The Real Estate Deal
Editor Cindy Zetts dishes on real-estate and development around Puget Sound: She lived in apartments, townhomes and houses -- a dozen of them in four states -- before settling in the Seattle area in 1997. After taking a bath on the sale of her first home, in South Florida, she vowed to wise up about real estate. She bought a house in Covington 10 years ago because, well, she could afford one there.
August 21, 2008 5:59 PM
Real-estate signs: What's wrong with 'em?
Posted by Cindy Zetts

Pierce County officials agreed this week to temporarily allow some "Open House" signs near roads. Real-estate agents created a hue and cry over county crews removing signs and taking them to the dump in an effort to rid roadsides of sign clutter and cut down on distractions.
On Tuesday, the county council adopted "interim regulations authorizing the placement of temporary portable signs in the county right-of-way under certain limited conditions" -- I'm not sure the county could have crammed more qualifiers in there -- calling it a compromise.
Agents and owners will be allowed to place two signs in rights of way to direct buyers to open houses. Signs will be allowed only when open houses are occurring and can't be up more than 20 hours a week (not that open houses last that long). These temporary rules are effective Oct. 2 to April 1.
Pierce County is not alone in trying to regulate signs.
In King County, real-estate agents in Federal Way have complained that the city's strict sign code was cramping their marketing style. In a tough real-estate market, they said, they need all the marketing help they can get -- and having city crews confiscate "open house" and "for sale" signs is not a way to help.
This is an interesting issue, no matter which side you take. First of all, I must point out that the real-estate industry that is blaming the media for the slow market is telling government officials that they need the signs because the market is slow. Of course, if the media hadn't reported the slowdown, it probably wouldn't have occurred, but what do I know?
Anyway, here's my take: Hoards of signs are ugly. And there's always a lot of jockeying for the best position, which creates a mess. If you post a sign, you have to time it just right: Get to a corner too early, and those who come later will block your sign. Get there too late, and you may not have room.
But "Open House" and "For Sale" signs are iconic. They symbolize weekends in America.
Part of the fun of weekends is checking out random open houses and cruising by listed home wherever you might be. How do you do that without signs to direct you there?
Of course, you won't be buying any of the houses because you, like most people who attend open houses, are nosy neighbors and curious tire kickers, not serious buyers. One might think that would make the controversy over "Open House" signs moot, but no. Too many people still believe in the practically useless things.
So what do you think of the signs? Should they be allowed?
Dec 1, 08 - 02:41 PM
Real-estate outlook: Is the glass half-full, half-empty or broken?
Dec 1, 08 - 01:39 PM
Lower mortgage rates means "it's a great time to buy," loan officer says
Nov 26, 08 - 07:00 PM
Real-estate facts and figures: What a week
Nov 20, 08 - 02:18 PM
Happy holidays: Fannie, Freddie postpone foreclosures until next year
Nov 20, 08 - 02:00 PM
Comptroller: Community Reinvestment Act didn't cause credit crunch

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