By Scott Selleck | The Selleck Group at Keller Williams City Views Realty
Last updated: June 5, 2026
What does the national push against private listing networks mean for Bergen County home sellers?
States across the country are now requiring agents to put homes on the open market from Day 1. For Bergen County and Hudson County sellers, full public exposure has always been the standard at The Selleck Group — and the law is catching up to that practice.
Something significant is happening in real estate right now. It is not a market correction or a rate move. It is a legal and regulatory shift that goes directly to how homes are sold, who sees them, and how much sellers ultimately receive.
If you own a home in Bergen County, Hudson County, or anywhere in Northern New Jersey, this is worth understanding before you list.
The short version: private listing networks are under attack — legally, legislatively, and now through antitrust enforcement. And the reason matters to your bottom line.
What Is a Private Listing Network — and Why Does It Matter to You
A private listing network is a system where a brokerage markets your home internally — to its own agents and their buyer clients — before putting it on the open market. The pitch to sellers is usually framed as "exclusivity" or a "quiet launch." The reality is that it limits buyer competition, which limits offers, which limits your sale price.
That is not a theory. It is math.
If 10 qualified buyers see your home, you get more offers, more leverage, and a better outcome than if 3 buyers see it. Full stop.
The industry has known this for years. Now states are acting on it.
The National Wave: What Has Happened in the Last 30 Days
The pace of change here is worth noting. This is not a slow-moving policy debate. Laws are being signed and taking effect right now.
Washington State — Effective June 11, 2026
Washington's SB 6091 prohibits marketing a residential property to an exclusive group of buyers or brokers unless it is simultaneously and broadly marketed to the general public. The law takes effect this week. Northwest MLS, Washington Realtors, and Zillow all advocated for the legislation.
Connecticut — Signed May 27, 2026, Effective October 1, 2026
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed Senate Bill 340 into law on May 27.
It requires agents to publicly market 1-to-4-unit listings at the same time they appear on any private or restricted channel. Sellers who prefer not to market publicly may opt out — but only by signing a state-approved disclosure form that explicitly states limited exposure can reduce the pool of buyers and impact the final sale price.
New York — Passed Both Chambers June 1, 2026, Awaiting Governor's Signature
The Fair and Transparent Real Estate Listings Act passed the New York State Senate and Assembly on June 1 and is now on Governor Hochul's desk. If signed, it will require listings to be publicly marketed on platforms accessible to the general public at the same time they appear on any private or restricted channel. New Jersey sellers with eyes on the broader regional market should watch this closely.
Wisconsin, Illinois, and Hawaii are also moving forward with similar legislation. This is a national wave, not a regional experiment.
The New York AG Probe Into Compass
The legislative wave is happening alongside a separate and significant regulatory development.
The antitrust division of New York Attorney General Letitia James's office has opened an inquiry into Compass International Holdings, the residential real estate giant created through a series of major acquisitions — most recently the $1.6 billion purchase of Anywhere Real Estate, parent company of Corcoran, Coldwell Banker, and Sotheby's International Realty.
The Wall Street Journal confirmed that DOJ antitrust enforcers wanted to investigate the Compass-Anywhere merger but were overruled by senior officials. That decision is now under scrutiny from multiple directions.
The numbers behind the concern are stark: the combined Compass-Anywhere entity controls over 80% of transaction volume in Manhattan and over 60% in San Francisco. Market share concentrations at that level trigger federal merger review guidelines. Compass stock fell approximately 12% on the day the probe was reported.
The central question regulators are asking: does a brokerage with that kind of market dominance, combined with an internal private listings network, reduce seller access to the full buyer pool — and therefore reduce seller outcomes?
That is the same question the state legislation is designed to answer.
What This Means for Bergen County and Hudson County Sellers
Northern New Jersey is not New York City. But the forces shaping this debate — market concentration, private networks, limited buyer access — are not unique to Manhattan.
Here is what matters to you directly.
When you list your home with any agent, you should ask one simple question: where does my home go on Day 1, and who sees it?
The right answer is: NJMLS, HCMLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, and Homes.com. Simultaneously. From the moment it is live.
Anything less is a narrowed funnel. A narrowed funnel means fewer offers. Fewer offers mean less leverage. Less leverage means a lower price.
Get a home valuation for your Bergen County or Hudson County property before you decide how and when to list.
The Selleck Group Standard: Day 1 Has Always Been Day 1
I want to be direct about something.
Everything described in this post — the Washington law, the Connecticut law, the New York bill, the regulatory scrutiny of private networks — reflects a standard The Selleck Group has maintained since day one. Not because a law required it. Because it is what produces the best outcome for sellers.
Every listing I take goes to our local NJMLS, Garden State MLS, or Hudson County MLS depending on location of property. In addition, the properties go on Zillow, Realtor.com, and Homes.com on Day 1. No private phase. No internal preview period. No gated launch. Full public exposure from the moment your home hits the market.
