Technology

The secret ‘gray market’ of inventory (and how to tap into it)

· 5 min read

Katie Hill isn’t your typical real estate disruptor. She’s not trying to kill the MLS, launching another listing portal or cutting out agents. In fact, she’s trying to help them.

In this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, CEO of Unlisted, Hill, explains the bold new platform connecting buyers with potential sellers before they ever hit the market.

Hill’s background in direct mail, digital marketing and startup advising uniquely positioned her to spot a massive opportunity in the market: Homeowners who might sell,  just not yet. 

Unlisted lets buyers express interest in any home in the U.S., not just the ones for sale. Homeowners can then see who’s interested, update their home profiles, and respond if and when they’re ready. It’s a softer, earlier conversation that captures the “gray zone” between “just thinking” and “ready to sell.”

Unlisted isn’t trying to replace real estate agents; it’s giving them a new front door into consumer conversations before they’re ready to list.

Highlights

In this episode:

  • How a pool, a pandemic and a bold question inspired a whole new real estate model
  • What makes the “gray zone” of real estate so valuable (and overlooked)
  • Why the future of selling your home could start with a waitlist
  • How to use direct mail right in 2025
  • Why agents should get excited (not feel threatened) by this new lead source
  • The 3 groups of gray-zone sellers most agents are missing
  • What Zillow got wrong with “Make Me Move”
  • Why real estate isn’t Amazon and shouldn’t be

Plus: Real talk on startup life, rejection as fuel and why planning is often just fear wearing a tie.

This is a must-listen for forward-thinking agents, brokers and innovators.

Connect with Katie Hill on LinkedIn. Learn more about Unlisted on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and online unlistedhomes.com.

Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered is now exclusively on Inman. Tune in for agent- and team-focused content on Mondays and leadership interviews on Wednesdays each week. Listen on Apple or Spotify.

James Dwiggins is the Co-CEO of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.

Keith Robinson is the Co-CEO of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.

Follow Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered Podcast on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook or TikTok, and subscribe to their YouTube Channel.  

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