A note from Marta
Beware the “private” listing.
There's a loud fight in real estate right now — Compass, Zillow, and the rest — over so-called private and “exclusive” listings. They'll frame it as discretion. As protecting your privacy. As a quiet, white-glove sale.
Here's what that framing leaves out: the fight is really about control of listing data — over who gets to be the front door for buyers. And in that fight, the seller is the one who pays.
I sell luxury homes across Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and Phoenix — and I am firmly in the open-market camp. When I list a home, I want every qualified buyer on earth to know it's available. Buyers come from everywhere — not from one brokerage's private network or one app's audience. The broader the exposure, the greater the competition — and competition is what moves your price up.
Limiting who can see your home may benefit the companies fighting over inventory. It rarely benefits you.
Usually it's buyer beware. With private listings, reverse it: Seller beware.
Be skeptical of anyone promising a secret, quieter way to sell. That secret can cost you a great deal of money. If you're thinking about selling in Paradise Valley, start with the truth — what your home is actually worth on the open market — and then let's get it seen by everyone.