Why Agents Are Leaving Compass—And What It Says About the Ethics of Off-Market Listings
Why I’m Hearing from So Many Compass Agents (And What Off-Market “Exclusives” Really Cost)
If you know me, you know I’m pro-agent and very pro-client. I’ve been licensed under the Compass brand before. There are great people there. This isn’t about throwing shade at individuals.
What I’m seeing in 2025, though, is a steady stream of Compass agents reaching out to talk about a move. The theme isn’t commission splits—it’s discomfort with how “private” or off-market listings are being positioned as a strategy. When you strip away the buzzwords, it just doesn’t line up with Clear Cooperation, Fair Housing, or a seller’s best shot at top dollar.
Quick reality check: Clear Cooperation & Fair Housing
Clear Cooperation exists so real buyers and real agents all get a fair chance to see a home. Fair Housing isn’t just a poster on the wall; it’s the standard. When a listing stays in a walled garden, you shrink access—intentionally or not. That’s a compliance risk and, frankly, an ethics headache I don’t want for me or my clients.
Are there true privacy exceptions? Yes: safety concerns, high-profile clients, sensitive life circumstances. Those are rare. Using “private” as a default marketing angle for everyday sellers is something else entirely.
Let’s be analytical for a second
Exposure sets price. MLS + syndication = more eyeballs, more offers, more leverage.
Off-market shrinks the buyer pool. Fewer showings → less competition → weaker negotiating power.
Appraisal & comp fallout. Quiet deals don’t build clean comps. That can hurt this seller and the neighbors down the line.
Risk profile. The smaller and more selective your audience, the easier it is to look like you restricted access—even if you didn’t mean to.
The “exclusive premium” story sounds fancy. In the real world, competition is what pushes price—not whispers.
Why push “private” at all?
I can’t speak for anyone’s boardroom. From the street level, it looks like a mix of in-house pipelines, investor pressure to show “innovation,” and nostalgia for pre-MLS tactics. Call it what you want. To me, it’s not modern consumer-first real estate.
What agents actually want (and what clients deserve)
Transparency over secrecy
Cooperation over siloed deals
Systems that build trust and stand up to a Fair Housing audit
A brokerage that makes you proud to explain your process to a judge, a journalist, or your grandma
That’s the bar. And yes—the grass is greener when the market is open.
How we run it at my team
MLS-first, always (unless there’s a documented, bona fide privacy need).
If privacy is truly necessary, we outline trade-offs in writing and put a sunset to MLS on the calendar.
Strict Fair Housing: standardized showings, equal access, written offer timelines, clean paper trails. No steering. No “quiet lists.”
Sellers get side-by-side nets: off-market vs. MLS, with likely buyer pool, time to offer, appraisal risk, and dollars.
We welcome outside agents. Clients win when everyone can play.
If you’re in Ambler, Greater Philly, or anywhere in PA, this is the kind of business you can stand behind.
A simple gut check for agents
Would you proudly explain your listing plan to a Fair Housing investigator?
If your seller’s neighbor asked, “Did my friend get the widest exposure?” could you say yes without wincing?
Look at your last 10 listings: did “private” truly net more—or just feel easier?
If those questions tug at you, that’s your answer.
Let’s talk—confidentially, human to human
If you’re at Compass (or anywhere) and you feel misaligned with the off-market push, I’m happy to share what a cooperative, compliance-clean, growth-minded home looks like.
Schedule a 1:1: https://calendly.com/agentshainamc
Email me: Shaina@MontCoLiving.com
Disclaimer:
This blog reflects my personal experience and opinions as a licensed real estate professional. It is not intended as legal advice or a personal attack on any individual or company. References to policies and public cases are included to educate and promote transparent best practices in the real estate industry.
Real estate works best in the open. Let’s be the professionals who keep it that way.
