What Does Withdrawn Mean in Real Estate?

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In real estate, the term withdrawn listing describes a situation where home sellers feel like they no longer want to sell. 

They instruct their real estate agent to withdraw the listing and change the status of the property to no longer active. Once this process is complete the home that was for sale could be described as off-market.

The status is effectively changed on the multiple listing service. Despite the change in status, the property will still be visible when buyers search for homes. Other home buyers that offer cash for homes can still buy it.

Withdrawn listing can also mean that the seller is regrouping and assessing their strategy, but in most scenarios, the seller has had a change of heart about selling right away. A withdrawn status exists in two kinds on the MLS: Unconditionally withdrawn or conditionally withdrawn.

When a property is unconditionally withdrawn from an MLS listing, it refers to a situation whereby the listing is released from the brokerage. 

It means the home seller is no longer tied to the listing agreement, and they can do whatever they deem fit. They may take actions such as listing with another agent or postponing the sale altogether.

A conditionally withdrawn listing means the property is withdrawn from the market for a certain period while the owner ponders on their next move.

A property with its status being conditionally withdrawn on the MLS listing means that the property might not be available for a showing, but the listing agent can still be contacted because the seller is still under contract.

The house may or may not be listed again on the MLS. If the property is labeled unconditionally withdrawn and released, the listing is no longer being marketed by the same listing broker.

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How Does MLS Function?

MLS—multiple listing services—are databases created and maintained by professionals from the real estate industry to assist interested clients in buying and selling property.

Many funds have been invested in MLS and other modern technology to make real estate transactions more efficient.

Five hundred and eighty MLSs are divided geographically to help brokers share information about listed properties and enhance cooperation with other brokers in closing a sale.

Sellers get the benefit of increased exposure in terms of the property while, at the same time, any potential buyer can get relevant information about an MLS-listed property while working with a listing broker.

Before you list your home on the MLS, you must sign a listing contract with a listing agent as a home seller. The contract will include how long they have to sell your house, their commission, escrow account details, and the price you want to sell for. 

After signing, the agent will prepare the listing for posting on the MLS. The listing normally includes the house details and its location.

The listings are then fed into an online portal that makes all the information a public record. Not all information is published for example, the real estates exact commission instructions are recorded on a separate form called a CDA.

The information is accessible on websites that are not MLS, but the MLS remains the source of the original data and has the most updated information.

By working with a real estate agent, you will likely get the most recent MLS listings.

real estate listing form

Reasons a Seller May Withdraw a Real Estate Listing

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The Seller Decides, for Financial or Personal Reasons, Not to Sell the Property

Some homeowners decide to put their homes on the market to see the number of offers they can attract and withdraw if they are not okay with the offers coming through. 

In other circumstances, the reason a homeowner was selling might not exist anymore. Such circumstances may include a job transfer or offer canceled or a family situation that has changed.

The Seller Decides to Improve the House

A house may be put on a property listing, but the owner decides to make some improvements to the house or fix some problems with the hope that these changes will help the house attract better offers.

I have personally been involved with homeowners who obtained a variance for their property while it was listed and because of this they are able to make improvements to the property and decide to add value. 

The Property Was Overpriced and Stayed on the Market for Too Long

Sometimes a home seller may take a house out of the real estate listing and relist it later on so that it does not appear as if the house has been on the market for too long.

The Seller Wants to Take a Break From the Property Listing Process

The seller might find the process of house showing to be tiresome since you have to continuously keep the house clean, in a good attractive shape, and at the same time deal with walkthroughs.

Performing all these activities becomes harder if you have children and pets around. You might find yourself overwhelmed as a seller and decide to pause and withdraw the listing.

Eminent Domain

While very unlikely, the seller may have been trying to unload the house fast to avoid condemnation. If you are the buyer you must know the fair market value and be betting the government will pay it.

Differentiating a Withdrawn Listing From an Expired Listing

A withdrawn real estate listing can remain with an agent but not on the MLS. Withdrawal of a listing does not mean that the seller and agent sever ties. This is because the contract between them is still active.

While the listing remains withdrawn from the market, the original contract remains active until its expiration date.

However, sellers cannot use different real estate agents to present their interests or sell the property directly to a prospective buyer, et al

On the other hand, an expired listing is a property that has been in the market past the stipulated time in the listing contract between the home seller and the listing agent.

After an expired listing, the seller can choose whether to continue with the current real estate agent or go with a new agency without being penalized for changing representation.

You will be required to relist your property, that is, create a new listing on the MLS whether you choose a new real estate agent or not. An automatically renewed listing does not exist. Relisting must be done in writing.

In case you are not sure of the status of your listing, whether it is still active, expired, or withdrawn, you can look at your listing agreement and have a conversation with your real estate agent.

Besides properties being listed as active, sold, withdrawn, or expired, MLS listing can also be canceled. A canceled listing occurs when a property owner and the agent decide to terminate their listing agreement.

Before getting a canceled listing, the terms and conditions of the cancellation must be stipulated in the contract.

Grounds for cancellation must be outlined and may include anything from poor communication or unethical behavior. If a mutual agreement is realized, the contract can be terminated.

The best way a terminated listing is declared is by saying the listing is canceled. It means that the property owner canceled the listing agreement in writing.

You also need to realize that you cannot leave the listing as active just because the seller does not want to participate in the house showings temporarily.

All listings in an active status must be available for showing in any way. If the listing does not offer any showings, the listing should be moved to withdrawn status. Days on the market do not count when a listing is withdrawn.

The days on the market on a listing are only counted when the listing is active in the system. The moment a listing is withdrawn, the system automatically stops counting the days on the market until the listing is active again.

If someone is interested in a house with a listing that is withdrawn, you can consult or contact the listing agent and not the seller. This is because the contract between the seller and the listing agents remains active.

By listing your property on the MLS, the real estate agents can advertise the properties currently on the market. It gives the buyer’s agent authority to inquire about the properties on behalf of prospective buyers.

The contract signed with a listing agent gives them the right to sell your property for the period outlined in the legal contract. It mostly varies from six months to one year.

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