Are Bandit Signs Illegal?
Are you struggling to sell your home? No matter how many open houses you have or the number of people who book inspections, no one is making you an offer. You could drop your asking price, or you could try some other forms of marketing.
But what if you've already tried online ads and mail drops? One of the most cost-effective forms of advertising a home is bandit signs. You've probably seen them used to advertise garage sales or promote local events, but they're also used to sell houses.
Could bandit signs be the answer to selling your home? Are they even legal? You might have a lot of questions about the use of bandit signs to advertise your house, so let's try to answer them all right now.
What Are Bandit Signs?
If you've seen a poster or sign on a corrugated plastic board, you've noticed a bandit sign. You might have seen a "We buy houses bandit signs" that many realtors use. They're a smaller version of a billboard and are designed to get people to contact the real estate agency.
Corrugated plastic is the material of choice as it's cheap, weatherproof, lightweight, and hard to damage. Only simple messages are advertised in addition to a contact method, as the primary audience is motorists who only have a little time to read when they're driving past.
Are Bandit Signs Illegal?
In most states around the country, bandit signs are legal. However, in some counties and municipalities, they are a violation of city codes. So before you give the green light to your real estate to start using them, check with local officials first.
Some cities may allow the use of bandit signs on specific days of the week. But you will need to register their use with the local government to ensure they're not removed immediately after you post them.
If you choose to hang them regardless of the local laws, then you will likely have to pay a fine. These can range from $200 to $500 and may be more if it's not the first violation. While you're unlikely to serve jail time, you may end up with an expensive bill if you ignore the town's rules.
Do Bandit Signs and Graphics Work?
There's a reason why you see so many bandit signs. It's because they work. They're also incredibly cheap to make, with most signs costing around $2 to manufacture.
With costs this low, it allows you to create large quantities of signs to place in high-traffic areas for motorists and pedestrians to see. They grab people's attention because they look cheap and are often an eyesore.
People noticing these posters then turn into leads and inquiries for the real estate. They then use these leads to advertise their properties for sale, like yours. To generate this type of interest, the signs need to have the right look and be placed in the best locations to get the phone ringing off the hook.
How Do You Create Real Estate Bandit Signs?
Not every bandit sign is guaranteed to work. There are some tips to consider when designing one to ensure that you generate plenty of worthwhile leads and sell your house.
Bigger is Better
For starters, the larger the sign, the better. It shouldn't cost you a lot more to get a bigger poster, and it will likely be worth it as you can use larger fonts to sell your message. Ideally, you should use these signs on motorways as they will stand out most to passing drivers.
Keep It Short and Sweet
Your message needs to be clear and to the point. Don't try to cram too many words on the sign, as the key takeaway you want from passersby is your contact information.
It should be no more than three lines in total. Two are for your message, and one is for your contact information. The lettering should also be as big and bold as possible to stand out.
Use a Memorable Phone Number
Purchase a number that's going to be easy to remember. You want anyone driving past to easily recite the number so they can contact you. It is also a good idea to get one that's not traceable back to you in case you encounter any resistance from law officials.
Don't Use Any Names
Don't put your name or the real estate business on the bandit sign. It's not because of any legal reasons. It's because that's not the purpose of the poster.
The purpose of the bandit sign is to generate leads. It's not to advertise you or the real estate company to the world.
Choose a Bright Color Scheme
You want this sign to stand out as much as possible. Think about other bandit signs you've seen and what colour schemes they've used to grab people's attention.
Yellow and red are popular, but how many other companies use them? High visibility colours like orange, green, yellow, and red will get people's attention, so play around with these options to find the right sign for you.
Order Plenty of Signs
You can place your order once you've settled on colours and a design. You may only need a dozen as there aren't a lot of places to hang them. However, a good first order should be between 250 and 500 signs.
You need to consider that competitors will tear some down. You'll want to be able to replace any missing bandit signs immediately. So, it's always good to have some spares around, just in case.
Where Should You Be Hanging Bandit Signs?
If you want to achieve maximum success with real estate bandit signs, they have to look good and get hung in the right places where people will see them. Here are a few highly populated areas where you can post them.
Median Strips
A public median helps traffic flow in both directions and if an area needs assistance with this problem, then it means there are a lot of motorists passing by. Make sure you place two bandit signs here to get in front of people heading in both directions.
Busy Intersections
Intersections are one of the best places to put bandit signs up. Not only do they attract the attention of drivers but also pedestrians who cross the road. But the biggest reason bandit signs work here is that all of these people are forced to stop, and they have no choice but to look around while waiting to continue their journey.
But this doesn't mean you should plaster your bandit signs everywhere, so that's the only thing these people see. It could come off as the physical equivalent of spam. Instead, ensure it's in a clear spot that everyone can see no matter where they're waiting.
Outside Shopping Centers
Loads of people visit shopping centres daily, making it a perfect spot to put a bandit sign. It doesn't matter if it's a supermarket or a hardware store. You shouldn't discriminate against hanging some posters outside of these locations. Especially if they're in the mood for shopping.
You should speak to the property owners or store managers first to ensure they're ok with you advertising out the front of their business. Otherwise, they might take them down and alert law enforcement.
In Front of Your New House
If you've recently purchased a new property while waiting to sell your old house, hanging a bandit sign outside these homes could help too. It can provide a brand presence for the real estate, especially if you bought from them and are using the same company to sell your house.
You should check with your new neighbours if they're ok with the signage first, as you don't want to get off on the wrong foot with them. If you live in a community, you should check with more people as they may have some advertising rules.
Which Real Estate Company Can Help You Sell Your House?
It could be worth discussing bandit signs with your real estate agent if you are still looking for buyers for your home. They're a cheap form of advertising and are known to generate a substantial amount of leads when they're designed right and hung in populated locations.
Do you need help selling your house? Why not sell it to us? We will pay typical closing costs, fix any issues with the house, and pay in cash.
If traditional methods aren't working, then why not try something else? Get in contact today to get a free offer for your home.
Is this the type of article you need for your business? Whether it’s blog posts, newsletters, or something else involving the written word, pwf services can help. Get in touch today to discuss how we can work together.
