Listings

Listings are properties currently offered for sale through the MLS or another marketing channel. Unlike closed sales, listings show what sellers are asking rather than what buyers have agreed to pay.

Appraisers analyze active listings as evidence of current market conditions and the competition a subject property faces. In a changing market, listings can provide more current information than closed sales, which reflect transactions negotiated weeks or months earlier. Appraisal reports may include listing data alongside comparable sales for this reason.

Listings have an important limitation: An asking price reflects a seller's expectations and may not represent what the market will actually support. Appraisers therefore use listings as supporting evidence of market conditions rather than treating the asking price as proof of value. The relationship between list price, contract price and sale price can also provide insight into buyer demand and negotiation trends.