Coming Soon Real Estate Post: What to Show, Captions to Copy, and the MLS Rule
What to put in a coming soon post, captions and hooks to copy, and the MLS rule that starts the clock.
By the Next5 team · · 7 min read
A coming soon post tells buyers a home is about to hit the market. Done right, it gives you a list of people waiting for the listing and shows sellers you market hard. Done wrong, it can break your MLS rules before the home is even live. Here is how to do it right, step by step.
Check these 4 things before you post
The seller signed the listing agreement
No signed exclusive listing agreement means there is no listing yet. Do not post about a home you have only talked about.
You know your MLS rules for coming soon
NAR has no national policy on coming soon. Each MLS decides its own statuses and rules. Some require a seller disclosure form, some ban tours, and some keep coming soon homes off the big home search sites.
You treat a public post as public marketing
Under the Clear Cooperation Policy used by REALTOR association MLSs, public marketing includes yard signs, flyers and digital marketing on public-facing websites. Treat a public Instagram or TikTok post as digital marketing on a public-facing website, unless your MLS tells you otherwise.
You can file the listing within one business day
Once you market a home to the public, you have one business day to submit it to the MLS. One business day is not 24 hours, and it skips Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Post on a Friday, and Monday is your deadline (if it is not a holiday).
The simplest path: if your MLS has a Coming Soon status, enter the listing there before your first post. In ARMLS (Arizona), for example, Coming Soon status meets the Clear Cooperation rule. Ask your MLS if theirs works the same way.
If the seller wants more time before the home shows up everywhere, ask your MLS about delayed marketing. Since March 2025, NAR policy lets sellers delay IDX and syndication for a period the MLS sets, with a signed seller disclosure. The listing is still filed in the MLS.
What to put in a coming soon post
A teaser works because it holds something back. Show enough to make a buyer want the full listing, not so much that the post is the listing. A 5 slide slideshow is the easiest format: no filming needed. See how to make a slideshow on TikTok.
| Slide | What to show | Text on the slide |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The best photo: kitchen, view or front of the home | "Coming soon in [neighborhood]" |
| 2 | One feature buyers in your area want | "A backyard you can actually use" |
| 3 | A second room, cropped close | "3 beds, 2 baths, updated last year" |
| 4 | The area: a park, a street, a coffee shop nearby | "5 minutes to [school or park]" |
| 5 | You, or a plain slide | "Live on [date]. Comment SOON and I will send it that day" |
What to leave out
- The full address, unless the seller agrees. Some sellers do not want visitors before the home is ready.
- The price, if it is not set yet. A price you change later looks bad.
- Rooms that are not ready. Wait for the repairs and staging.
- The seller's family photos and personal items. Crop them out or skip the shot.
- "Private showings now", unless your MLS allows tours before the home is live.
Coming soon captions to copy
- "Coming soon to [neighborhood]. 3 beds, a big yard, and a kitchen you will want to cook in. Comment SOON and I will send the details the day it goes live."
- "Not on the market yet. Want the listing the day it goes live? Comment SOON."
- "Buyers in [town], this one is for you. Live on [date]. Save this post so you do not miss it."
- "Coming soon: the home with the backyard you keep asking me about. Details on [date]."
- "Sellers, this is what I do before your home goes live. Coming soon in [neighborhood]."
The last one talks to sellers, not buyers. A coming soon post does two jobs: it finds buyers for this home and shows future sellers how you market theirs.
Hooks for the first slide
Slide 1 decides if people swipe. Put the place and one reason to care in it. Use a price only once it is set.
- "Coming soon in [neighborhood], and it has the yard"
- "The [town] home I cannot show you yet"
- "Under $[price] in [town]? Coming soon"
- "Your first look at [street or neighborhood]'s next listing"
- "Buyers in [town]: set a reminder for [date]"
More patterns that work for agents are in our list of TikTok hooks for small business.
Plan the 4 posts around one listing
| When | Post | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| After the agreement is signed and your MLS rules allow it | Coming soon teaser | Build a list of people who comment |
| The day it goes live | Just listed: full room tour | Send the listing to everyone who commented |
| Open house or under contract | Open house, then just sold | Proof for the next seller |
Put all 4 in your calendar the day the seller signs, so none gets skipped. Our free 30-day content calendar has room for listing posts next to your weekly tips. When the open house date is set, the 5 open house posts and captions slot straight into the same week. For the rest of your posts, see 30 real estate post ideas.
Turn comments into buyer leads
- Ask for one word. "Comment SOON" is easy. Ask for nothing else.
- Reply to every comment the same day, then send a message: "I will send you the listing on [date]. Are you working with an agent?"
- Keep a list. A note on your phone with names and what they want is enough.
- Send the listing the day it goes live, before anyone else does.
How Next5 does this
Next5 makes this kind of post for you. You paste your website or a listing page, Next5 writes the slides from formats that already get views for agents, and nothing posts until you approve it.
Common mistakes
- Posting before the listing agreement is signed. If the seller changes their mind, you have marketed a home you do not have.
- Leaving coming soon up forever. If the date moves, post an update so buyers trust the next one.
Sources
- NAR: Things to consider when assessing coming soon listings (FAQ, March 2026)
- NAR: Statement on pre-marketing and coming soon listings (March 20, 2026)
- NAR: New flexibility for sellers while retaining Clear Cooperation (March 25, 2025)
- NAR: MLS Clear Cooperation Policy (policy text)
- ARMLS: Clear Cooperation policy and what counts as public marketing
Questions
Is a coming soon listing a good idea?
It can be, when the seller needs a little time for repairs or photos and wants buyers watching. The trade off depends on your MLS: the home may stay off the big home search sites and may not allow tours until it is live. Talk it through with the seller first.
How do I announce coming soon on social media?
After the agreement is signed and you have checked your MLS rules, post a 5 slide teaser: the best photo, one feature, the area, and the date it goes live. End with one ask, like "Comment SOON and I will send it the day it goes live."
Can I post coming soon on Instagram before the home is in the MLS?
Yes, but in a REALTOR association-owned MLS, treat a public post as marketing: you must file the listing within one business day. If your MLS has a Coming Soon status, enter the listing there before you post. Check your MLS rules first.
What is a good caption for a coming soon post?
Name the place, give one reason to care, and ask for one action. For example: "Coming soon to [neighborhood]. 3 beds and a big yard. Comment SOON and I will send the details the day it goes live."
Can buyers tour a coming soon home?
It depends on your MLS. Some MLSs do not allow tours during coming soon. Check before you offer one.
Do coming soon days count as days on market?
NAR leaves that to each MLS. Some track days on market during coming soon and some do not, so ask yours.
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