Think twice before putting the For Sale sign in the front yard

A good reminder to be very attentive in calling notice to a vacant property...lots of seasonal owners in my region, so it's the same here.

There's a lot to be said for not having a yard sign.  Fact is, homes sell with or without yard signs.  The yard signs are good advertising for the listing agents. 

 

Patricia- you make a good point.  Our friend's home wasn't for sale but being rebuilt after a fire.  My husband suggested to him that he have his A/C company remove his brand new a/c and store it for the almost year long rebuilding project.  

Good point, esp for vacant homes.  Here in NY/colder climates, turning the water off is very dangerous and can cause MAJOR damage.

I saw your post from Kathy's wrap up...I can see why she included it...thanks for sharing!

That is so sad.

I'm surprised at Debbie's comment about damage from turning water off - here in North Idaho we always turn the water off, drain the pipes and water heaters, and run RV antifreeze through the pipes if a home is going to be vacant over the winter. You simply can't trust that having the heat turned on low will prevent freezing. 

I visited one house that had about a foot and a half of water in the basement - along with the sheetrock that had fallen out of the ceiling as the water came down. It seems no one had plowed the driveway, so the fuel truck couldn't get in to fill the tank. Funny that the listing agent didn't think of that. 

Unfortunately, homes that go into foreclosure in late fall or early winter often don't get winterized - and when the broken pipes thaw in the spring, there's major water damage. 

True and agreed, if no one is around to watch the vacant house and keep up appearances.

Very good point....I totally agree with you on this.  The criminals can still get a list of homes to rob online though, can't they???

We've had a rash of copper theft a couple of years ago in our area and mostly REOs were affected. A combination of a crackdown by the Sheriffs department and a drop in copper prices finally brought this to a stop.

It should always be considered. .. .before putting a sign in front if it helps the agent or the seller?

I listed a few short sales before with no signs. .

I have heard some lenders requiring it on foreclosures before the home goes on the market, due to the fact they want a phone number for someone to call in case someone spots vandalism or something bad happening to the house.

Thanks for sharing. That is something to really consider.