If I was selling, it would certainly matter to me. Having said that, it could be your area has regulations on how much time must pass from signing the listing to entering it in the MLS. Your realtor may have been obligated to list it, although, I don't know why he wouldn't have told you that.

AS for pulling the listing temporarily, that I don't know.

It would certainly matter to me --
The largest number of people viewing your house will see it when it's first listed, and if your first impression isn't your best, then that's a lot of 'second looks' you won't get.

Normally, the agent comes, you sign the listing, they take the pictures & list or you sign, they put it on the MLS then take the pics. I can';t tell you how common no pictures is in our area, it usually takes a week. When you signed, did you discuss exactly when it would be put on the MLS? Here it is within 24 hours after they have the signed contract. I've never read that an agent will hold a listing for a week after getting it signed.

Who is doing the photos? If a pro is coming, they surely wouldn't set it up before you signed & it was listed because if you change your mind they may not be able to stop the photographer from coming. Ours was set up a week in advance and even after we had a signed contract still had to go through the motions with the pro pictures due to it already being set up.

If the agent themselves is taking the pictures, surely they could have done it when you signed. You said you weren't ready when you signed, so this should have been discussed.

You need to speak to your agent to see if there is a fee to get a new MLS number, from what I understand from reading here there usually is, think I read about $1,500. You also need to see if it will change your days on market.

As a buyer, I would rather see the pictures later then to get a new MLS number. I've saved listings as they've come on and if I notice a link doesn't work, then the house shows up with pictures and a new MLS #, I won't take the time to look again if I see the same info / blurb. If it comes in under my new photos / tour, then I know I have it saved and need to look at the pictures only. I don't have a lot of time for "games" and as a seller myself have taken into account things I do as a buyer with my listing. When I say games, I don't have time to figure out what has changes on something I already looked at. I usually move it to another non important folder or delete it and go on my way.

Getting a new listing due to not being ready for photos is not a big deal. Just make sure you have everything set if you are doing an open house with enough notice & signs.

That isn't how it has works in my area - or at least not in my case. We sign the listing agreement weeks in advance of the listing going up on the MLS, and the photos are taken in advance and are there from Day 1.

I don't think this is how it works here either. It was an odd situation. Here's a little more background.

We were writing the offer on the new construction place. While there, he asked us to do all the paper work for the house listing - kill 2 birds sort of thing. He said we would just throw a date on it once we'd finished our projects and were ready to list. (We had 30 days per the offer agreement to get on market, although the didn't think the builders would care if we needed a bit longer)
I kept him updated on our progress (there were delays in everthing we did -- Stressful!!) Then, last week, he emailed a proposed schedule to get the pics taken and get listed and asked if I thought it was do-able. I told him it would probably take me a few days longer than that, but it appears he listed anyway.

If it costs 1500 bucks, or anything close to that, I'm sure he won't pull it off then add it back in. It worries me since we haven't gotten one inquiry yet. By the time the pics get added, it won't show in the "new" searches.

While you haven't gotten any action, it's still possible people are watching it, waiting for photos.

Don't stress out so much, it will make you sick. With me being disabled, I can only do so much, so I know how it is. What you're saying is how ours has gone as nothing goes according to how I need it to go and things pop up in real life.

You know your area, and hopefully know your competition. With us, I'm in the Pinelands, not in a ritzy area where my house has to be staged & show perfect, like a model house.

Ask the agent if there are other ways for him to play with the listing to make it appear "fresh". Some change the price a few dollars to bump it back up.

FWIW, a house will show as new to anyone that hasn't looked yet ;) and if they are signed up, it will show the pictures being added.

It shouldn't cost your agent anything above his normal MLS dues to list your property. Or unlist and relist it.

I emailed him. He said he will pull it off and put it back as new once the pics are ready. He said he was concerned with the time it was taking to get the pictures scheduled and didn't want to miss any potential buyers that maybe looking now.

And, in fact, we got a call to do our first showing this afternoon.