PRIVATE & PRE-MARKET LISTINGS
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.
Want first look at private listings?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll send private and pre-market matches the day we see them.
View current Compass Coming Soon listings in Chicago
Off-market listings in Chicago come through a few main channels:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Thinking about selling this way? See Compass Private Exclusives and our 3-Phased Marketing strategy.
Good to know: 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.
We start with your search. Neighborhoods, budget, property type, must-haves and timing.
We watch every private channel. Compass Private Exclusives and Coming Soon, the MLS private listing network, and listings shared through our agent network.
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.
We send matches as they appear. You hear about a fit the day we do, with recent comparable sales so you can act quickly.
To get started, tell us what you're looking for so we can watch the private channels for you, and set up a saved search in your search portal for public listings. Get pre-approved first so you can move fast when a private home comes up.
Our team works mainly on Chicago's North and Northwest Sides. See current prices and listings by neighborhood:
Browse all our neighborhood guides. Moving from out of town? Our Moving to Chicago guide covers how to shop for a home here remotely.
A home that's for sale but isn't listed on public websites. It's marketed privately through agents instead.
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.
Not necessarily. The main advantage is less competition and more time, not a lower price. Always compare a private price against recent sales nearby.
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.
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.
Tell us what you're looking for, and we'll let you know when a private or pre-market home fits.
Or call Camille Canales and our team at (773) 232-5282, email [email protected], or send a message using the form below.