When it comes time to sell a home, the traditional playbook has been pretty straightforward: Put the home on the MLS, push it out to every major real estate website, and wait for buyers to come through the door.
But new research from Compass suggests there may be a better way to approach the launch of a home.
According to Compass International Holdings Research, sellers who used a phased marketing strategy and began with a Private Exclusive or Coming Soon before going active on the MLS and major online portals sold their homes for 4.6% more than comparable homes that went directly to the MLS and portals.
The study looked at Compass-sold homes nationwide over the 12-month period ending March 31, 2026.
And the difference wasn't just in the final sale price.
Homes that started with phased marketing also went under contract faster and were less likely to experience a public price reduction.
What is phased marketing?
Phased marketing means a home doesn't necessarily go from "we're thinking about selling" directly to "live everywhere online."
Instead, the marketing can happen in stages.
A seller may begin with a Private Exclusive, where the property can be introduced to a network of agents and potential buyers without immediately appearing on the public MLS. From there, the home may transition to Coming Soon, allowing the seller and agent to build awareness and buyer interest before the home officially goes active.
Then, when the home hits the MLS, the goal is to launch it with momentum already behind it.
This approach gives sellers an opportunity to gather real-world feedback before the public market clock starts.
The numbers are worth paying attention to
Compass' research found three notable differences between homes that began with phased marketing and those that went directly to the MLS and online portals.
4.6% higher sale price
Homes that began as a Private Exclusive or Coming Soon sold for 4.6% more than comparable homes that went directly to the MLS and portals.
For perspective, using the U.S. median existing-home sale price of $430,000, a 4.6% difference represents nearly $20,000.
34% faster time to contract
Once the homes went active, those that had gone through phased marketing went under contract 34% faster.
29% less likely to have a price cut
Homes that began with phased marketing were also 29% less likely to experience a public price reduction after going active.
Those numbers point to something we see in practice: the work that happens before a listing goes live can be just as important as what happens after it does.
Why does the launch matter?
One of the biggest challenges with a traditional MLS launch is that the market starts keeping score immediately.
The day a home goes active, buyers can see the asking price. They can see how long it has been on the market. They can watch whether the price changes. And if the home sits, that history becomes part of the conversation.
That can create what researchers refer to as a "negotiation discount."
Independent research by Dr. Darren Hayunga of the University of Georgia, which examined 20 years of Dallas-Fort Worth home sales, found that sellers who avoided exposure to the MLS and online portals sold for 1.7% more, with the premium exceeding 8% for luxury properties.
The theory is fairly intuitive. Once a home has been publicly available for a period of time without selling, buyers may begin to wonder why. A price reduction can reinforce the perception that the seller is becoming more motivated.
That changes the negotiating dynamic.
Instead of buyers competing for a home that has generated interest, the conversation can shift toward what a buyer thinks they can negotiate off the asking price.
A stronger launch starts before the listing goes live
Phased marketing doesn't mean keeping a home hidden. It's about being strategic about when and how the home is introduced to the market.
Before a home goes public, there is an opportunity to:
Test the pricing strategy
Gather feedback from agents and potential buyers
Refine the home's presentation
Build anticipation
Identify serious buyers
Create a sense of urgency
Make adjustments before the public market clock begins
Then, when the home officially launches on the MLS, you're not starting from zero.
You are launching with a strategy, a marketing plan and, ideally, buyers who already know the home is coming.
What this means for sellers in Bethesda and the DC area
Every market is different, and no marketing strategy can guarantee a particular sale price or timeline. Pricing, condition, location, inventory and buyer demand all matter.
But the research reinforces something we believe strongly: selling a home is not simply about putting a listing on the MLS. It's about creating the right conditions for buyers to see the value of the property and act on it.
For some homes, that may mean going straight to the MLS. For others, a Private Exclusive or Coming Soon strategy may make more sense.
The important thing is having a plan before the listing goes live.
At Pearlman Meekin & Co., we look at the individual home, the seller's goals and the current market before determining how we want to bring a property to market. Sometimes the best launch is immediate. Sometimes the best strategy is to build demand first.
The goal isn't simply to sell a home. It's to give our sellers the strongest possible position when it comes time to negotiate.
