What's a pocket listing, and can I get one in Minneapolis?
Answered by Chris Deutsch, Founder & Editor
Licensed Minnesota Realtor #20382264 ·
The short answer
A pocket listing is a home an agent markets privately instead of entering it in the MLS — kept "in their pocket." In Minnesota, that's mostly history. NorthstarMLS requires a listing to be entered within two business days of the signed listing contract, so the traditional version isn't allowed anymore.
On stage The 60-second answer
Captions on · Transcript below
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The transcript posts with the video.
The longer answer
What still exists, legitimately: withheld listings — entered in the MLS but with no public marketing and no showings outside the listing brokerage. Office exclusives, where the seller signs written authorization to market inside one brokerage only. And Coming Soon, which is publicly marketed but can't be shown until it goes Active. Each one is a real status with real paperwork.
If privacy is what you're after, there are compliant ways to get it. Send me a text and I'll walk you through which one fits.
The next department over
What people in this spot usually ask next.
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- The banned-term explainersWhy does my agent say the house has to go on the MLS right away?Read the answer
- Rules & representationWhat do I legally have to disclose when I sell my house in Minnesota?Read the answer
- Divorce & separationWe both just want this done. How fast can the house sell?Read the answer
From the editor's desk
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Is your situation more specific than the market? That's the one worth talking through.