realestate sign in my lawn pointing to an open house down the street (1 Viewer)

[MikeAlletto]

I have a corner lot. I'm responsible for the grass on the other side of the sidewalk all the way down the side of my lot by the street. Sometime this morning someone came along and put a realestate sign advertising an open house somewhere down the street on the corner of my lawn. I'm tempted to take it out of my lawn, walk down the street and return it. Any thoughts?

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

While you are responsible for maintenance, that isn't your property. However, I tend to remove signs in front of my property that I disagree with (like campaign signs).

 

[MikeAlletto]

According to the plot it is. I wouldn't have had a problem if she asked before hand, but there aren't any other signs along the route except in my yard and out on the main street by the main sign to the subdivision. I paid for the sod, I paid for the leveling, I paid for the sprinkler system, I pay for the maintenance. As far as I'm concerned its my property. Even if it isn't my land, its my grass since I paid for it that she drove the sign through. All she had to do was ask and tell me how long it was going to be there and I would have had no problem. But she didn't ask so I asked her to remove it. If she doesn't then I will.

 

[Keith Mickunas]

Its your sign now, do whatever you want with it.

The city and utility companies may be able to dig on that land without your permission, and people don't need permission to walk down the sidewalk, but it is your land and the realtor has no right to leave that sign in your lawn without permission.

 

[MarkHastings]

My parents are in the same situation. My dad always takes the signs out. The town owns that land NOT the real estate people.

It's city owned property and NOT public property.

 

[Jason_Els]

Agreed, ditch it. They want to put it up they should pay you for it or at least ask. We have that problem constantly as our house is on the main drag into town so every politician, realtor, and civic organization routinely use our property to make signs. They go in the trash unless someone asks nicely and it's a charity event or something. Our property line goes to the middle of the street on one side and to the middle of the street on the other as we own the land on the other side. It's yours, yours, yours. You pay the taxes, you decided what stays and what goes.

You also don't want someone saying you're not protecting your property rights by allowing something like that.

I throw the signs in the trash or, if they're wood, save them for kindling.

It appears Mike knows where his property begins and ends so he does indeed own up to the road. Property lines and easement rights are different everywhere, don't assume you don't own a piece of land you might. Always know exactly what is yours and what is not.

 

[Todd Hochard]

For an Open House sign??? You guys are way too touchy. I guess you are not interested in assisting your neighbor in selling, in any way?

I mean, if it were a political sign, that would be one thing. But, geez...

Todd

 

[Jason_Els]

Todd,

Neither the realtor nor the home owner asked. They just stuck it there. Far too often signs like these just stay there after the promoted event is over. It is also essential to protect your property rights because, unless permission was asked, continued use of that space by a realtor (or anyone else) could be construed as implied consent and thus put your property rights in jeopardy.

Say Mike lived at the entrance to a large development and his lawn was routinely used for such things. If the realtor continued to use the lawn for some years without protest or permission from the good-natured, neighborly Mike, then the day Mike complains the realtor could go to court and show Mike had effectively abandoned his rights to the property and that it was now the property of the realtor.

Or say that the sign distracted someone causing an accident or caused them injury (unlikely but hey people get sued for unbelievable things....). Because the sign was on Mike's property any victim of such an accident could sue Mike because the sign was on his property.

Mike is being prudent and perfectly polite. Check your Emily Post or Miss Manners on such matters. It is unspeakably rude to just assume use of someone's property without asking. Any good neighbor policy which Mike may feel has been voided by the behavior of the realtor.

Tolerating rude behavior is not an obligation of a gentleman.

 

[MarkHastings]

You guys are way too touchy.

So you wouldn't mind posting For Sale signs on your car to help out your neighbor sell his/her house?

It's not the sign that bugs people, it's the total lack of respect on the Realtors part about not asking the owner if he/she could use your property to help sell a house.

Remember, the Realtor is making a HUGE commission on the selling of that house, if your property is being used to help that sale, shouldn't you be entitled to some of that money? Even if you aren't, it's still quite disrespectful for anyone to use you that way without asking first.

Common courtesy is something we always forget about when it comes to our own greed.

 

[MikeAlletto]

Remember, the Realtor is making a HUGE commission on the selling of that house, if your property is being used to help that sale, shouldn't you be entitled to some of that money?

Thats the 2nd thing that bugged me. This sign is basically selling something that doesn't belong to me but using my land to advertise it. I was totally kind when I walked down there. I got to the house and saw the name of the agent on the sign on front of their house so I knocked and asked for her. I said that she put a sign up in my front lawn without asking me. She said she was sorry and asked if I wanted it removed. I said yes and said thank you and left. There were numerous things I could have done. I could have called her office and filed a complaint against her. I could have stolen the sign, I could have taken the sign and moved it down to the open house lawn saying I was returning it. This way she doesn't get in trouble with her employer.

I can't wait for election time. I wonder if I'll be able to collect some prime signage

 

[Eric_L]

You want to turn in the kids next door for selling lemonade too?

I remember the days when neighbors were neighbors and none took offence at things like this. It is NOT a for sale sign, it is an 'open house' notice. These signs are most often tasteful and well made. They are never left out for longer than the event.

It is nice when people ask before placing. However, at 8AM on a Saturday I'd rather not be bothered for something so trivial.

I used to live on a high traffic corner. The open house signs were never a bother since they were tasteful and always promptly removed. The real nuisance were the 'garage sale' signs. Those bastards would leave them there for weeks after the event. I took upon delivering them to people the day after the event and throwing them in the middle of their yard.

