Removing House from Market

Home sellers have the right to delist their house. In the vast majority of cases, you cannot be forced to sell an asset. There are some rare exceptions, like a divorce where disagreements over the division of property may necessitate selling a property and splitting the proceeds. Other scenarios may include eminent domain, probate sales or bankruptcy – but many of those home sales are not traditional and aren’t completed via the normal process.

If you made the choice to sell your home, then you change your mind, you have the right to take your home off the market. The process should not be complicated, although your real estate agent may not be enthused to lose out on their commission.

Some real estate companies do have terms in their listing agreements that outline early termination fees. These are intended to compensate them for the time and resources they spent attempting to sell your home.

There may also be situations in which you will still owe a commission if you sell in the future, even after delisting. Specifically, if you accept an offer from a buyer who was introduced to your property by your agent. This is so home sellers can’t avoid paying commissions by essentially firing their real estate agent after they’ve done the work of finding a qualified buyer. 

Be sure to read your contract carefully before signing if you think there’s a chance you will choose to delist before finalizing your home sale.

The home delisting process typically entails:

• Having your home removed from the MLS
• Ensuring its status is changed on real estate websites or social media if it has been listed as on the market
• Contact your realtor if you continue receiving inquiries to verify outstanding promotional materials are withdrawn
• Ask your real estate agent to contact buyer’s agents who may still be recommending your home to local home shoppers
• Remove all signs, flyers or any other forms of physical marketing material in your neighborhood or community
• Draft a brief but polite response you can use on the phone or in person if you’re contacted by someone who wants to view or put in an offer on your home

What If My Home Is Still Listed as “For Sale” on Real Estate Websites?

You should contact the website’s support for assistance. If you have registered with those sites, you can usually go into the settings in your account dashboard and deactivate your listing, but many will warn users that delisting can take 24 hours before it takes effect and is reflected on your home’s page.

MLS listings can be more complicated since only licensed real estate agents and brokers can access and make changes to listings. Be sure to contact your agent if your home remains listed as for sale after you’ve requested it be delisted.

Your Rights as a Home Seller

Having the right to delist your house and take it off the market is just one of the many rights you have as a home seller. Owners of personal property in the United States are afforded many protections and rights, including the right not to follow the advice of real estate agents or comply with the demands of potential homebuyers.

Am I Required to Allow Tours and Open Houses?

No, you are not required to allow any open houses or tours when selling a house, but refusing to allow them may limit your options and slow the speed of sale. You may also find that some seller’s agents won’t want to represent you in the home selling process if you refuse to allow any prospective buyers to enter your house, or

if you’re being extremely restrictive.

Open houses and tours can be a significant imposition on home sellers, and the maximalist approach of hosting open houses and tours as often as possible may not be the ideal approach to selling your home quickly and for maximum price.

One thing that sets the 72SOLD approach to home selling apart is our minimal use of open houses. Making these events rare and exclusive can help instill a sense of urgency and scarcity, increasing the likelihood of competing offers and bidding wars.

Am I Obligated to Accept Offers?

No, you have the right to turn down any offers, even ones that meet or exceed your asking price or offers from buyers who accede to your negotiating demands. You also don’t need a good reason or justification for doing so. It’s your property and you can choose not to sell.

Can I Deny Certain People from Touring My House or Attending An Open House?

It depends on the context. Under Fair Housing Laws, home sellers cannot discriminate against people based on protected characteristics. However, you can establish rules for attending an open house or maintain criteria for who you consider to be a serious and qualified buyer. You can also establish rules for your own house – like requiring people who tour to take off their shoes or prohibit photography inside your home.

It's still your house and your rules. People touring don’t have any extra rights to disrespect you or your property simply because your home is on the market.

Get Help Selling Your Home Fast and for a Great Price

At 72SOLD, we’re committed to respecting the rights and desires of home sellers throughout the United States. Our real estate professionals leverage proven marketing strategies to get home sellers exceptional offers more quickly than many competing real estate agencies can manage – and we do it while minimizing the impositions the process can have on your life.

Get our price for your home today at 72SOLD.com.