Expired listing

A listing whose contract ran out without a sale. The seller can relist with the same or a different agent. Expired listings often get contacted by agents looking for new business.

Listing & marketing · Updated September 2026

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Part 1 of 4

Why a seller cares

When a listing expires, the phone starts ringing with agents who want the relisting. It is also the moment to decide what went wrong, because relisting at the same price with new photos rarely changes the answer.

Part 2 of 4

A simple example

Your six-month listing expires unsold at $319,900. Within a week, nine agents have called or mailed.

Expired listing: a simple example
What happens nextWhat tends to follow
Relist with the same agent at a new priceThe days-on-market history may carry over
Relist with a new agentNew photos, new price, the same CDOM in most MLSs
Wait a seasonThe clock may reset, and the market may have moved

An expired listing is a data point about price, and every agent who calls knows it.

Part 3 of 4

What people get wrong

That expiring means starting over. The market remembers, and the price is the thing to change.

Part 4 of 4 · where to read next

Where it appears in the sale

What a definition is, and what it isn't

Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.

Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish

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