Compass says phased marketing delivers 4.6% sale price premium 

Compass has released new data showing that its pre-marketed listings command an even higher price premium than previously reported — findings the brokerage is using to bolster its 3-phased marketing approach and "seller choice" position.

From 2.9% to 4.6%: An analysis of Compass-held listings that sold during the 12 months ending March 31, 2026, found that homes that began as a Compass Private Exclusive or Coming Soon ultimately sold for 4.6% more, on average, compared to similar homes immediately listed on the MLS and portals, according to a blog post published by the brokerage on July 24.

That premium is significantly higher than what Compass reported in a previous study analyzing the brokerage's sold listings from 2024. In that study, Compass said its pre-marketed homes sold for 2.9% more than homes that were first put on the MLS or portals.

Speed, pricing advantages: The latest data showed that Compass' pre-marketed listings also went under contract 34% faster and were 29% less likely to undergo a price cut relative to comparable listings that did not go through the phased approach. 

The days-to-pending and price reduction differences were based on a comparison of direct-to-MLS listings with pre-marketed listings once they entered "phase three" — meaning they were now active on the MLS — but it did not account for time spent in phase one or two, or include data on price adjustments made during those phases.

'It's real money': The findings appear to support Compass International Holdings CEO Robert Reffkin's repeated stance that a phased marketing option is better for sellers. 

"The data is consistent: Giving homeowners marketing strategies to build interest in their home and refine the price before listing on the MLS and portals leads to a higher sale price," Compass Chief Data Officer Dave Crosby said in a statement. "It's real money."

Based on the median existing-home sale price in the U.S. currently of $430,000, the 4.6% premium amounts to about $19,780.

Methodology — and limitations: Compass analyzed 70,809 of its own closed residential transactions that were listed between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026.

The study controlled for more than 50 confounding variables, including property characteristics, agent and team attributes, seller demographics, neighborhood-level variables and macroeconomic conditions, Compass said.

However, the analysis only accounts for transactions that actually closed during this period, and does not mention how many listings were expired or withdrawn. The study also does not provide details on how long listings remained in the Compass Private Exclusive or Coming Soon phases, nor whether they underwent price cuts during those phases, or how many. 

A representative for Compass was not immediately able to share data for properties that did not close during the analysis period or provide information on time or price cuts in the pre-marketing phases.

A nod to other research: After presenting the data on its own transactions, Compass highlighted a study conducted by Dr. Darren Hayunga from the University of Georgia as another proof point in support of private listings. 

That study, which was limited to pocket listings in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, also found that private listings sell for a premium. For his research, Hayunga compared homes listed on the MLS to those with "zero days" on market that were only added to the MLS after they sold. 

He did not analyze sale price differences involving homes that had been pre-marketed and then placed on the MLS.

Dr. Hayunga's analysis found that pocket listings in Dallas that were sold between 2002 and 2022 netted an average premium of 1.7%, but luxury listings sold for a much higher premium of about 8.2%.

A handful of other studies have found that pre-marketing offers no substantive benefits or results in a lower sale price.