Hi Margaret:  I can easily see why you are frustrated.  I live in Fort Worth, and recently the State of Texas passed a law banning all road-side signage.  They are mostly there on weekends... the builder's directional signs comprise most of them.  But, there are some other signs... just with block letters... that some Realtors plaster all over the roadways touting their services.  All of these signs, probably including signs like the one you mentioned in your post, are now illegal.  It used to be that for anyone to be fined, they would have to be caught in the act of putting the sign up.  Now, whoever's phone number or name that is on the sign is liable for a fine.  And... anyone who wants to... can stop and pick up the sign, and do whatever they want to... probably trash it.  It is encouraged.  So... sorry you had the problem, but it is happening in other places, too.

Hi Karen,  If signage was banned, we wouldn't be putting it up.  But if it is legal, and it is (as long as you keep it out of the right of way), then people aren't supposed to mess with the signs.  We have communities like Rancho Santa Fe where signs are completely banned, and even in Carmel Valley like Del Mar Highlands.  But we have great signs, and for whatever bizarro reason, this guy decided to single ours out.  Go figure.  Our only question is what is the next step for us?

Hi Margaret- I don't see you including an option to write to the Carmel Valley Planning Board, reporting the behavior of their "neighborhood ambassador."  Don't you think that might be a good starting point?

Margaret... My thought would be to take him to small claims court, and if you win, publicize it.  If they are legal, and this goof is just being a vigilante, something needs to be done.  Best of luck to you !

Go after him with full force.  You let him get away with it he will do it again.

I doubt you have damages that warrant Small Claims; however, I would report his activitings "under the color of his authority" to the government entity that created or sanctioned his quasi position as they need to strip him of his badge....you position is that the expensive sign is personal property and that you could have detained him and had him arrested OR taken his picture with camera phone and gone directly to police and filed a complaint!!

you attempted to talk to him and he does not seem like a rational person - I would do ALL OF THE ABOVE, including turning it over to the police! We pay for these signs and if you are putting them where it is allowed, who is he to take them down? I would definitely do all of your steps! Send a message! This is not going to be tolerated!

A call or letter from the seller that you're representing might go a long way with the authorities.

Where I am signage in the public right of way (including the utitlity servitude in front of the house) is considered trash and is fair game for the sign vigilantes.  On the other side of the coin, however, I see old real estate signs littering the landscape well after a home is off the market or the open house is over.

At the very least I would report the whole incident to the Police Dept. You should have done that right away at the time it took place.

Margaret - I believe I would have made an information only police report, just to document the incident.  If your agent was a female, alone in her car, I would probably not have recommended that she stop and confront the perpetrator - but fortunately, no harm done.  I would guess that his actions constitute vandalism both of your property and that of the owner of the property beyond the concrete wall.  I am not sure I would want an arrest, but the police should have the information about the incident and identification of the car and perpetrator in case there are other incidents.

Second I would make a written complaint with the agency that oversees the Planning Board (is that the Mayor in your area).  This man is a disgrace as an official and if he is appointed, he should be removed.  He was rude, he failed to identify himself or his authority, he vandalized private property and littered by discarding the sign on the property of another.  He obviously had no intention of solving any problem by contacting your office, although ID and contact information were on the sign.  And he was apparently very selective in his "enforcement" efforts - singling out your signs.  He should lose his job or position with the planning board.  If there was a legitimate question of an ordinance violation, he should have called your office to correct the problem or picked up the sign, placed it in his car and taken it to his office where you could pick it up and discuss the rules with an official.  He did neither.

Why are you asking us - my recollection is that John is an attorney. 

In any case, I believe the perp was wrong and his action should not be unchallenged before his board.  

Best wishes - always. Thank you both for all you do.

Yeah, John's an Esq., but he's one of those fire breathin litigator types.  (But he got out of that line of work.)   I thought maybe get some suggestions from someone else.  :)

We're beginning to make a little headway with the offender.  I'll relay more details once we see how it all plays out. 

Margaret H.

Margaret,

Look closely at what Karen Anne Stone is saying.  It may be illegal to place your sign where it was.  Many communities have ordinances on the placement of off-property signage.  Call your municipality and see if it has such ordinances.  You state that your sign was not in the road right-of-way.  I suspect that it probably was since rights-of-way are usually wider than the actual improvements seem to indicate.  But, assuming your sign was not in the right-of-way, who's property was it on?  Did you get permission to place your sign on that private property?  Make sure you have a strong case for the correct and legal placement of your sign before you pursue the ideas mentioned in other responses to your posting.

Vandalism is vandalism... and throwing your sign was just that.  Report it to both the police and to his Board-- before informing the newspapers.

First and foremost, THE MAN SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN APPROACHED.  You have no clue who he is and he could have hurt someone, no sign is worth that.  The proper thing to do is write down the license plate and call the police immediately.  DON'T call 911, you should have the local police department's non-emergency phone # in your cell phone.  Call them, tell them what happened and tell them the license plate #.  They'll do the rest.

As far as Code Enforcement, they can probably enforce any code of the city, therefore the sign would most likely fall into that category.  But he can't just throw the sign over the wall, that's littering.  Also, he should have identified himself as code enforcement if that was the case.  I'm sure he obviously wasn't on duty and therefore probably had no right to do that.

