Before we can dive into what Coming Soon marketing is, we need a general understanding of what a Coming Soon listing is. A Coming Soon or pre-MLS listing is a listing that is not added to the MLS, or Multiple Listing Service. It involves a property being selectively advertised to agents and investors for a limited period before being listed on the open market.

This method of marketing is still in the early phases of development and garners significant industry attention and discussion. Coming Soon listings often get thrown into the same bucket as pocket listings, which is a very different way of promoting a property.

Now that we have an understanding of a Coming Soon listing, what form does marketing a Coming Soon listing take?

At its most basic, it involves the tried and true lawn sign in the front yard of a property that reads ‘coming soon’. It’s a signal to potential buyers in the area that a property is being prepped for offers. This helps with gaining local traction, but an increasingly popular strategy involves creating online listings for vastly increased reach.

The Coming Soon approach to marketing involves advertising a property to carefully selected online communities and in-network contacts. Today, a sizeable chunk of the MLS now uses online coming soon features to market a property before listing on the MLS.

Advocates will tell you that creating a buzz around a property is vital to have the most interest once the property hits the market. More interest leads to more showings and potential offers, a desirable outcome for a home seller. Data shows that properties marketed as “coming soon” before being listed in the MLS tend to sell faster than MLS listings that never receive Pre-MLS promotion.

It used to be that the only advantage an investor could have on other agents was to find agents who offered off-market and pocket listings. Now, savvy real estate investors can use online portals and social media to search through the untapped market of unlisted properties.