I had a great picture, but something is wrong with the picture thingy.....
Here I go again !! I need to ask for advice one more time. Does the type of sign you place in front of a property really make a difference?
I'm not talking about high end listings or even mid level listings. I'm not even talking about listings that will attract a homeowner.
This is about what I call "investment grade". These are also affectionately referred to as "Crack Houses" and, recently, started coming with a free toaster compliments of the listing agent.
Gryphon Real Estate Sign costs about $30. If I only order a couple it is higher. Something about custom color mixing, which reminds me that I need to go kick that "marketing expert" I hired a few years ago in the butt.
Metal Sign Frame costs $17.50. Darned frame lady won't give me a discount no matter how many I buy. Need to kick her in the butt too. At least I didn't get talked into the darned custom sized signs !!!!!
Flyer Rider costs about $10.
So here is my dilemma. I loose one frame/sign combo for every 5 listings. In a given month that means between 2-3 losses x $57.50. Couple that with damaged lox boxes, and I am up to about $200 in losses a month. Lock boxes don't get stolen anymore since I now use ones that have a special lock on the shackle. People do continue to try to break into the lockboxes to get the key, though.
Before you burn out your brain wondering about why am I loosing so many signs, I will tell you. CRACKHEADS STEAL THEM FOR THE METAL IN THE FRAMES.
So here are my options:
Bolt the signs to the houses. This really doesn't work that well as vandals rip them down for fun or spray paint over them. Damn Crackheads. Damn Gangbangers.
No sign. This means no sign calls though. Not all that big of a deal considering the quality of most sign calls here.
"What you a rentin it fur?' I'm not, its For Sale. Can I move in without a deposit? I told you it is not for rent. Ok, I'll buy it. Do you have any money? No. --- Needless to say I am not going to drop everything, run right out and show the place to this guy !!
Side Question - Is a For Sale Sign in the yard like a Crackhead beacon that screams "nobody lives here so come steal the copper pipe, furnace parts and appliances" ?
Which Way Did It Go? It's in the scrapyard or on its way there. This brings up another question. How many sign frames does it take to buy a rock of crack?
So here is my brainchild idea.
Crappy coroplast "we buy houses" type signs. $3 each + $.50 for the wood stake.
So agents - I put it to you. Are you going to show the property with the crappy sign in front? Does the crappy sign send a crappy message? Does the sign matter at all in this type of property?
Buyers - Please jump in here. Is it the sign in the yard or the boards on the windows that are getting you to call? Inquiring minds want to know !!
Lastly, how do you keep the thieves from breaking in? I have tried to make the house smell like dog crap inside, but that didn't work either.
Sign question was actually serious.
Do you have questions about distressed assets, receivership or bankruptcy sales, auctions? Email me at rfk@gryphonusa.com and I'll try to answer it in an upcoming post.
Richard F. Kruse is the President of Columbus, Ohio based Gryphon USA, Ltd. (www.gryphonusa.com). The Gryphon Organization includes Gryphon Asset Management providing receivership and consulting services in the distressed marketplace, United Country Gryphon Realty & Auction Group (www.ucohiorealty.com & www.ucohioauctions.com) providing real estate brokerage and auction services throughout Ohio and OnlineAuctionUSA.com (www.onlineauctionusa.com) providing commercial asset liquidations from the Midwest to East Coast.
United Country Gryphon Realty & Auction Career Opportunities Available. Call 614-885-0020 x 17
Boy, I'm glad I don't work that market. I guess someone has to and I'm glad you are stepping up to the plate.
As far as security, maybe a big beware of dog sign and then some kind of motion activated recording of a vicious dog.
Tim, just have to say that the idea of bringing snacks and drinks when taking buyers out is great. Would have loved that when were moving to Columbus and spending all day in the car looking at neighborhoods with our agent.
Rich, sorry for the hijack, but hey you should be used to me by now.
Hi Rich,
I think you solved your own problem w/the signs. Chloroplast vs. the higher grade wouldn't make any difference to me as the showing agent. The majority of the buyers are investors anyway and they don't seem to care one way or the other about the signs, right?
This reminds me of HUD homes that I used to show in the city (Baltimore). After the 1st few times of being greeted with homeless people who had taken up residence, I decided that was not my "niche". I applaud you, Rich, for working this market segment.
Hi Rich:
Type of sign won't not stop me, as an agent, from showing a house. As with Lanette, most of the buyers of these types of properties are investors and not really interested in signage.
