Many of the properties available to buy in London never appear on Rightmove or Zoopla. They may be quietly offered to a handful of buyers, shown privately before being publicly marketed or even sold without ever being formally advertised at all. These are generally described as off-market properties.
For buyers access to this less visible part of the London property market can be extremely useful, but there is an important misconception worth clearing up immediately: Off-market does not automatically mean cheaper, better or more exclusive. The real advantage is having access to a wider pool of opportunities — and being able to assess each property on its merits.
What does off-market property mean?
An off-market property is a property that is potentially available for sale, but is not being publicly advertised through the normal channels. That usually means it isn’t listed on major property portals such as Rightmove, Zoopla or OnTheMarket and may not appear on the estate agent’s website.
Instead the seller or their estate agent quietly introduces the property to selected prospective buyers. In London, particularly at the prime end of the market, this is a perfectly normal way for properties to change hands.
Why do people sell property off-market?
There are many reasons a seller might prefer a private sale. Privacy is one of the most common. A seller may simply not want photographs, floorplans and details of their home publicly available online. Others want to avoid numerous viewings and only allow serious, financially qualified buyers through the door.
A seller might also be considering moving, but not yet be committed enough to formally launch their property. Their agent may therefore quietly test interest amongst known buyers first. Occasionally an owner isn’t actively marketing their property at all, but would consider selling if approached with the right offer. This is why the definition of “off-market” can be surprisingly broad.
Off-market vs pre-market property
These terms are often used interchangeably, but they don’t always mean quite the same thing. A pre-market property is normally a home that is going to be publicly marketed but is being shown privately to selected buyers first. A genuinely off-market property may never be publicly advertised at all.
For a buyer, both can be valuable. Seeing a property before it reaches the portals can sometimes give you an opportunity to agree a purchase before it is exposed to the wider market.
What are the advantages of buying off-market?
The biggest advantage is simply greater choice. If you restrict your property search to Rightmove and Zoopla, you are only seeing properties sellers have chosen to advertise publicly.
Off-market access can also mean:
- seeing properties before other buyers;
- facing fewer competing purchasers;
- accessing homes whose owners value privacy;
- finding properties that closely match a very specific search brief;
- having an opportunity to approach owners who have not formally put their property up for sale.
This becomes particularly valuable when looking for something difficult to find — perhaps a house on a particular street, an unusually large garden, a certain architectural style or a property within a very small geographical area.
Are off-market properties cheaper?
Not necessarily — and buyers should be wary of anyone who suggests otherwise. A property does not suddenly become good value simply because it isn’t on Rightmove.
Some off-market sellers are highly motivated and may prioritise certainty, discretion or speed over achieving the absolute highest price. Others may have precisely the opposite expectation. Because they aren’t actively trying to sell, they may only move for an exceptionally strong offer.
Without an open marketing campaign, there can also be less evidence of what other buyers would actually pay. Independent valuation and negotiation therefore become particularly important.
At Curetons, we assess an off-market opportunity in exactly the same way as an openly marketed property: What is it realistically worth, what are the comparable sales and what should our client actually pay? Sometimes the correct advice is not to buy it.
What does “off market” mean on Rightmove?
If a property is described as “off market” or disappears from Rightmove, it does not necessarily mean it has been sold. The owner may have accepted an offer, decided to withdraw the property from sale or simply chosen to stop advertising it publicly.
This is slightly different from a genuine off-market property, which is offered for sale privately without being openly advertised on portals such as Rightmove or Zoopla.
If a property you are interested in has been taken off the market, it can still be worth making enquiries. In some circumstances, the owner may remain open to a sale even though the property is no longer being publicly marketed.
How do you find off-market properties in London?
This is the difficult part. By definition, you cannot simply search a property portal for homes that haven’t been advertised. Experienced buying agents build relationships with estate agents, developers, private clients and other property professionals so they hear about opportunities that may not reach the general market.
At Curetons, our property searches therefore extend beyond properties advertised online. We regularly speak directly with agents about forthcoming and private instructions, explore properties being discreetly marketed and, where appropriate, make direct approaches to owners of properties that fit a client’s brief.
That does not guarantee that a perfect hidden property exists. However it does mean our clients’ searches are not restricted to whatever happens to appear on the portals that week.
Should you use a buying agent to find off-market property?
You don’t have to. A determined buyer can build relationships with local estate agents and make direct approaches themselves. The challenge is scale.
A serious London property search can involve dozens of estate agencies, individual negotiators, private contacts and potential properties. Buying agents spend their working lives maintaining those relationships and searching the market on behalf of their clients.
More importantly, access is only half the job. Once an off-market property has been found, you still need to establish whether it is the right property, investigate its history, assess its value, negotiate with the seller and carry out the appropriate due diligence. That is where independent representation can be particularly valuable.
Looking for off-market property in London?
Curetons is an independent London property buying agency representing buyers rather than sellers.
Our full property buying service searches both the open and off-market property market, previews and assesses suitable properties, advises on value, negotiates the purchase and helps manage the transaction through to completion.
We can also make discreet direct approaches to property owners where a client is looking for something particularly specific.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does off-market mean when buying a house?
An off-market property is potentially available to buy but is not being publicly advertised through the normal property portals or wider marketing channels. It may instead be offered privately to selected buyers.
Can you find off-market properties on Rightmove?
Generally, no. Once a property is publicly advertised on Rightmove it would normally be regarded as being on the open market. However buyers may sometimes hear about a property before its Rightmove listing goes live.
Are off-market properties cheaper?
Not automatically. Some sellers may accept a competitive price in return for privacy, speed or certainty, while others may expect a premium. Buyers should assess the property’s underlying market value rather than assuming an off-market property represents a bargain.
How do buying agents find off-market properties?
Buying agents develop relationships with estate agents, developers and other property professionals, allowing them to hear about private and forthcoming sales. They can also approach property owners directly when searching for a particularly specific type of property.
Is buying an off-market property safe?
The legal buying process is fundamentally the same. Buyers should still instruct a solicitor, undertake the appropriate searches and due diligence, arrange a survey where appropriate and investigate the property carefully before exchanging contracts.
