Private Listing Networks Spark Fair Housing Concerns

For generations, homeownership has been one of the most important pathways to building wealth and creating opportunity in America. But as the housing market becomes more constrained with rising prices, limited inventory, and affordability pressures impacting buyers nationwide, protecting equal access to housing information has never been more important.

In a recent TIME opinion piece, NAACP President Derrick Johnson argues that the future of fair housing is tied to a simple principle: transparency. Johnson writes that while online home listings have helped create “a more equitable system by allowing agents and brokers to serve their clients with the full inventory of available homes,” that progress is now at risk from the growing use of private listing networks (PLNs) and pocket listings.

Private listing networks allow properties to be marketed privately to a limited group of agents, brokers, or buyers rather than through the broad exposure of a multiple listing service (MLS). While supporters argue these networks provide sellers with privacy and control, Johnson raises a critical theme: “In today’s housing market, you shouldn’t have to know someone to know what’s possible.”

The concern is that when homes are hidden from the broader marketplace, access becomes dependent on relationships and connections rather than equal opportunity.

“The risks are not theoretical,” Johnson writes. “These exclusive listings can reduce opportunities for first-time homebuyers.”

He points to research showing the potential consequences of limited exposure, including findings that:

• 46% of housing counselors surveyed say first-time buyers struggle with pocket listings, according to the Consumer Federation of America and National Urban League.
• MLS-listed homes sell for 17.5% more than off-MLS homes, according to research from Bright MLS and Drexel University.
• Sellers in majority-minority ZIP codes lose thousands of dollars per sale compared with sellers in predominantly white neighborhoods, according to Zillow research.
• Johnson argues that transparency is not simply a market preference — it is a fundamental part of a fair housing system.

According to Johnson, “Transparency is not a luxury. When buyers can compare homes, prices, and time on market, they can make informed decisions. Sellers reach more potential buyers, and the market works more fairly for everyone.”