In 33 years and 500+ closings across Bergen County and Hudson County, I have never once seen a seller benefit from limiting who could see their home. Competition produces outcomes. Scarcity is manufactured. Sellers deserve the full market.
That is not a new policy. It is the only policy that makes sense.
What to Ask Your Agent Before You Sign a Listing Agreement
If you are interviewing agents — or reconsidering your current representation — these are the questions that matter right now:
Does my home go on NJMLS on Day 1?
Does it go on Zillow, Realtor.com, and Homes.com simultaneously?
Is there any period during which my listing is marketed only to your brokerage's clients?
If I ask you to withhold my listing from the MLS, will you explain in writing what that costs me?
An agent who cannot answer those questions directly is not working in your best interest.
For a deeper look at what it means to hire the right listing agent in Bergen County, see my post on questions to ask a listing agent before you sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a private listing network and why are states banning them?
A private listing network is a system where a brokerage markets a home only to its own agents and clients before it reaches the public market. States are restricting them because research and common sense both show that limiting buyer access reduces seller competition, which reduces sale prices. The new laws in Washington, Connecticut, and New York require simultaneous public marketing so sellers receive the full benefit of the open market.
Does the New York AG probe into Compass affect home sellers in New Jersey?
The probe itself is focused on New York State antitrust concerns, but the underlying issue — whether dominant brokerages with private listing networks reduce seller outcomes — applies everywhere. Bergen County and Hudson County sellers should be asking their agents the same questions regulators are asking: who sees my home, and when?
Do I have to put my home on the MLS when I sell in New Jersey?
No — sellers in New Jersey can choose to withhold their listing from the MLS. But any agent representing you has a fiduciary duty to advise you on what that decision costs. Limiting exposure almost always limits buyer competition and, by extension, your final sale price. If you choose not to go on the MLS, that choice should be yours — informed, documented, and made with full knowledge of the tradeoff.
What platforms does The Selleck Group use to market a listing?
Every Selleck Group listing is submitted to NJMLS and HCMLS on Day 1. From there it syndicates automatically to Zillow, Realtor.com, and Homes.com, as well as dozens of additional consumer-facing real estate platforms. Marketing also includes professional photography, social media promotion across Instagram and Facebook, email distribution to active buyer clients, and targeted digital advertising. Full market exposure is the standard, not the exception.
Will the new state laws on private listings affect how homes are sold in Bergen County?
New Jersey has not yet passed equivalent legislation, but the trend is clear. Washington's law takes effect June 11. Connecticut's takes effect October 1. New York's is awaiting the governor's signature. The standard these laws enforce is the same standard The Selleck Group already uses. If and when New Jersey follows, nothing changes in how I operate — because Day 1 public marketing has always been the practice here.
Let Us Talk
Ready to sell your Bergen County or Hudson County home — and want to work with an agent whose standard was already ahead of the law?
Scott Selleck, REALTOR® with The Selleck Group at KW City Views Realty, helps Northern New Jersey homeowners sell with full market exposure, clear strategy, and no games.
Schedule your Home Selling Strategy Session or call or text directly.
Schedule a consultation
Scott Selleck
The Selleck Group — Keller Williams City Views Realty
Transition Advisor / AI Enabled Certified Agent - Krem Institute of Technology
2200 Fletcher Avenue, Suite 502, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Cell: (201) 970-3960 | Office: (201) 592-8900 | E-Fax: (201) 603-5360
[email protected] | SelleckSellsNJ.com
AI Assistant: delphi.ai/scottselleck
Schedule: tidycal.com/slselleck
Equal Housing Opportunity
#ScottSelleckRealtor #BergenCountyRealtor #NorthernNJRealtor #KWCityViews
Resources and Further Reading
Inman News — "Connecticut Joins Wave of States Restricting Private Listings," June 3, 2026: https://www.inman.com/2026/06/03/connecticut-restricting-private-listings/
HousingWire — "NY AG Probes Compass-Anywhere Acquisition," June 3, 2026: https://www.housingwire.com/articles/ny-ag-compass-anywhere-probe/
The Real Deal — "NY AG Probing Compass Over Antitrust Concerns," June 3, 2026: https://therealdeal.com/national/2026/06/03/ny-ag-probing-compass-antitrust-concerns/
Real Estate News — "Connecticut Governor Signs Bill Restricting Private Listings," June 1, 2026: https://www.realestatenews.com/2026/06/01/connecticut-governor-signs-bill-restricting-private-listings/
Brown Harris Stevens — "Connecticut Passes Bill Restricting Private Listing Networks," June 2026: https://www.bhsusa.com/blog/connecticut-passes-bill-restricting-private-listing-networks-similar-ny-law-heads-to-governor/
