Last spring I washed my truck to get off all of the salt and shine it up. I had the kids out side with me and we made an all day event out of it. During the process, I took my signs out, Brokerage signs and Open House signs and leaned them on the porch which faces the street and hosed them off. Being lazy and enjoying a rare weekend off, I left them there.

Come Sunday I had people arrive for the Open House and the calls started coming in inquiring about my house for "Sale". I was honest and let people look at the house and offered to find a similair house in the area (I have no intentions of moving). I picked up one buyer and 1 seller because of my mistake.

I got lucky last year, would it be wrong to "accidently" leave my signs out front this year when I wash the truck?

"I got lucky last year, would it be wrong to "accidently" leave my signs out front this year when I wash the truck?"
You mean "Accidentally on Purpose"? I think that could be called false advertising, or desperate marketing.
I've heard of agents putting their home on the market/MLS for some outrageous price in order to pick up buyers, at times they can't say no, the offer is just too great.

Now those are the kind of accidents I'd like! If done on purpose seems like a no no.

I'd take them out and wash them again...and leave them out just for the weekend.

I wouldn't leave it for more than a weekend or do it again till next year though.

In MA we have laws agaginst this, it is misleading the public & you could lose your license!!! it is a

You have laws against washing your real estate signs and leaving then to dry in the front yard?

is an 'open house' at my home any different than an 'open house' at my office. As long as I am not misleading prospects,. Even if I put up a 'For Sale' sign on my lawn, that doesn't mean that I require an MLS listing. I may be breaking my brokers rules, but that's substantially different.

We do however in our jurisdicion, have rules that penalize 'bait and switch'.

Have any of you actually bother to read your state's licensing law, as well as the Realtor COE? No wonder people have issues w/RE agents.

At least in Ohio, by holding a RE license, you are stating you're honest & ethical. Leaving out signs to try & gain business, meaning someone thinks your house is for sale, when it's not (OH! Isn't that a COE violation as well...something about placing a sign on property that's has no listing agreement) doesn't exaclty sound honest & ethical to me.

While doing so probably would not result in losing your license, you'd most likely get fined, public repremand, and/or a bunch of CE. But who wants to read their own name in the Quarterly newsletter?

Well isn't there some price at which you would sell? There is no law against overpriced listings. If there was 75% of agents would be in trouble.

KT- I read the quarterly newsletter and it is funny to read, I would hate to see my name in in it!

deapsea- There is a price that I would sale at. It would be steep though. I have a large in home office that maintain and would hate the thought of moving it, plus the kids toys, wifes clothes, stuff..... Make me an offer though!


What I did was an oversight. I have always leaned my overflow signs on the side of my house to grab and go when needed. Part of it is my laziness, but my neighbors and friends always see my signs out there. They are on the side of the house generally and not notible from somebody just driving by.

When I do wash my truck it easier to do it in the fron of my house and while the hose and soap is out I stick the signs and let the kids paticipate. Keeps their smudges off my truck and the signs get washed. At their young ages though, stuff happens and the signs were left out.

Hell.... if an open house does that well in your area, just start holding open houses for all the agents in your office!

Would doing this accidentally on purpose with your house be unethical? Probably. We both know that there are implications that go along with putting an "Open House" sign out. Bringing out the old "Well hey.... if they just assumed it was for sale, thats not my fault" line is just equivocation.


R

I would have to agree that saying on one hand it's accidental, then on the other hand, counciling aquired prospects, that this would be fodder for the reprimand board.

However, a 24hr exclusive listing is not that uncommon, especially with those that work FSBOs. If the exclusive is with myself, do I need to write that up? Only if want to gift my broker, but if I'm using franchised signs, and likely the office clerk, it becomes an obligation.

Maybe not a law, but it is covered in the code of ethics.

Something could be ethical but illegal, and sometimes it could be unethical but legal. It's up to your moral judgment for that answer.

I suppose "duties to clients & customers" ... shall not deliberately mislead the owner as to market value" would not apply here.
It never talks about "misleading" of an agents own property as being overpriced, does it?