Now go yell at the kids to get off your lawn.

 

[MarkHastings]

However, at 8AM on a Saturday I'd rather not be bothered for something so trivial.

The open house wasn't just planned that morning. A phone call or a visit the night before (or a day or two before) could have been possible to ask permission.

Again, it's called common courtesy and respect. Don't expect Mike to be courteous when you've been disrespectful in the first place. Although I commend Mike for his actions in handling the situation in a civilized manner. He had every right to be VERY upset about it and handled it with the utmost courtesy.

 

[Henry Gale]

This reminds me of the time a found a neighbor on my property hanging a yard sale sign on a "Underground Cable - Do Not Dig" post. I asked if I could help her and she snootily replied, "I'm putting a sign on the telephone post" Meaning of course that it was none of my damn business what she was doing on my property. But it was a neighbor, so we try to accommodate, don't we? I asked her to just please remove it when the sale was over.
A few days later I took it down.

 

[MikeAlletto]

Now go yell at the kids to get off your lawn.

If the lawn is new and they were trouncing through it you better believe I'd yell at them to get off the lawn. There is no reason for ANYONE to cut across someones front lawn, thats why there are sidewalks, so people don't make trails through your lawn. Its called respect for other peoples property, teach it to the kids as soon as they are able to walk.

 

[Todd Hochard]

Common courtesy is something we always forget about when it comes to our own greed.

Listen closely for the voice yelling, "mine, mine, mine!" It may sound like your own.:rolleyes

Yikes. Being neighborly is an exception. Oh, well, I don't have to live next to you, I guess.

And, I'd check the public use easement laws in your area, before you go too far with claiming the area between the sidewalk and the street.

Todd

 

[MarkHastings]

And, I'd check the public use easement laws in your area, before you go too far with claiming the area between the sidewalk and the street.

So real estate agents have fair use over this area and not the home owner??? What are you talking about?

Your comments about us being "touchy" was uncalled for and your follow ups about being greedy with our own lawns are just as ridiculous.

 

[Eric_L]

Sigh, the rules are fairly standared. let me summarise:

edit: I use 'you' to refer to any property owner, not anyone here specifically. Please don't take offense. I'm tired and cranky now. It is 1 am. must sleep... trying to edit it nicely, sory for multiple edits.

1) Unless you live on a private drive (commissioned the pouring of the asphalt yourself) you don't own the road. Not in front of your house, not in front of mine not even in front of your favorite bar. That's why they are called "public roads".

2) You also do not own the sidewalk, see #1. Sometimes even IF you commissioned it's pouring it still is not yours. (I'm dealing with that as my HOA is building them now and each homeowner has been assesed)

3) The space between the sidewalk and the street isn't yours either. It's not too complex - When you buy property it comes in one piece. If it is not in one piece then it would be TWO properties. The sidewalk separates that piece from your lot, so therefore it is separate - and not yours. Most communities have an easement or setback from the road that may extend even further into your percieved space.

4) Though the sidewalk and grass strip are considered public, the adjacent homeowner is still responsible for it's upkeep. That would be mowing, snow removal, watering, repairs and litter removal. Crappy deal, I know.

5) That does not entitle the homeowner to determine use. ie - what people can walk on it, who can park by it, what signs are placed on it etc. It is public . (though after a period signs can turn into litter...)

6) Property lines are sometimes drawn to the median strip of a public road. That is meaningless. Note the word public again.

Since I know there are some folks who have more fight than common sense I included these links to some common bylaws:

http://www.capeelizabeth.com/ordinances/ch21.pdf

http://www.town.truro.ns.ca/bylaws/SidewalkByLaw.pdf

Some folks are so afraid of being wronged or 'dissed' that they lose all objectivity and perspective. Don't be the cranky neighbor who nobody wants to be around - it can't possibly be worth the energy.

For Mike I say lighten up and learn to enjoy your neighbors. This was the perfect excuse to drop by and wish them luck in selling their home. It'd be far more productive then getting bent out of shape on a non-existent slight that even if it were wrong would be trivial.

Also, I guess nobody here heard about the kids who were recently busted by the cops for selling lemonade in their front yard without a permit? True story.

 

[brentl]

Now I;ve got a question.

Say I was 9-10 years old with a few friends playing hide and seek. What would the common reaction be???

I know that as long as they don't damage anything(break a window ETC) I'd have NO problem with them playing.

Brent
The sign should not have been put on your property ... Atleast that's my thought

 

[Carl Miller]

Some folks are so afraid of being wronged or 'dissed' that they lose all objectivity and perspective. Don't be the cranky neighbor who nobody wants to be around - it can't possibly be worth the energy.

I'd like to have Mike as a neighbor and don't see anything cranky or out of line about his position on this.

I'd like him as a neighbor because he believes in respecting the property of others, something my current neighbors don't believe in much to my dismay and constant annoyance.

No matter what the legalities are on this subject, I'm not going to stick a sign or a post on a property someone is responsible for maintaining without asking their permission first. It's just common courtesy.

 

[Eric Samonte]

I think Mike knows his rights and as such a realtor should be aware of it as well. Common courtesy should have prevailed for the latter and she should just have asked. But since she didn't, objectively Mike can do anything he wants on his property.
I agree with Mark on this. So someone putting up a sign on ur car without asking is OK by u?