Below are sites which are not MLS sourced (syndications of the MLS). They are, in that sense, indepedent and they do not, therefore, start the Days On Market (DOM) clock.
Independent sites represent approximately 15% of the total search volume for homes.
In principle, the independent sites where a FSBO could advertise are endless, including creating your own. However, for the purposes of enumerating the ones with likely connections and traffic, here are some to consider.
- Facebook Marketplace – approx 4% of home searches (by far the strongest of the Independents and particularly good for hyper-local)
- Craigslist – approx 1.5% of home searches
- Nextdoor
- TikTok
- Local Classifieds
- Call Local Brokers for Pocket Listings (if offering buyer’s broker commission)
- Property Website or Landing Page (particularly good place to direct your leads, links)
- Print Media, Flyers, Mailers, Newspapers
- Private Networks of Buyers: investors, buyer lists & email campaigns, BiggerPockets, LoopNet, Crexi.
Auction.com (Approx 1% of home searches) & ebay
Using these Independent Platforms allows you to: 1. Test the market and gauge buyer interest/price before an official launch. 2. Sell privately without: Days On Market (DOM) clock starting, public showings, or extensive marketing. 3. Market to home buyers who find your FSBO “hidden gem” and feel a sense of urgency before it is listed on the major search sites.
SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT YOUTUBE
- You can do YouTube Video Walkthroughs, i.e. – Coming Soon, with no address.
For Youtube, if you post a video with: a full street address, pricing info, and clear “for sale” language, then many MLSs and real-estate boards will consider that “public advertising.” Once that happens, you may violate MLS “Coming Soon” or Clear Cooperation rules, which require you to put the home in the MLS within 1 business day of public marketing.
Platforms like YouTube are indexed by Google.
If your video includes the full address in the title, description, or captions, that property’s “for sale” content becomes searchable — even after you delete or re-upload it.
When the home later goes live on MLS, some sites (Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com) may detect that past YouTube listing and associate it with the property, giving the impression it’s been on the market longer.
Keep the Focus on Storytelling
Pre-MLS YouTube videos should sell the feeling of the home — not the coordinates.
Use phrases like:
“Coming soon in the North Hills area,”
“A modern craftsman near downtown,”
or “Our newest listing hitting the market next week.”
This builds anticipation without triggering compliance or DOM risks.
Here is the Market Platform. Here are are the Syndicator Platforms.