First Look Friday Is Coming Soon
See what public feeds like Zillow and Redfin may not show.
What Is First Look
Northwest MLS created a new listing status called First Look. It becomes available September 4, 2026. Sellers can use it to prepare a home before it goes fully active. Every First Look home must be timely submitted to Northwest MLS, so all member brokers can access it.
Why Your Search Feed May Miss Homes
IDX stands for Internet Data Exchange. It's how sites like Zillow and Redfin pull listings from the MLS. Sellers choose whether their First Look home appears on IDX sites. Some may skip public posting for up to 21 days while preparing for launch. Public feeds may not show every home for sale. You can still search current public Eastside inventory while I monitor the broker-visible market.
How First Look Friday Helps
First Look Friday is a coming soon weekly email for King and Snohomish County buyers. Each Friday it will share how many homes entered First Look, the visibility gap, and a quick market shape by city, price, and property type, plus a short broker read. Compare the local context in the Kirkland buyer guide, Bellevue buyer guide, and Redmond buyer guide.
What the Weekly Email Includes and Does Not
The weekly email will cover counts and market shape only. It will not list addresses, photos, or links for First Look homes that are not public. If a home may match what you're looking for, we can discuss it with you directly, one on one. Matches are never guaranteed.
Privacy and Compliance
Northwest MLS requires every First Look home to be timely submitted, so all member brokers can access it. Sellers decide whether it is shown publicly or open for showings. We follow these rules. First Look Friday publishes aggregate market information only, never protected listing details.
Where to Sign Up
FirstLookFriday.com has a live article hub and waitlist today. The weekly email is coming soon. Join the waitlist to get it as soon as it launches. It is built for buyers only, based on your own price range and search criteria. If you already have a specific property in mind, request a private home tour. If payment and cash to close are still open questions, start with the Eastside buyer financing plan.
Source
This launch follows the official Northwest MLS announcement, published August 31, 2026. Read the announcement here: Northwest MLS First Look announcement
First Look Questions
Q1What is a First Look listing?+
First Look is a new Northwest MLS status that lets sellers prepare a home before it becomes fully active. It becomes available September 4, 2026. Every First Look home must be timely submitted to Northwest MLS, so all member brokers can access it, even if it is not yet public.
Q2Why might a public portal not show every First Look home?+
Sellers choose whether their First Look home appears on IDX sites like Zillow or Redfin. Some may skip public posting for up to 21 days while preparing for launch. That means public feeds may not reflect the full market at any given time.
Q3Does joining the waitlist guarantee a matching home?+
No. Joining the waitlist means you will get the coming soon weekly aggregate update. It does not guarantee a First Look home will match your criteria or price range in any given week. Inventory changes week to week and is never guaranteed.
Q4What will the weekly email contain?+
Each Friday's email will share how many homes entered First Look in King and Snohomish counties, the visibility gap, and a quick shape by city, price, and property type. It will not include addresses, photos, or listing links for non-public homes.
Q5Can I take a private tour of a First Look home?+
First Look Friday does not arrange showings or tours. If a home may match your search, we can discuss it with you directly. Showing access during First Look depends on what the seller has chosen to allow through Northwest MLS.
Next step
First Look Friday is coming soon. Join the waitlist to get the weekly aggregate update on King and Snohomish County First Look activity, sent straight to your inbox. No guaranteed matches, just aggregate market information you can use.
Get the First Look listFirst Look Friday
Get the weekly Eastside buyer update.
Join the coming-soon list for aggregate First Look activity across King and Snohomish counties. No protected listing details and no guaranteed matches.
Next steps
Keep moving forward
Buy a home
Real estate services for buyers in King and Snohomish counties: strategy, home search, private tours, financing, relocation, and investment analysis.
View next stepPrivate tours in Kirkland, Bellevue and Redmond — including homes that aren't public yet
Member brokers can show a home up to 21 days before it goes Active. Private tours in Kirkland, Bellevue and Redmond with written notes. Request yours.
View next stepWindow Shop Eastside Homes
Browse homes across Seattle's Eastside at your own pace. No tour required until you find a home you want to see.
View next stepOpen Houses on the Eastside
Browse a human-curated list of open houses in Kirkland, Bellevue, Redmond, and nearby. Confirm details before visiting.
View next stepStart with the real estate decision.
Browse Washington real estate articles covering buying, financing, inspections, investing, maintenance, neighborhoods, and tax-aware planning.
View next step