Facebook
Twitter
RSS
![[Masthead]](http://www.t-g.com/images/nameplate.png)
|
|
Fog/Mist ~ High: 32°F ~ Low: 27°F Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 |
|
Real Estate signs...please leave them alonePosted Sunday, January 13, 2008, at 4:03 PM
On Friday I put my personal home on the market. At about 4 pm I put the sign in the yard. The next morning at about 8 am my wife looked outside to find that the sign was gone. Why? Did some kids think it would be funny to steal the sign or perhaps someone wanted a sign and frame for a yard sale sign. Maybe my neighbors love us so much that they are trying to sabotage the sale of our home. Very Doubtful!
Earlier in the fall I placed a SOLD sign on a large sign that had been at an intersection for a couple of months. The next day that sign was missing. GONE! Why? Last year I sold a house to a client that decided to throw my fellow realtors (the listing agent's) sign away. Luckily my client's family had a private dumpster on their farm which is where he disposed of it. I had the priveledge of dumpster diving to get the sign. My client did not realize the expense of the sign and frame, which brings me to my point...please leave the signs alone. The average yard sign and frame will cost between $10 to $20 per sign and $10 to $15 for the frame. The larger signs may cost up to $100 depending on the size. The stickers for those signs alone cost anywhere from $50 to $75. Now, the small directional signs are only $8 to $15 apiece. As you can see the signs alone are a great expense for a realtor. Please do not use them for yard sales...or if your teenager wants to pull a late night prank give him or her $10 to get some toilet paper and roll some yards, and if you love your neighbor that much just beg them not to move. Please leave the signs alone. Comments Showing most recent comments first [Show in chronological order instead] |
Kenneth Parker is a local real estate agent.
Hot topics 2009 Tax Credit(5 ~ 5:42 PM, Mar 7)
Final Real Estate numbers for 2008
I feel like I am stealing gas!
Did foreclosures change the election?
Social Networking Sites...not just for the kids
|
Email link
Read comments (10)
Blog archive
![[Feed icon]](http://www.t-g.com/images/icons/feed-icon-14x14.png){kind=icon}
I've never had any signs stolen, however about 2 years ago I woke up on a Saturday morning to find that I had about 15 different For Sale signs in my front yard. My neighbors called and wanted to know if my house was being sold. I rent, so I immediately called my landlord to be sure, though I was sure they wouldn't have needed that many signs! After confirming that I made a list of phone #'s and called each person or realtor and told them where the signs were. Most of them were eager to get their signs back as they are very expensive, as you mentioned above!
I'm not sure why kids get a kick out of doing these things, but honestly kids, find something to do to have fun rather than bothering property that doesn't belong to you! Not only in stealing these signs do you take something that costs a lot of money, but you slow the sale of the property by removing the signs... and then in my case I had to spend a Saturday morning pulling signs out of my front yard and calling people to come pick them up or finding out where I could return them.
Please, if it isn't yours DON'T BOTHER IT!
When ever I have an open house, I always ask the people if I can put my sign on their property directing people to my open house. I never take it for granted that I can just put one on their property because its close to the road. Even though I want to get as much traffic to my open house, I have respect for the people who may not want my directional sign on there property and will not put up signs , unless I have their permission.
I do think that if kids are JUST moving signs then it could be worse. I just know that most realtors are too busy to have to go back and replace signs or track down signs.
Redddj, I am glad to know that some other realtors are asking for permission, and I agree that we all just need to try to respect each other and work together. I once lived on a very busy corner myself and had to contend with all types of signs. I did not mind, but I understand if someone does. I just always wonder if one day that "corner" may be needed to direct traffic to my house.
Why do people steal your signs? Well, I don't know why they take yours but I do know that my sister and I took a few of my Daddy's down. First, it was just to see if he'd put another up, then it got so funny that he was blaming it on the "troublemakers" in the neighborhood that we just HAD to. I think we took about 5 signs down (they were campaign signs) before we put them all back up one night. He woke up the next morning and had 6-7 of the same sign in his yard and then he saw the humor. Of course, he still doesn't know it was us....darn those troublemakers! =)
I live on a corner lot within the city. On two occassions a realtor from Vance Clay Realty and the other from Craig & Wheeler asked me if it would be ok to place a sign along the right-of-way. If more realtors would ask the individuals they would most likely see no problem. I can recall a few years ago about three signs on the corner of my yard, that stayed there for several months. When mowing my yard, I always took them up and placed them back. Cooperation is the key to being able to keep both sides pleased.
It can be a challenge. I just waited an hour for someone that had an appointment to view one of my listings. They never showed up. I do love my career!
We never look forward to the campaign signs.
Have mercy on you? I would be a real estate salesman today if you were not at the beck and call of everyone. You folks have to work with a lot of different folks to get that sale.
Sales people (of which I am one) in general seem to get a bad name, but most of us provide a true service in our industries. As in all things, the bad ones get more publicity.
Yes, I am realtor...please have mercy on me. I am talking about signs on property, but I do agree with your point. As a realtor, I have made it a practice to ask the property owner for permission to place a directional sign on their lot. I do this out of respect as well as the fear of losing a sign. I appreciate that you call the offending party and give them the opportunity to get their sign. Most would not do that. Most realtors would respect your property rights, but of course we have our bad apples.
The purpose for the sign is to advertise the property and steer as many people to that property as possible. Many times I have seen corners that have signs broken or fallen over. This is certainly not very pretty for the realtor or the property owner. It is even more beautiful when there is a mix of real estate and election campaign signs.
Kenneth, I presume you are a real estate agent and I understand the expense you folks incur to create the signs. Presumably you are talking about signs placed on the property that is for sale.
Since you mentioned the signs, I wanted to take this opportunity to bring up another issue about signs. We own a corner lot that has high visibility in the area. This make it a magnet for everyone who wants to put a sign up on the road and we constantly have to remove them to keep our lot looking nice.
I have been told by some that we HAVE to allow the signs, because it is the road right-of-way. However, we went to the road department and they said it is the right-of-way for the road, not the world.
Each time we have a sign of any value put up, we take it down and lay it on the ground. We call the offending company and ask them to remove it. If it is not removed within three days, we provide the service for them.
We say offending because no one asks, they just ASSUME that they can put it up there. In our case, it probably would not help to ask, but I wonder how many other property owners would appreciate the courtesy of asking.
We allow school oriented fund-raising, but if we did not do this, our lot would be trashed all the time. What is your viewpoint on this?
Maybe you shouldn't make your signs so pretty then maybe the kids wouldn't want them :>)
"J/K"
In all seriousness now, I don't know why kids want the signs but I can bet money it is kids who are taking them. But I would prefer them NOT to roll yards. Toilet Paper on a roof of a 2 story house kinda is really hard to get off..and you would think the first rain would wash it down but you'd be wrong.