How do I handle a “For Sale Sign”?

Many home sellers choose not to have a for sale sign in their front yard. I’ll talk with you about this, too, but here’s some background you can think about.

The vast majority of buyers find homes on the Internet now, not by driving around or attending open houses or by finding a postal card in the mailbox. Of course, there is more to the story, and here it is.

There are neighborhoods where major streets have a lot of traffic and a lot of people could see your for sale sign. That’s both good and bad. It’s good if a random buyer who happens to see your sign decides to buy it. It’s bad if criminals are looking for signs like this to case the joint for a robbery. 

Since most buyers are doing searches on the Internet through the sites where I will list and syndicate your listing, the odds of a buyer driving by and seeing your sign who also happens to be in the market to buy a home are low odds. Many years ago signage was important, but today it is not nearly as important as it was, and the security risks are higher now than they used to be.

There are two categories of homes where a for sale sign is definitely not a good idea. In a very expensive neighborhood where luxury homes are priced very high, and in individual home in a rural area that is a luxury home of high value. For criminals, a for sale sign in front of such a home is an invitation. 

Then there is the matter of what kind of privacy you want, and there is also an issue of safety for an elderly widow or widower. Since buyers are searching the MLS sites on the Internet so vigorously, why put a single woman or an elderly couple at risk? These are all things we can talk about.

If your home is suitable for a “For Sale” sign, and you want one, I recommend you keep it very simple. You can buy a For Sale sign on Amazon or at Home Depot, but the State of Washington does require that you have my brokerage name, iRealty Virtual Brokers, and my name, Chuck Marunde, J.D. The only other information you’ll need is the words “For Sale” and your phone number, since interested buyers will call you directly. I’ve included an example of a simple sign that meets the requirements.