Selling or buying a home in Louisville is a big deal. But what happens after the deal is done? In many cases, the listing stays online. The photos, price history, and details can show up in Google searches long after the property is off the market. In this article, we’ll take a look at how to remove listings once you no longer need them to sell a home. Let’s jump in!
Good agents understand that great listings are the first order of business when it comes to real estate marketing ideas. So they’re (almost) always recommended. But there are times as a homeowner, investor, or real estate agent, when old listing information can be frustrating. They confuse buyers, clog search results, and sometimes share personal info you don’t want public.
Here’s how to remove listings after a sale, purchase, or canceled deal—and why it matters.
3 Problems with Old Listings
Once a property hits the internet, it’s pulled into dozens of real estate sites. These include:
- Zillow
- Realtor.com
- Redfin
- Trulia
- Homes.com
- Local broker websites
Each platform copies the listing data. Some update when the property status changes. Others don’t. Even when a home is marked “Sold” or “Off Market,” the page might still show up in search.
A 2022 study by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that 97% of homebuyers use the internet in their search process. That means your old listing could keep popping up when someone Googles your address.
Problem #1: Privacy
Listings often include:
- Interior photos
- Virtual home tours
- Floor plans
- Square footage
- Owner names
- Sale price
If you just bought a home, you might not want people seeing what the kitchen looks like. Or what the home sold for.
One couple I spoke with moved into a house near Cherokee Park. Six months later, their neighbor sent them a link to their full floor plan—including where the kids’ bedrooms were. The listing was still live on four different sites.
Problem #2: Confusion
Old listings confuse future buyers, agents, and appraisers. If you’re listing a home again, they might see the old price and think the new one is inflated. If you’re renting a property, people might try to contact you about a home that’s no longer available. Old information leads to missed opportunities.
Problem #3: Search Results
If you Google a home address, the first thing you often see is the real estate listing. That can be a problem for sellers, buyers, and even investors who want to keep a low profile.
Old listings can rank higher than your business, your website, or your current contact info. That’s bad for branding—and frustrating to fix if you don’t know where to start.
How to Remove Listings
Step 1: Start with the MLS
If you worked with a real estate agent, your home was probably listed on the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service). In Louisville, that’s usually the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors (GLAR).
Once the sale is complete or the listing is pulled, your agent should update the MLS status. This should then push updates to all connected real estate platforms. This first step in how to remove listings will usually take care of the problem.
But not all websites refresh their data in real-time. Some take weeks. Others don’t update at all unless someone reports the problem.
Step 2: Contact Major Listing Sites Directly
The next step in how to remove listings is to contact the real estate websites directly. Each site has its own process for removing or updating listings. Here’s what to do:
- Zillow: Go to the listing page. Scroll down and click “More” > “Report problem with listing.” Select the issue and include your reason—like “This home has been sold and should no longer show.”
- Realtor.com: Email support@realtor.com with the link and explain that the home is no longer on the market.
- Redfin: Use the “Feedback” link on the listing page or email customer-service@redfin.com with your removal request.
- Trulia and Homes.com: These are part of larger networks. You may need to contact the parent company (like Zillow Group for Trulia). Be specific and link to the listing you want removed.
Most sites reply within 3 to 10 business days. Some will remove the listing. Others will update the status to “Sold” or “Off Market.”
Step 3: Remove from Google Search
Even after the listing is taken down, the link might still show in search. Use the Google Outdated Content Tool to request removal. Paste in the link. Google will check if the content changed or was deleted.
If approved, the link will disappear from search in 7 to 14 days. This step is key if you want to fully clear old property info from your personal or business search results.
Here’s more info on the topic: Personal Content and Product Policies, and Removal Requirements
Step 4: Hide or Remove Photos
Photos are often the biggest concern. Even after a listing is taken down, image results may still show up. You can ask the site to delete photos directly. Include links and explain that the home is no longer listed.
If you own the copyright to the photos (or the listing agent does), you can also request a takedown under copyright law. One investor I know uses this process after every deal. “I don’t want people reverse searching addresses and seeing photos from five flips ago,” she said. “I treat it like cleaning up after closing.”
Step 5: Work with a Removal Service (Optional)
Some listings are stubborn. Or they show up in multiple places you can’t access. That’s when it might make sense to hire a professional. A company like Guaranteed Removals specializes in removing outdated content from Google and third-party sites.
They’ll contact sites on your behalf, handle the back-and-forth, and follow up until the content is gone. If you’re an agent managing multiple properties or a homeowner dealing with a messy search result, it can save you hours.
Keep Your Online Footprint Clean
After you remove the old listings, keep your real estate presence organized.
- Claim your property on major platforms
- Use a Google Alert for your home address
- Update your Google Business Profile if you’re a real estate agent
- Double-check listings for accuracy before they go live
The faster you act after a sale or price change, the less likely the data will linger online.
Final Thoughts
Louisville’s real estate market is active. Homes move fast, and so does the information. But just because a deal is done doesn’t mean the listing disappears. Old listings can cause confusion, leak personal details, and hurt your search results. Take time to remove what no longer needs to be public. Clean up your name, clean up your listings, and protect your privacy.
It’s your property. You should control how it shows up online—long after the sign comes down.
