If you’re thinking about selling your home, here’s a critical warning every homeowner needs to hear: “Seller Alert: Is Your Real Estate Agent Working for YOU — or Themselves?” In today’s market, some agents and brokerages are quietly steering listings into limited-visibility channels—not to help you, but to help themselves earn more commission.
The Hidden Listing Game
Some agents and brokerages use tactics like:
- Brokerage Exclusives: Only marketed within their firm.
- Exclude from Internet: Not shown on public sites like Zillow or Realtor.com.
- VOW Listings: Only visible after a buyer registers on the brokerage’s website.
Why? Because it increases their chances of representing both buyer and seller—earning double commission. Brokerages also benefit from higher commission splits when deals stay in-house. It’s a win for them, but a loss for you.
❌What Sellers Lose
When your listing is hidden from the public:
- You miss out on multiple offers
- You lose market momentum
- You risk selling for less than your home is worth
And with Coming Soon listings, sellers often face a different kind of challenge:
- Buyers may wonder, “What’s wrong with the property?” If it’s not ready to show, they may assume it needs repairs, has issues, or isn’t worth waiting for. Instead of building excitement, it can create doubt—and that doubt can cost you offers
Expanded Listing Options: What Sellers Need to Know
Buyers may wonder, “What’s wrong with the property?”
If it’s not ready to show, they may assume it needs repairs, has issues, or isn’t worth waiting for. Instead of building excitement, it can create doubt—and that doubt can cost you offers
In Spring 2025, NAR announced expanded multiple listing options for sellers. While this was new for many MLSs nationwide, Multiple MLS’s have long offered these choices. Here’s a breakdown of what’s available:
What the Rules Say
The Clear Cooperation Policy from the National Association of REALTORS® requires agents to submit listings to the MLS within one business day of public marketing. But some brokerages exploit loopholes to keep listings in-house.
MLSs offer multiple listing options—but it’s up to the agent to explain them clearly. And it’s up to YOU to ask the right questions.
Legal Risks: Could This Lead to a Lawsuit?
Yes. Sellers who later discover their listing was intentionally withheld from public platforms—without clear consent or explanation—may have grounds for legal action.
Potential claims include:
- Breach of fiduciary duty: Agents are legally obligated to act in the seller’s best interest.
- Failure to disclose: Not explaining listing options or syndication limits could violate disclosure laws.
- Negligence or misrepresentation: If a seller suffers financial loss due to limited exposure, they may pursue damages.
Courts have increasingly sided with consumers in cases where agents prioritized personal gain over professional responsibility. And with growing scrutiny from regulators and MLS boards, the risk of litigation is real.
Ohio Broker Direct: Full Transparency, Full Exposure
At Ohio Broker Direct, we don’t play commission games. We work for YOU.
- Your listing goes everywhere—Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, Homes.com, and more
- No hidden exclusives or limited visibility
- No bait-and-switch tactics to boost agent earnings
We believe sellers deserve honest representation, full-market exposure, and top-dollar offers. Period.
CONCLUSION: Your Home Deserves the Spotlight—Not the Shadows
Before you sign a listing agreement, ask yourself:
Is your agent truly working for your best interest—or just their own bottom line?
Your home is likely your biggest financial asset. Don’t let it be quietly undersold for someone else’s gain. If your agent fails to disclose listing limitations or steers you into a strategy that benefits them more than you, you may not just lose money—you may have a legal case.
Demand transparency. Demand exposure. Demand results.
👉 Learn more at OhioBrokerDirect.com and make sure your listing gets the attention—and the offers—it deserves.
Let me know if you’d like this turned into a downloadable flyer, a seller checklist, or a social media series. We can build a full “Know Your Rights” campaign around it.
