It is a battle here. The city code enforcement folks are always removing signs that are placed on "public" property. Fortunately they seem to take the garage sale signs more often than the open house signs!

I have to admit, I'm on the municipalities side of this one ,  at least as far as the "Home For Sale This Way" signs.  How many Coldwell Banker signs do you need at the entrance to one subdivison?

R.B. "Bob" Mitchell

ValueList Real Estate Services, Inc. 

I usually lose at least one sign per open house.  I now use the cheapest signs I can find at my local hardware store. I haven't had a run in with the city however, residents are taking mine.  I always try to ask the resident if they mind me placing a sign in their yard, on their sidewalk, etc.  But sometimes they won't open the door, so I leave my card and go.  By the end of the day my sign is always missing, regardless of the neighborhood or sign location.  There must be an underground market for open house signs...and that one sock that always goes missing from the dryer.

The situation here is not as stringent as previous posters. There are ordinaces that prohibit the placement of yard signs in the right-of-ways. Signs that have the little green sticker on them are exempted. However, neither none of the road departments (state, county, or city) work on Sunday so there is no problem.

http://www.michaelthompsonproperties.com/

Out here they are out in droves looking for signs.  I could understand if you have more then one sign on a corner or ballons or something that could cause an accident.  Also, if they were there more then a few hours. Oh well, I will play by the rules.  It is too expensive otherwise.

Dawn- wow.  Even cheap ones cost over time.  Thinking maybe you should take paper and markers and make them.  JK 

The City of Palmdale & Lancaster are both horrible about taking our signs which is silly - being we are just trying to sell the homes which are in return bring more tax dollars to the City.  BUT they seem to turn the other way when we have political signs blowing around the streets because they haven not gotten around to picking up all the bandit signs left at election time.  I can honestly say I do not know many realtors leaving their signs out and not going bakc to pick them up the smae day -- especially at almost $50 a sign. Crazy - you would think the Mayors would find someting mor productive to do with code enforcement the have them work on the weekends stealing our signs!

Donna,  I love talking to you on here.  Youare the best and you can relate with me, because you are here. ;) I agree about being silly and harmful to the city making more tax dollars. The sign cost is rediculous.  My signs cost me 25 through the office, but cost me 50 to get back plus 2 for the stickers.  I had to pay for 4 one time at Christmas (when money is tighter).  It cost my 208 for them, otherwise they would have charged my broker and I will never let him pay for something that is my fault.  Thank you for talking to me.  I look forward to meeting you one day.  I really respect your opinions.  Earl

Alot of areas are getting strick about directional signs...

Good reminder to check with city ordances.  Thanks

Good post. But where do you check to see what the rules are?

Jim, Yes they are.

Rosemary, Thank you for your post.  You check with the planning dept.  At least in our town. 

I have a friend in NY who was so bugged about loosing his signs, that he stopped his car whenever he saw a FSBO's sign posted illegally, and confiscated it.  He said it was just his way of "leveling the playing field."  BTW I neither recommend this or practice it myself.

Earl thank you!

Dan, wow.  that is very drastic.  Thanks for the post.

Rosemar, anytime.  Take care

No fees for signs in our area however the highway dept. has a habit of picking them up if they are in the right of way of the highway. They just toss them in the back of a road crew truck and dump them at a landfill or someplace were you never get them back. I would have to say it is one way to make extra taxes. I hope our city does not get the idea to charge for posting signs, sound like a pain.

Mary,  I wish that was the case here.  I would have let them have them and bought new ones for 100 for 4, instead of 200 fine for four signs plus have to buying 8 stickers for them for 1 dollar each.  I hope the sign snatching just keep snatching and not charging you. 

I guess I have been lucky.  I have not done my homework on signs - do and don'ts. I just follow suit to what I see the other agents do.  What did I learn from this posts? To check with each city on the city ordance, its on my to do list for this week!  Thanks

Rosemary, You have been.   Don't be like everyone else.  You are a trail blazer.  Others will follow you.  Let me know what you find.  Peace and God Bless

Earl,

In the city of Toledo we just had new legislation take effect regarding sign placement.  No signs on any portion of city right of way.  Period. 

No longer do we see all those signs lining the roadways advertising business closings, car washes, etc.  Not even house for sale signs.  As Realtors we are permitted to set up  Open House signs as early as 48 hours prior and the sign has to be removed within 24 hours after.  If your signs are picked up by the city the brokerage is fined and we all know how the brokers do not like that.

Carol, You still have more freedom then us.  Thank you for the post

Carol, You still have more freedom then us.  Thank you for the post

We are just going through this now, I posted something similar to this about Colorado.

Hey Earl. How are you doing? Hope everything is good with you. Oh,by the way I hope your boss is not still being a pain in the you know what to you. Much success to you. Take care.

Thanks for the post too Earl.

Cindy & James, It really sucks. 

Lanre, I am great, since I am on here.  No, he is still a pain.  He still tries to find things wrong.Thank you for caring.

Peace

Signs get picked up by the Town officials here, too.  However, I've not heard of anyone being charged for their return.  Also, they've been thrown into Town dumpsters.  It seems we cannot make anyone happy with our sign placement!!

Lori, Interesting.  Thank you for the post. 

Get involved in your local REALTORS Board and make a change to this a priority. National has been fighting these fights for a long time, and have won a lot of them. But you have to address it locally and directly. Or else there will an even stricter No Sign ordinance- except for political ones of course!

Sarah, We have been working on this for years.  We finally got them to let us have one sign at certain places.  YOu also, have to get each sign registered.  We will keep up the fight. 

Last weekend I hosted an Open house with my directional signs properly placed. Immediately after the open house was over, a neighbor called my client to ask when I would be taking the signs down. For one, they were not on anyones property and two, I am allowed to leave them up for 24 hours. Don't people have something else better to do on their Sunday afternoon, other then bit**ing about a sign?

Joseph, THat is pretty bad.  Was it in a really nice neighborhood?  Otherwise, there is no reason for it.  Just as long as you are following your city guidlines, than don't worry about it.  Thank you for the post.

Thanks for the reminder.

Adele, anytime.  Peace