Jumbo Real Estate Signs - I Protest
February 18th, 2008 categories: Garden Valley Real Estate, Garden Valley Sellers
Please Don’t Put That In My Back Yard!
Most municipalities have some kind of sign ordinance. Boise County is no exception.
I quote the ordinance:
“It is also the intent of this chapter to preserve the rural character by not allowing flashing, reader boards or outsized billboards but to encourage artistic design and creativity through simple effective signage. Therefore, the intent is to promote rural character and not a city center appearance in the county… Residents and tourists will notice the improvements this makes to the general appearance of Boise County.”
Most signage I see in Garden Valley meets the ordinance size and location requirements, except for a few direction signs. Most of those violators are out of area agents. Local agents seem to work hard to obey the laws and be courteous.
It’s true the ordinance allows for a maximum 32 square feet “for sale” sign. Sellers like the largest possible sign to insure that their property is not overlooked. Agents who offer these largest signs stand out as providing expanded services to sellers.
In my opinion the Jumbo sign is unnecessary and inappropriate. Statistics show that 80% of property buyers are shopping on the internet. Most internet savvy buyers are using Google Maps to focus in on property locations. These buyers need only a small, readable, obviously placed sign to confirm they have followed the map correctly. Granted this is often a clumsy solution in Garden Valley. This leads the unsuccessful navigator to stop by the Real Estate office to be guided to available properties. The result is the Realtor has the buyer in the car, as a captive audience, and is selling the property.
Is it really necessary? There is not a lot of visual competition for signs in Garden Valley. In the city there are signs everywhere. Advertisements, billboards, park benches, business signs, construction signs, so many that it’s hard to find the one you are looking for in the congestion. Even the small amount of drive-by shoppers in the Garden Valley market must be able to see well enough to pass the drivers test. So why do they need to read the sign from a mile away?
I wake up every morning to delight in the views of mountains, forest, streams, birds and all the panorama that Garden Valley has to offer. It would be reprehensible to wake some morning to find a “creative and artistic” 32 square foot sign replacing my current view.
Let me propose the ordinance be amended to modify the “for sale” sign maximum size to be 4 square feet. I believe this will better meet the intent of the ordinance, preserving the beauty that is Garden Valley.
Instead of listing their homes with the Brokerage with the biggest signs, sellers can hire the Brokerage with the most signs!
Great article. Large signs just don’t do a home justice. You are correct that most buyers are looking on the internet. Putting a sign in the yard is a small part of marketing a home. The internet is certainly the biggest tool in our arsenal. Keep up the good work.
David
Thanks for the comment David,
I’m sure I’ll be getting some flack for this post, especially from my local peers. I appreciate the support.
kv
You and I think a lot alike. I’m waiting for the technology to do away with signs all together.
Hi Sara,
I can’t imagine that world. What a great concept.
Hi,
I Make the signs! It’s how I support my family, and in a small town like Crouch you need all the business you can get.
I agree with David, a 4X8 foot sign IS way too big for in your Yard David. But the properties using the big signs are Acreages, not yards, and the large size is necessary for visibility and readability from a great distance away. You and Kathy should Look at a letter recognition chart sometime, we use them every day. Why pay for a sign to sell your property if it can’t be read. If the signs you are complaining about appear too big to you, it’s because they were “misapplied” and put too close to the road. But don’t blame the sign, and outlaw it, blame the “applicator”.
And I guess Sara is waiting for me to go out of business. I hope she can find her way around in an unfamiliar town without any signs. But she won’t be going anywhere because traffic will be halted in her world, without any signs.
People are so accustomed to signs and their usefulness that they don’t even think about them and how they help them. Just stop and imagine Sara’s world with no signs for a moment and you’ll see how rediculous it is (unless your a Caveman) (No offense, Guys on TV)
And lastly, Kathy, I moved to Idaho 15 years ago when OVER REGULATION made it nearly immpossible to operate a business profitably and drove me out of my home in California. Now, Schwarzenegger is running TV commercials in Idaho, begging us all to come back. Sorry Arnie, not this guy. Just the word “Ordinance” makes the hair on my neck stand up. PLEASE, don’t make me leave Garden Valley for the same reason, I love it here too, signs or not. We still have plenty of Rural Character.
I wake up every morning to delight in the views of mountains, forest, streams, birds and ?????????? backyard. Put that in your Ordinance!
And Kathy, we ARE putting the link to your blog on our site. Thanks for the reciprocal. Could you link it to our home page and not just the camera? Watch your hit count go up!
Thanks again,
Sam
Hey Sam,
Sorry I had to edit the name out of your post.
I agree that appropriate signage plays an important part in our culture. It’s not signs, in general, that I don’t like. It’s, as you say, the application. Indeed, there are two of these large signs on a residence in town.
Please don’t go back to California. We all appreciate your business being in town. And we love your sense of humor. You funny guy.
I agree with Sam. Signs definitely have their place and if worded well make life a lot less stressful when you are looking for something. ——For instance like my property which is for sale. The sign (which I keep well dug out from snow) will tell who ever is interested exactly where they can go for more information. It clearly states who can help them through their viewing and hopefully buying process!! Now if that sign was not there with that information what would happen?? Either the interested party would stand there and scratch their heads wondering if they were at the right place and if they determined they were what then? Would they decide to come and knock on my door catching me more often than not unprepared? (not a pretty sight !!)
Sam’s signs look attractive, I have two of them on the private road before my house asking people to go slow. Sam and Sandie personalized them for me and they are really cute and tasteful. My GVP for sale sign in front of my house, well I think I addressed that in the first paragraph, It works for me.
Norine.
Thanks for your support Norine.
Oh My!
Over regulation and now censorship! What is Idaho turning into?
Editing the name took all the humor out of it! But since this is a small town, everybody knows where I live and who’s backyard I see across the beautiful river, …between the Theater …and the Church. OK, OK. (censored again!)
I promise I will NEVER go back to California, so please don’t “ordain” me out of business.
Hi Sam and Norine,
I figured it wouldn’t be too awful for me to remove the name since, like you said, everyone knows who your neighbor is! I am glad to see you were able to control yourself somewhat.
What neighbor, what name? I’m missing something?
Norine
Hi Norine,
In Sam’s post he mentioned that his view was impaired by his neighbor’s back yard. I removed his neighbors name before allowing his post. Thus the censorship.
If you’re not familiar with Sam’s neighbor, you might want to ask him to give you a demo of the “demo site”.
Thanks. I can tell it’s none of my business!!
So I’m off to walk my dogs because it’s beautiful outside right now as usual.
Have a great Saturday evening “Ya’ll.”
Norine.