You find homes that aren’t listed yet by working with a licensed realtor who has access to “coming soon” listings on the MLS, a status that consumer apps like Zillow and Redfin simply cannot show you. In Montgomery County and across the DMV, sellers are allowed to pre-market a home for up to 21 days before it goes fully active, and during that window it’s invisible to the general public. I’m Kevin Grolig, a real estate agent with Compass in Potomac, Maryland, and in this post I’m walking you through how coming soon inventory works, the rules that govern it, and a trend I’m seeing where some of these homes never make it to the open market at all. If you’re house hunting in a low-inventory market, this is the stuff you need to know before you start refreshing apps every morning.
What is a “coming soon” listing?
A coming soon listing is a home that’s been entered into the MLS ahead of its official launch, similar to how a movie trailer runs before a blockbuster hits theaters. Sellers use this status to pre-market a property while they finish getting it market-ready — final photos, staging, maybe a last coat of paint. The home exists in the system, agents can see it’s coming, but it hasn’t gone “active” yet. That distinction matters more than most buyers realize, because it changes who can see the home and what they can do with that information.
Why can’t I find these homes on Zillow or Redfin?
Coming soon listings don’t show up on consumer apps because those platforms only pull in listings once they’re active on the market. Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, all of them are built to display active inventory, not pre-market inventory. That means an entire layer of homes exists in the MLS right now that you will never see by scrolling on your phone. The only way to know about them is through a licensed realtor who has direct MLS access and is actively watching the pipeline on your behalf. If you’re doing your home search solely through apps, you’re only seeing part of the picture, and in a tight market that gap is bigger than you’d think.
What are the rules for coming soon listings in Montgomery County?
There are three rules every buyer should understand about coming soon status in the DMV. First, coming soon inventory can only be viewed by buyers who are actively working with a licensed realtor, so it’s not available to the general public at all. Second, in our local market a home can only sit in coming soon status for a maximum of 21 days before it must go active or come off that status. Third, showings are completely prohibited while a home is in coming soon status, meaning nobody, agent or buyer, gets inside the door until it officially hits the market. Those three rules exist to protect sellers while they finish preparing the home, but they also mean buyers need to move fast the moment a home does go active.
Can a home sell before it even hits the market?
Yes, and it’s happening more often than you’d expect. I’m seeing a growing trend where homes sell while still in coming soon status and never actually go active on the market, which means they never show up on Zillow or Redfin at all. Since showings aren’t allowed during this period, these deals are happening sight unseen, with buyers writing offers above asking price essentially to convince the seller not to bother listing publicly. I call it the godfather offer, an offer strong enough that the seller can’t refuse it. I always tell my buyers to prepare for the possibility that the home they’re waiting on never makes it to market, and that they might be the one who ends up making that offer themselves. It’s not the right move for everyone, and there’s real risk in buying something you haven’t walked through, but in a market this tight, some buyers decide the risk is worth it.
How do you get access to this hidden inventory as a buyer?
You get access by partnering with a realtor early, before you’re just casually browsing, so they can flag coming soon inventory the moment it enters the pipeline. This isn’t something you can request access to on your own; it’s built into how agents use the MLS and their local networks. The agents who are most plugged into their market hear about homes coming down the pipeline through other agents, sellers prepping to list, and MLS activity well before a “for sale” sign goes up. That’s the entire value of having representation before you start seriously looking: you’re not waiting for an app notification, you’re getting a heads up while the home is still in the pre-marketing phase.
What should buyers do differently in a low-inventory market?
Buyers should stop relying on consumer apps as their primary search tool and start treating their realtor as their real-time inventory feed. Home inventory in Montgomery County is down roughly 45 percent from last year, and last year was already down about 35 percent from the year before, so the pattern is clear: less and less of what’s available is showing up where buyers are used to looking. That means being pre-approved, ready to move quickly, and comfortable making decisions with less lead time than you might expect. It also means having honest conversations with your agent about your risk tolerance for offers on homes you haven’t walked through yet, because that scenario is becoming more common, not less.
Want a full breakdown of how to prepare before you start hunting for hidden inventory? Check out myguide to buying a homefor the step-by-step approach I walk every client through.
FAQ
Do all coming soon listings eventually go active?
Most do, but not all. The trend I’m watching closely is more homes getting snapped up during the coming soon period and never reaching active status at all.
Can I ask my agent to show me a coming soon home?
No. Showings are prohibited during coming soon status in the DMV, no exceptions, regardless of who’s asking.
Is it risky to make an offer on a home I haven’t seen?
Yes, and it’s not for every buyer. Some buyers are choosing to accept that risk in order to compete for homes before they ever hit the market, but there’s no right or wrong answer here, it’s personal to your situation.
How long can a home stay in coming soon status?
No longer than 21 days in the DMV area before it must go active or come off that status entirely.
Do I need a realtor to see coming soon inventory?
Yes. Coming soon listings are only visible to buyers actively working with a licensed realtor, they’re not accessible to the general public through any app or website.
Hidden inventory is exactly why I tell every buyer I work with to get plugged in early, not once they’ve already fallen in love with a home on Zillow. If you’re thinking about buying in Montgomery County or anywhere in the DMV, let’s talk about how to get you ahead of the market instead of chasing it. Reach out through mycontact pageany time.
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Sources and next steps
Verified local sources:U.S. Census QuickFacts for Montgomery County;WMATA maps and schedules;Montgomery County Open Data;Montgomery Parks trails and facilities.
Related Kevin guides:relocation guide;home buying guide;book a call.
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Expanded local research sources:Visit Montgomery travel guide;Visit Montgomery restaurant directory;Tripadvisor Montgomery County things to do;Tripadvisor Montgomery County restaurants;Google Maps restaurants near Potomac;Google Maps things to do near Potomac;Reddit MoCo discussion search for Potomac;Reddit thread: moving from DC to MoCo;Reddit thread: visitor activities in MoCo;WMATA rail and bus maps;Montgomery Parks;Montgomery County Open Data;Niche Montgomery County livability;MoCo360 local news.
Contextual links for this video
Kevin site links:Potomac guide;home selling guide;home buying guide;market stats;California to Maryland: The Honest Truth About Relocating to Montgomery County.
Outside research links for this video:Visit Montgomery travel guide;Visit Montgomery restaurants;Google Maps restaurants near Potomac;Reddit discussion search for this topic;Google context search for this video.
Kevin process link: why Kevin’s local process matters.