Interesting article in Inman News today 
about a recent Supreme Court ruling that threatens to make open house signs obsolete. It has to do with municipality's sign code and their ability to regulate the signs based on content. Previously real estate enjoyed an exemption that may be now gone.
"....the court ruled that any sign regulation must be content-neutral so as not to deny free speeach. A city can impose restrictions on the sign, type and placement of a sign --- but not the message." Sam DeBord, Inman News
Potentially cities can no longer exempt realtors. So, if a city allows everyone to now put up signs ... the butcher , the baker, the hardware store now have as much right to plant a directional sign on the esplanade as an agent using a directional sign for an open house.... which will overrun the space and cause sign sprawl making rights-of-way cluttered and unmanageable.
So the revese will likely now become the new norm .. instead of a few signs for exemptions that will now need to be defended in court.. for a city ... MUCH easier to go with NO SIGNS (for anyone)
It was argued that in these days of technology, smart phones and GPS ... realtors really don't need to post signage anymore --- consumers can easily navigate to the open house.
So how would this affect your business if your municipality decides to go the NO SIGNS route ... because it is undeniably less expensive, less tedious and less time consuming to implement?
Thanks for Dropping By,
Judith, The SMARTePLAN Lady
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