Margaret, I would have gotten the guys license number but not have confronted him.  He was clearly a bit of a nut case on a petty power trip.  I hope the HOA folks have a little chat with him.  And while they're at it, un-deputise him!

It seems to me that all of you are taking the wrong approach to this.  The question we, as Realtors, should be asking is:  was the placement of the sign either legal or appropriate.  The guy who removed it may have been rude, but think about the problem as he saw it; an illegal or inappropriately placed sign.  Now, think about this: if everyone who has a property for sale put out one or two (or more) off-property, directional signs, what would your street corners look like?  That is why so many municipalilties and homeowners association have banned all real estate signs.  We are often our own worse enemies.

Bill,  According to the agent, the sign was off the sidewalk and out of the right-of-way (usually 10 ft from the curb).  These guys have specific protocols they are supposed to follow, just like the police.  Specifically, they are supposed to take the sign and turn it in.  Also, when approached by the public, they are supposed to tender a code enforcement business card.  Third, they are supposed to be a good-will ambassador for the city.  In this guy's case, he didn't identify that he was with code enforcement, he didn't tender the business card, he wouldn't identify which code rule the sign was violating, he didn't remove the sign-he chucked it over the wall, and he certainly didn't act with any good will as he refused to take the agent's business card for further follow up (e.g., provide him with the rules).  In short, the guy was OUT OF CONTROL.  Why was he out of control?  We have not yet been able to determine the answer to that one.  But not to worry.  Next time we hold an open house, we'll be out-of-sight and on-the-scene with cameras.  Anyone messing with the signs is going to be prosecuted.  :)

If the HOA wants to ban all signs and negatively affect their own homeowners from being able to market their properties, I fully endorse their ability to do so.  If the short-term benefit of not seeing the photons bounce off the signs is better than the long-term benefits of higher values or quicker sales, then "GO FOR IT!" is what I say to the HOA.  Even though we do some of the best marketing in North County San Diego, there are areas that we simply will not pursue because it's too much of a pain.  Simply put, there are better areas to build a business.  And best of luck to their homeowners when it comes time to sell. :)

Margaret H.

I'd give him a karate chop to the neck. That'll teach him.

I agree with Joseph, your agent was lucky something terrible didn't happen to her.   And for what?  a sign?  Call the police and let them deal with it, they are the professionals for this.  I would advise your agent to not approach another crazy person!

It wasn't just vandalism but it was also littering - Do you have ordinances for that in your community? Let the police handle it and maybe write a letter to your local editorial page.

Sounds like he littered, too!

Wow, I definitely agree he mishandled this and you should follow through with this.  I hope you get some resolution.

One thing you should also remember is that within certain communities or associations some roads are considered private, they clean them, maintain them and police them. So, make sure that their bylaws were not broken when you placed the sign in that location if you did you wight have been trespassing. Even then that man's behaviour was inexcusable.

In Toledo, OH and surrounding communities, all temporary roadside signs are banned, however there is an exception for Open House signs. Open House signs may be erected for a 24-hour period of time ONLY, then must be removed.

Any signs violating the law are taken by the proper authorites and the agent (or company if no agent name is on them) is then fined $75. I'm not sure if you can retrieve your signs if confiscated or not.

A frustration for sure, but I have used this to an advantage on occasion when talking to FSBOs, as they have signs EVERYWHERE. $75 times numerous signs can add up, so why not hire a realtor instead of donating to the local coiffers?

Glad you weren't harmed by the lunatic. I would make sure his board members know of his behavior, as it sounds as though it is only a matter of time before he does soemthing even MORE stupid.

Warm Regards

I would report him to the police.  Vandalism is still wrong.  All he would have to do is identify himself properly and ask you nicely and you would be able to make a decision from there.

I would go to the Town Supervisor or Mayor and speak with them.  Make sure you are in the rights as far as the sign laws, and then I would put in a complaint to the municipality.  Who knows this could have happened to others, or lets put him on notice in case it happens again.

Sounds like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.  You left him speechless.  Only a nutter would freak out about a sign without calling or answering your questions.  I don't think I would have approached him.  If your sign was legally placed, I would let the police know about his behavior.

 For a moment, I thought the punch line was going to be that he was an agent at another company. 

Yeah, I also thought for a moment that he would turn out to be another agent ... or a competing seller!

If the problem persists you can always move to the inland empire. I will represent you in your next home purchase. I also promise to keep all four eyes on your open house signs (for a small fee of course)

I would turn him into the cops.  Who in the right mind would do that kind of thing.  I feel bad for you agent.

You should think about keeping a trunk full of my inexpensive real estate signs on hand at all times and replace them as fast and nuts like him throw them away.  I would also have the pepper spray we sell for agent protection in hand next time I approach a nut case like him.  You never know what you could be up against.  Although he's good for businesses like mine, cities and counties are getting way out hand with their petty ordinances.  For now, all laws should be relaxed to give real estate the opportunity to sell.  When we're back into the prosperity years again, they can perhaps think about returning to their bureaucratic ways. 

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Regards . . .