Not every property reaches the listing portals. Some owners sell discreetly - with no public listing, no photos of the interior online and no crowds at viewings. We explain what an off-market sale is, when it makes sense and how buying and selling this way works at Jolie Maison.
What is an off-market sale?
Off market means selling without a public listing. The property does not appear on portals or in publicly available databases - the agent presents it directly to people looking for this kind of property: clients from the agency’s own database and agents working in the MLS network, a system for sharing listings between estate agencies.
The transaction itself is no different from an open-market sale: the buyer checks the documents, the parties negotiate and sign a preliminary agreement and the notarial deed. The only difference is how the buyer finds out about the property.
Why do owners choose off market?
- Privacy - the address and photos of the interior are not published online, which matters especially when the owner still lives in the property.
- Peace of mind - viewings are attended by people selected by the agent, not by everyone who saw a listing.
- Discretion in personal matters - a sale during a divorce, after an inheritance or before moving abroad does not have to be public.
- No online history - the property does not sit on the portals for months, and any price changes are not visible to everyone.
What does the buyer gain?
Above all, access to properties that are not on the portals, and less competition - you are not competing with hundreds of people who saw the same listing. In the premium segment, some exceptional properties, such as villas in historic estates or apartments in the finest tenement buildings, change hands precisely without a public listing.
How to buy an off-market property
- Define your criteria: property type, location, size and budget.
- Browse the previews on the Off market page - they show the property type, the area and the size, without the address or photos.
- Send an enquiry or call us - an agent will present the details of the listings that match your needs and arrange a viewing.
- From then on everything follows the usual steps: checking the documents and the land and mortgage register, negotiations, the preliminary agreement and the notarial deed.
How to sell a property off market
We start with a meeting at the property, a valuation and a sales strategy. We prepare the listing as carefully as a public one - with a photo shoot and a film - but show it only to selected people: clients from our premium client base and through the MLS network. If you later decide to reach a wider audience, the strategy can be changed.
Does off market mean a lower price?
No. We set the price in the same way as for an open-market sale - based on a comparative market analysis. A smaller pool of buyers does, however, call for a well-chosen strategy and reaching the right people, which is why the client base and cooperation with other agencies matter so much.
In summary
Off market is a way to sell discreetly and to access properties that are not online, while keeping all the rules of a safe transaction. Looking for a property? See our off-market listings. Want to sell discreetly? Submit your property - we will prepare a free valuation and strategy.
