How to Make a Video for an Off-Market or Pocket Listing

An off-market video is shared, not posted: the same walk-through, with the address and identifying exteriors left out, sent by link to the buyers and agents the seller approves. The caption says what the seller allows, the link can expire, and the whole thing stays inside the MLS's rules on office exclusives — which changed in many markets and are worth reading again.

By the Villenza team · Published September 30, 2026

Discretion in the frame

Interiors only, or an exterior that does not show the house number or the street sign. A dolly into the great room and a view push show the house without placing it. Skip the aerial unless the seller agrees.

Sharing, not posting

Host the video unlisted and send the link; expire it or replace it when the seller wants. Villenza's download is yours to host wherever the seller is comfortable. No social posts, no portal.

The rules

Many MLSs now require listings marketed publicly to be entered within a day; a private video sent one-to-one is usually fine, a video posted anywhere public is not. Read your board's current policy and follow the seller's written instruction.

Questions

Can I show the exterior at all?

If the seller agrees, from an angle without the number or a distinctive feature that identifies the street. Ask first.

Will an off-market video hurt the later public launch?

No — the same clips become the public video with the exterior and the address added. Nothing is wasted.