Most important thing is that we are able to find the house!
Sandra
I am horrified by your request....and so glad I don't sell crack houses! I have to agree with Bryant - it's about getting a contact number out there, the sign should not matter - can you place a banner inside a window in case the sign is ripped off?
Here in Miami we use wood posts (about 1.5" thick) and the sign company digs them in at least 12 inches inside the ground - it would be a chore to pull it out; and in addition the signs are pvc not metal - our riders are metal, but might as well get custom signs without riders and try it out. - one negative point about the plastic signs is that they do fade.
Hi Rich-
I'm thinking you should post your sign in the home, in the front window. Those crack houses back there do have windows, don't they? Anyways, a quality sign company should be able to hook you up with signs that you can apply directly to the glass.
Funny, in a serious kind of way. Good post : )
Isn't that cute. Everyone is really trying to help. "Put it in the window"
For $1200 and that trip to Scotland - Survey Says ----- WHAT WINDOW ????????
As a special tribute to everyone that is being so kind and trying to help, I am going to give you a gift. No it is not a toaster !!!
I am going to put all of my listings on Localism ! I am also going to start using the "stager" type photos. Before the debris and crackhead removal and then afterwards.
Reminds me of the band that used to play when I was in school. The audience would PAY THEM to stop playing a certain song. How many points can I get NOT to post my properties to Localism??
Or, you could use some plywood, wooden stakes and spray paint. Make the sign so ugly, no one wants to steal it....maybe paint a skull & crossbones on it. Of yeah, that'll do the trick : )
One more thought-
Since these houses are so bad...use green spray paint on your plywood signs. No one is really interested in what it looks like, they just want to know how much.
A dollar sign with the amount and your phone number should suffice.
You think I'm joking......
Husband says to burn the details into the lawn-If no lawn, spray paint across house. Does that qualify as graffiti? We do things different out west I guess : )
Steve also suggests paying the crackhead on the corner to wear your sign around his neck in the neighborhood of the home you're trying to market. Hey, now there's an idea : )
Signs, signs, everywhere a sign...... (ooops, sorry, tha's a song, huh?)
So I support Kelli -- pay the tweeker and hope he/she is able to stand on the corner long enough - and if they are not, well, hopefully they'll leave the sign and you won't get ripped off for the hourly wage plus the sign.
I'll call on a sign, sometimes - but most of the time, if I'm investment shopping, I'll go the online bidding route anyway. I know a guy in Buffalo NY, he buys online, rehabs, and sells with property mgr in place -- I think it's www.kenhillproperties.com If it's a vacant boarded up house, I'll go to county records and then decide what to do.
Anyway, my vote would be to skip the signs. Your investment clients are going to look at price and location (which could be found online, right?) and well, if it's really war zone area, your other buyers are going to have the word from each other, or a spray painted note on the highway underpass.........
Shauna~
Katie - I get little or no response from MLS. Most of my calls come from other marketing, like the net. On that you are right. I thinkI am going to go with CRAP signs. Thanks for the post.
R
Rich,
You're suffering form a vocabulary problem. Unless you've had a really bad year those are not "losses" but rather recurring tax deductions, A/K/A business expense.
As a shooter you should know, Bubba finds them irresistible! Garb one drive to the country/desert (yes Bubba has cousins out west.) Plant the sign broad side to the road and blast away! Some one in the group is almost always sobber enough to remember who's signs hold up the longest. Those steel welded frames are great if you can shoot within the frame. If you hit the frame they are plentiful in wild suburbia and it's easy to get another. You're to be commended for your donations, steel plates, popers, dulling trees, chickens, pigs, turkeys, and rams take to much out of the beer budgets for Bubba and his friends. Clay pigeons are affordable but moving targets can get your freinds shot, just ask our VP.
You, my friend could have been in a higher tax bracket!
I use to have the same problems. Signs and frames disappeared, those sign riders with my name always had the wrong phone numbers, and the sign had my old brokers logo. I solved it all when I opened my own offices, I raised my fees to 10% split it 4% to the selling office, 4% to one of two friends office where I had additional licenses, I went to the listing appointment and the offer presentations and got the remaining 2%! My problem was people stil insisted I list their houses.
Bill
PS: Those out dated signs were great to have, Brenda and I had this old Scout (a Jeep like motor thing) it was 14 years old with less than 10,000 miles when we got it, 6 years later when a tornado (a big wind) killed it, the boudy was 3/4 out dated real estate signs and pop-rivets.