Do buyers stand a chance in this heated real estate market?

Source: OC Register — 

I read with great interest last week, Leslie Eskildsen’s column on a relatively new residential listing class known as Registered Status.

If your unfamiliar – as was I – here are the Clif notes. A seller hires a broker to sell his house by executing an agreement. Twelve choices are given – among them – active, coming soon or registered. If “registered” is chosen, the broker may share the information with agents employed beneath the broker’s license – but not with the Multiple Listing Service.