How do I find off-market homes in Carmel-by-the-Sea?

What these words actually mean

People use these terms loosely, so here's the plain version:

None of these are secret deals. They're normal ways of selling a home that happen out of public view. The trick is being in the room when they come up.

How a Compass listing reaches the market

Many Compass sellers use a three-phase approach. Each step widens the audience, and the seller decides how long, or whether, to stay in each one.

Private Exclusives aren't offered in every market, local MLS rules apply, and the strategy is always the seller's choice.

Are pocket listings allowed?

Yes, within rules. The National Association of REALTORS® Clear Cooperation Policy still says that once a home is publicly marketed, it has to be entered in the MLS within one business day. In 2025 NAR added more room for sellers: an office exclusive (not shared through the MLS or publicly marketed) or a delayed-marketing listing (in the MLS for other agents, but held back from the public sites for a period the local MLS sets). Either way, the seller signs a disclosure acknowledging what they're giving up.

What this means for you as a buyer: genuinely hidden homes are a small slice, and the rest show up to agents before they show up to the public. You want an agent who sees both.

Why some Carmel-by-the-Sea homes trade quietly

To be straight with you: most homes here sell the normal way, on the MLS, where every agent and buyer can see them. If you only watched the public market, you'd still see most of what sells. You can see how the market's moving on my Carmel-by-the-Sea market stats page.

But houses here are rare birds. Carmel-by-the-Sea is about one square mile and can't grow, so there aren't many homes, and the good ones don't wait around. Some owners would also rather keep things private: second homes, family homes passed down, or owners who don't want their house, price and open-house schedule all over the internet. A few of them test the waters quietly first, as a Private Exclusive or Coming Soon, before going public.

That smaller slice is where early access helps. You don't need it to buy here, but when the right home shows up quietly, being first in line can make the difference. If you're comparing agents, here's how to choose a real estate agent in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

How you get access when we work together

1. A 30-minute call. We talk about what you want: the street, the view, the size, how you'll use the home, your budget. No pitch. The clearer you are, the faster I can act when something comes up.
2. I watch three streams at once. Public listings, Compass Private Exclusives and Coming Soon, and coming-soon listings from Coldwell Banker, Sotheby's International Realty and Corcoran. It's like reading the tide before the wave shows up.
3. I ask around. I've been involved in nearly 1,000 transactions since I was licensed in 2015, so I know a lot of the agents and owners on the Peninsula. Sometimes the best home is one where an owner would sell for the right offer, and nobody has asked yet.
4. You're ready to move. Quiet listings go fast. We'll have your financing and offer approach in place before the right home appears, so you can act in days, not weeks.

For sellers: the honest trade-off

Quiet isn't always better. Here's what you gain and what you give up.

Often the best path is a mix: start as a Private Exclusive or Coming Soon to gather feedback, then go fully public if the right buyer hasn't shown up. I'll tell you straight which path I think will net you more. Most sellers here still end up on the MLS, and that's often the right call. More on how I sell homes is on my sellers page.

Frequently asked questions