An off-market home is a property whose seller has agreed to sell but hasn't put it on public sites like Zillow, Redfin or Realtor.com yet, or doesn't plan to. In Chicago, these homes are shared privately through agent networks, so the only way to see most of them is to work with an agent who has access and watches for them. Camille Canales and our team at Compass track private and pre-market listings across the city every day and match them to buyers before they reach the open market.

Where Chicago's off-market homes come from

Off-market listings in Chicago come through a few main channels:

• Compass Private Exclusives. Homes listed privately with Compass, shared with Compass agents and the buyers they represent. Sellers often use this to test a price or prepare a home before going public. Our team sees these as they're listed.
• Compass Coming Soon. Homes that are about to hit the market. They appear on Compass.com before showings begin, so buyers working with a Compass agent can plan around them early.
• The Chicago MLS private listing network. Chicago's MLS (MRED) lets listing agents share homes with other agents without sending them to public websites. These are listed and searchable for agents, not for the public.
• Agent-to-agent networks. Some sellers want maximum privacy and only want their home shown to a handful of qualified buyers. Those homes are shared quietly between agents who know each other's clients.

For homeowners thinking about selling this way, see our pages on Compass Private Exclusives and 3-Phased Marketing.

Why buyers look for off-market homes

• Less competition. In neighborhoods where homes go under contract in about a week, seeing a home before it's public can mean the difference between one offer and five.
• More time to decide. A private listing isn't on a public clock, so there's often room for a second showing or an inspection-informed offer.
• Homes that may never go public. Some sellers sell privately start to finish, especially when privacy matters to them.

Off-market doesn't automatically mean a better price. Sellers sometimes go private to test a higher number before listing publicly. We'll pull the recent sales on the same blocks so you know whether a private price is fair.

How we find off-market homes for our buyers

1. We start with your search. Neighborhoods, budget, property type, must-haves and timing.
2. We watch every private channel. Compass Private Exclusives and Coming Soon, the MLS private listing network, and listings shared through our agent network.
3. We reach out before homes list. When we know a homeowner on your target blocks may sell, we ask whether they'd consider an offer.
4. We send matches as they appear. You hear about a fit the day we do, with recent comparable sales so you can act quickly.

Want to get started? Set up a saved search in your search portal for public listings, and call our team so we can watch the private ones for you.

Where we find the most off-market homes

Our team works mainly on Chicago's North and Northwest Sides. See current prices and listings by neighborhood:

• Logan Square
• Bucktown and West Bucktown
• Wicker Park
• Ukrainian Village and West Town
• Lincoln Park
• Andersonville

Moving from out of town? Our Moving to Chicago guide covers how to shop for a home here remotely.

Off-market homes FAQ

What is an off-market home? A home that's for sale but isn't listed on public websites. It's marketed privately through agents instead.

How do I find off-market homes in Chicago? Work with an agent who has access to private listing channels, such as Compass Private Exclusives and the Chicago MLS private listing network, and who actively watches for homes that match your search.

Are off-market homes cheaper? Not necessarily. The main advantage is less competition and more time, not a lower price. Always compare a private price against recent sales nearby.

Do off-market homes show up on Zillow? Usually not while they're private. Some public sites may also choose not to display a home that was first marketed privately, even after it's listed publicly.

Can I buy an off-market home as a first-time buyer? Yes. Get pre-approved first so you can move quickly when a private home comes up. Our first-time homebuyer guide walks through the steps.

Get access to off-market homes

Tell us what you're looking for, and we'll let you know when a private or pre-market home fits. Call Camille Canales and our team at 773-377-9200 or send us a message using the form below.