# Sold Sign Question



## newfoundlander61 (Feb 6, 2011)

Our home sold obn 14th June, with a close date of 4 Oct. How long is reasonable for the sold sign to stay on the lawn. I looked through the "Working with a Realtor" agreement but did not see a specific time period for this. My concern is when we away on vacation next month I am thinking it would be better if the sign was removed.


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## Mukhang pera (Feb 26, 2016)

I would say that, absent a term in your listing agreement committing you to keeping the sign up for a fixed period, tear it down when you feel so inclined.


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## Big Kahuna (Apr 30, 2018)

newfoundlander61 said:


> Our home sold obn 14th June, with a close date of 4 Oct. How long is reasonable for the sold sign to stay on the lawn. I looked through the "Working with a Realtor" agreement but did not see a specific time period for this. My concern is when we away on vacation next month I am thinking it would be better if the sign was removed.


It is entirely up to you when the sold sign is removed-basically whenever you want-it acts as advertising for the agent. Definitely if you don't want the sign there next month when you are on vacation make sure it is removed before then. No worries.


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## newfoundlander61 (Feb 6, 2011)

Sounds good, I will send and email to the realtor first and politely ask and if that doesn't do it down it comes. Thanks.


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## Mukhang pera (Feb 26, 2016)

I would add that, at least in Vancouver where I lived for many years, a lot of houses sat on lots that did not extend all the way to the travelled surface of the road in front on the house. For example, my last house there sat on a 60 x 140 foot lot. The front yard ended at a rock wall (the lot was elevated a few feet above the street). In front of the rock wall - which was punctuated by a few concrete steps down to street level - was a strip of grass, a few feet wide. Then there was a sidewalk. Then another strip of grass. Then the street. On lots so configured, realtors typically planted their signs on what might be called the boulevard area in front of the property. The sign would actually be on city property. I would not be surprised that most cities (Vancouver included) would have bylaws forbidding such trespasses, but likely ignored in the case of "For Sale" signs erected temporarily. 

As I mentioned above, I would say if you have not contractually agreed to maintaining a "sold" sign at a certain location for a certain period, you can do what you like. Moreover, if the sign is, in fact, on municipal land, any contractual provision requiring you to maintain it there would be void for lack of enforceability. 

I do not think I have ever seen a real estate listing containing a sold sign maintenance provision and my guess is that your agreement contains no such provision. Anyway, I'll take it that Big Kahuna has knowledge specific to this matter, seemingly opining that even in the face of a contract, you are free to ignore it. I'll take it that such is the state of the law on the matter.

In any event, even if taking the sign down places you in breach of an enforceable contract provision, so what? Is the offended realtor likely to take you to Small Claims Court, where damages must be proven? Not likely. Of course, there's always the possibility of a liquidated damages clause included with the provision, but unless the liquidated amount is modest, the provision is likely to be seen by a court as an unenforceable penalty clause. And realtors suing commission-paying clients is a poor form of advertising.


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

newfoundlander61 said:


> Sounds good, I will send and email to the realtor first and politely ask and if that doesn't do it down it comes. Thanks.


That is what I'd do and explain you don't want it there while you are away. The realtor will have had ~30 days of free advertising by then.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

Generally my agent has removed signs within 2 weeks of house being sold.


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## Mortgage u/w (Feb 6, 2014)

I once had a sign needing to be taken down. I emailed the agent saying I removed the sign and is now sitting next to my garbage bin. You have until garbage day to pick it up, otherwise your next listing will be the city dump.

The 'sold' sign only serves as advertisement. There is no real need to advertise to your neighbors that you sold. They'll find out when your no longer there.


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## Karen (Jul 24, 2010)

Mortgage u/w said:


> I once had a sign needing to be taken down. I emailed the agent saying I removed the sign and is now sitting next to my garbage bin. You have until garbage day to pick it up, otherwise your next listing will be the city dump.
> 
> The 'sold' sign only serves as advertisement. There is no real need to advertise to your neighbors that you sold. They'll find out when your no longer there.



And did the realtor pick it up before garbage day? Just curious!


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## Mortgage u/w (Feb 6, 2014)

Karen said:


> And did the realtor pick it up before garbage day? Just curious!


Absolutely! 
From what I was told, those signs cost apx $300.


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