The HOA Has It ALL Wrong When It Comes To REAL ESTATE

I have two condos for sale here in Houston. Both have the sign in the window. One of the many responsibilities that MOST, if not all Home Owners Associations have is to help preserve the value of the neighborhood. They do this be enforcing their "rules."

I think one of the rules some HOA's have is not only counter productive, but quite stupid.

RING-RING:

HOA REP: Hi Greg, this is XXX from ABC HOA. I need you to take your signs down.

GREG: Why?

HOA REP: A couple here & there wouldn't bother us, but too many make the neighborhood look trashy.

Real Estate signs do many things:

1. Advertise the property - Many buyers on their initial search not only use the MLS, but drive around with or without their agent to find the property. Sign calls as we Realtors call them are a very important ingredient in getting any home sold. Many buyers will see the sign & tell a friend, relative, co-worker or anyone in the area.

2. Realtors are not born, nor or they hardwired with an internal compass. Real Estate signs make it easier for the Realtor to actually find the property. A complex that has hundreds of units located on multiple floors with special parking can be quite cumbersome, confusing and frustrating.

3. My signs display my website. I get anywhere from 200-300 clicks a day on my website. According to my sites statistics, 84% of people who visit the site VIEW MY LISTINGS. One of my MANY responsibilities is to ADVERTISE my property.

What many HOA's don't understand is that if they get in the way of me selling my property, they are basically asking to ----> lower their property values. <-----

Here's why:

Homes that don't sell (especially in today's market) will ultimately foreclose or go into a short sale status. If this happens, it's likely the price will DRASTICALLY be reduced, thus attracting INVESTORS-RENTERS and other low ball offers.

The only thing TRASHY about a real estate sign is what it might financially do to a community if it is not allowed to exist.

--------------> No sign = less chance to sell. Less chance to sell = lower property values. <-----------------

So go ahead and complain about my sign. In the end you'll win battle, but you'll lose the war. I'll remove the sign. When YOU decide your neighborhood "has gone down hill" don't expect YOUR property to sell quickly.

PSSST... Same thing for Open Houses!