Find Houses For Sale in Fountain With Our Team
If you want to find the best houses for sale in Fountain, reach out to Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty - Barb Has the Buyers Team today. We’re the best realtors in Fountain for a reason. We have years of experience helping home buyers find the homes of their dreams, and we know we can do the same for you.
With our industry connections, we can help you find pocket listings fast. Seller’s agents come to us because they know we have a database of buyers ready to make a purchase.
This means we’re the best choice to help you find the latest off-market homes as they become available.
On top of that, our unique buyer guarantees can give you a risk-free and stress-free home-buying experience. We also have a Guaranteed Home Sale Program.
To learn more about working with our team, give us a call at 719-301-1802 or fill out the form below.
