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Bills on real estate signs were recently approved in Virginia

Posted February 3, 2010 by Matthew Denton

Excuse Me but I Need My “For Sale Sign” Back

The Pittsburgh Times Dispatch recently announced that the Virginia Association of Realtors has rejoiced over the Senate’s passing of the bill that would favor their petition for a more favorable law regarding real estate property signs. They were complaining against volunteers in one county in Northern Virginia who removed their posts from private property and trashed them right away.

The report states, “The Virginia Association of Realtors and local government officials came together on the wording of the bills to protect real estate agents who post directions to open-house events, without hampering county programs to remove signs from the highway right of way. The Senate passed its bill last week, and the House of Delegates passed its version yesterday.”

The new rules were a sign of relief for the agents. The report adds, “If you can push a sign into the ground with your foot, it’s not big enough to require a call to ‘Miss Utility,’ according to compromise legislation approved by both chambers of the General Assembly. And if your sign is illegally removed from private property by a county employee or sign-compliance volunteer, you’ll have 10 days to reclaim it.”

Such disputes are no longer fresh piece of reporting in the country. Due to local sign ordinances and enforcement by municipalities, homeowners associations and other interested parties dive into arguments against real estate professionals who’d have to wrestle with community standards for real estate sign placements.

In 2007, Vince Scott , CEO of Scott Properties, had to settle for a compromise with a North Lake Tahoe village against his real estate signs. In an effort to make his posts more prominent, Scott argues that the signage regulations be modified to reflect the “real” signage laws that would allow better visibility for his signs. The community argues that the signs are a cause for the “loss of natural beauty in and around Incline (Village).”

But how complicated are signage laws in various states? You won’t wonder why real estate agents are taking a backlash. For example, the North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCRC) rules reflect controlled choices on what to place in the agents’ signs. Assistant legal counsel of Miriam J. Beer of NCRC states that Commission Rule A.0105, “prohibits real estate salesmen and brokers from advertising property in such a way that it appears that the property is being offered for sale directly by the property owner. Instead, any real estate ad, including “For Sale” signs, must clearly reflect the licensee’s involvement in the sale. In addition, when property is offered for sale by a licensed salesman, the sign must state the brokerage firm with which the salesman is associated. A sign which reads, “For Sale, ABC Realty, Contact John Doe, salesman, at 555-1111” satisfies the requirements of the rule.”

Until each state clears out its region-wide rules on real estate signage, we’d never run out of disputes.

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