Bandit Signs: Who's Using Them? Have They Caused Trouble?

Question

I'm interested in using bandit signs to advertise as a real estate agent. I've read into and have come across conflicting information on if they're legal or not. Does anyone use them? Have they caused you any issues or fines? One article said to talk with property owners to ask if I can set them out. What about public areas like street intersections? Any tips or advice is much appreciated.

Disregard, I now understand them be illegal in most counties.

Frank Chin · Answer

Here in NYC, it's also illegal but they wait for citizens to call in complaints. I once called a complaint into "311" the local hotline when someone posted them on every light pole, hundreds on them in the neighborhood, signs on ugly orange colored cardboard.

I didn't know I know the guy that hung the signs, and he complained when I saw him that someone squealed on him to the authorities. He didn't know I called. They knocked on his door at 6:00am, gave him a citation demanding all of them be taken down, plus a fine of $13,000. I later found out that the fines are $100 per sign, so they must have counted 130 of them. He paid a crew to hang them up, and he had to hire them again to take it down. All of the signs are 10 feet above street level, so it involves ladders and the whole nine yards.

He said "wait till I find the guy who did this to me". I kept my mouth shut.

Charles Ulrich · Answer

They're all over the place in Washtenaw county, I think it depends on the township how well the signage laws are enforced. I have talked to wholesalers who say that Internet marketing works a lot better these days anyway, you just have to make sure your ad or website comes up in the results when users type in "we buy homes in <area>"... which you may have noticed is the same verbiage used on the bandit signs...