WA bans private listings as brokerages clash over home marketing

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Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson has signed off on a measure that will prohibit real estate brokers from marketing homes to a limited group of buyers before making them available to the broader public, a move supporters say will improve transparency in the housing market.

Senate Bill 6091, which passed the legislature with near-unanimous support, was signed by Ferguson on Tuesday. The bill passed the Senate 49–0 and the House 92–1 during the 2026 legislative session.

The measure, which takes effect on June 11, targets private home listings — a marketing practice known as "pocket listing" in which a property is quietly shared with select buyers or brokers before it is publicly advertised on the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS).

Under the new law, brokers representing sellers will be prohibited from marketing residential properties to a limited group of potential buyers unless the home is concurrently marketed to the general public and all other brokers.

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2026/03/18/washington-law-bob-ferguson-pocket-listings-ban.html

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1. I was a Realtor/Broker for over 25 years and I approve this legislation.

All properties for sale should be available to ALL POTENTIAL BUYERS, not just your clients or favorites!

That's the very definition of "free market", and the only fair way for buyers and sellers to determine fair market value.