Should an agent remove a sign after sale?

Question

A friend recently closed on a vacant land purchase. The property was a large vacant parcel that is adjacent to the public street. There is a second parcel that is further in and does not touch public street (there is an access easement to get to the property) that is still for sale. The same listing agent had the contract for both parcels and had a huge sign advertising the parcels for sale. It is not located adjacent to the easement to get to the interior property.

My friend has asked the agent to remove the sign, and suggested that the agent put a small sign adjacent to the easement road, with an arrow, pointing down the easement road and then install his big sign at the property boundary.

So far, the agent has refused to take his sign down and is ignoring most of my friend's e-mails.

The sign has been up 2 years. Based on the listing price of the second parcel, my friend expects it may take 2-3 years to sell. So this is not a short 30 day problem.

My friend's questions are: Should the agent take his sign down off of my friend's property?

How can my friend enforce this?

This is a vacant parcel in another state, my friend is not able go deal with it himself.

Peter M. · Answer

Oh just saw the picture. That is not a big sign. I think your friend needs to cool his jets.

Aaron Hunt · Answer

Read post on paying a freelance artist $25 on Craigslist to remove it? Beauty of the inter-webs. Verify with picture of removal.

Greg M. · Answer

While I agree with that sentiment, neither my friend nor me are local to the vacant land parcel. While he is planning a trip there later this summer, and can remove the sign if not removed by the agent prior to then, he is not able to remove the sign at the current time.

Greg M. · Answer

I did a quick search, and I will try to explain it a different way.

The sign in the picture appears to be an on-premise for sale sign rather than an off-premise directional sign (pointer sign). This would lead one to believe that the property surrounding the sign is for sale.

In my friend's opinion, the on-premise sign was correct when he was purchasing the property. Now that the property has sold, he has asked for the on-premise sign be replaced with an off-premise directional/pointer sign. He is frustrated at the non-response of the agent.

There really are two questions here:

1. Is my friend mistaken in believing the sign in the picture is an on-premise sign versus a directional/pointer off premise sign.

2. Assuming he is not mistaken, is it unreasonable to request an agent to remove the on-premise sign and replace with a off-premise (directional / pointer) sign.

Greg M. · Answer

The issue isn't the size or existence of the sign.

It's the lack of directional arrow pointing down the road.

Put another way - some of you are agents. If you look at the signage from the picture posted, what would you assume is for sale?

Peter M. · Answer

If the agent won't respond and your friend won't go to the property himself it seems they are at an impasse. He can try contacting the agent's broker and complaining. If that fails or the agent is the broker he could try complaining to the state real estate commission.

Greg M. · Answer

Here's a picture.

The land behind the property is not for sale. The land that is for sale is located down the road by about 1/2 mile.

Should an agent remove a sign after sale?

Most Popular Reply