Bandit Signs? . . . Let's Talk!
Of my fellow investors, who is using bandit signs?
1) What do they say?
2) Where do you put them?
Mr Preforeclosure at one time had about 25 bandit signs out and was getting over 20 leads per week! I may be missing something in my marketing arsenal!
Share your successes and failures with the baord!
BAMZ
I would love to get some freed back from others on this also....I am wanting to invest in signs but don't know the correct placement, size, colors, etc...that has worked for others. What about local laws for placing them?
Hi Guys,
I have noticed a new approach someone is taking is getting buyers. The signs read:
" I have to sell my home in two weeks! Call xxx-xxxx."
This approach I would think would attract investors...not uneducated people desiring a residence. There are too many with different home descriptions and phone numbers for it to be legit. And they are all the same handwriting makeup.
What do you think?
Pintail:
In many areas of the country (and definitely in most areas of Florida) there are ordinances that prohibit the placement of so-called bandit signs on city rights of way. Of course, you are free to put these signs in your front yard (Freedom of speech) and in front of anyone elses home that you have permission for. In the cities where they are banned you will likely be subject to fine for each and every sign and for each and every day they are up (each day and sign constitutes a different offense) in the average of $250-$500 each. They can be quite costly. Of course you can try to do what some other investors do which is to put them up on the weekends and take them down before Monday morning. In some areas that have these so called bandit sign ordinances, the rules aren't enforced; in others they are and you have code enforcment folks driving around looking out for them. Your best bet is to do your own research at www.municode.com or call the city's code enforcment office.
There are people who absolutely swear that bandit signs are the most effective marketing tool in an investors arsenal. They take a lot of effort to install and replace. I posted about 120 signs without results. Probably if I kept posting them it would have been profitable.
I got a lot of flack from municipal workers, got a citation once, had about 30 signs removed about 2 hours after placing them. I got the impression that my signs were not welcomed. So, to spite them I stopped using them. I plan to give it another try in the spring.
yup they are against the law in Orlando but I put up about 200.
I was getting like 30 calls a week when they were all up. That was over a month ago and I still get calls from them. I get a lot of dead leads but I think that is due to what the sign says:
We Buy Houses
Any Condition
Any Situation
NUMBER
However there is another sign I want to try and I'll let you know how it reads after I've tested it. They work, some people hate them, some fear them cause of the possible fines....but how much is that fine worth to you. My first deal came from a sign and I'm netting over 60K
Neb,
Of the 200, where did you place these? Telephone Poles, Street Signs?
Also, did you place them at high traffic intersections or inside neighborhoods?
BAMZ
All of the above, BAMZ
In neighborhoods, mostly intersections and phone poles. I only did the phone pole thing if it was a wooden pole because I had a staple gun, but I've seen people strap their signs to the metal poles.
Any where there is high traffic. I shoot for places where people must stop. I don't think too many people can understand the message and get the phone number off the sign going 45 miles and hour, especially when they see it at the last min. [ Edited by nebulousd on Date 11/12/2003 ]
I put out about 75 signs about 2 months ago. I put most of them at every intersection leading out of an older working class neighborhood. I put them on wooden telephone poles and where there were non, I used stakes in the ground. I put about a dozen in a new subdivision where the builder has a high foreclosure rate.
To my suprise most of the signs on stakes remained for 3-6 weeks. Over half of the signs that I put on poles still remain, so in that respect I'm pleased.
I'm just not getting any calls from them. I got 4-5 calls (no deals) in the first 3 weeks and nothing since. I thought the signs were down, but I made the rounds last Sat. and found most of them still up.
Maybe it's just a timing thing or the season. I haven't gotten a call on my ad in the paper in almost a month now either.
btw, my signs say "We buy Homes", "No Equity, No Problem".
I took a low income approach to this and it works great for me. I am getting a lot of phone calls off the signs and they are not professionally done.
I got the board, not sure what it's called, but its the one you put the metal posts into and stick it in the ground. I went to home depot, got some stencils and red spay paint and a bit of scotch tape.
I cut the board to the right size and lined up the stencils correctly and blast out a bunch.
Yep...
I live in a small town of about 4,500+ (although I do venture into other areas as a result)
I've only placed about 16 of the 25 I purchased (from a website)
I know a couple have been taken down, as I check every-so-often to see if they are still hangin'.
Since I'm a sub-to guy, mine say:
WE BUY HOUSES
WE TAKE OVER PAYMENTS
(red lettering)
( XXX )XXX-XXXX
( boxed in w/black lettering)
Any Price - Any Location
(red lettering)
I plan to order more for they have been effective in generating leads.
I have yet to get complaints from anyone to take them down...not really a problem in my area, eventhough ya see like a million or so bandit signs scattered about.
Jason
[addsig]
Along the bandit sign issue is it considered bad manners to copy the exact same sign as another investor in the area?
On any given day you can drive around and see dozens upon dozens of signs with a color scheme, verbage and same phone number and I was thinking that since this guy has been putting out 100 or so every single week in different zones in my area... he obviously has built some recognition with these signs. would it be considered bad manners to use the exact same sign with my number ?
saniche,
I am sure one could come up with different designs, but only so many...I, myself, wouldn't use pink bandit signs for example.
Hence, the reason ya see so many of the same sign designs with different contact #s.
Getting a similar/same design could
be of benefit to you.
I would go for it.
I wouldn't worry about "bandit sign manors" (just be respectful)...you have a business to run and $$$ to make!!!
[addsig]
I only used them once. I was informed that I was in violation of local code so I took them down.
Instead of which I use a printed card about 5 by 5 inches. I have them stuffed throughout my area of interest. I now use two gentlemen, one on each side of the street they stuff the card behind the front door knob. Noway anybody gets in or out without removing the card. It is a lot cheaper and it hits the people who live in houses in the area in which I choose to play "King of the Mountain" an old Real Estate Saying. You select an area of the city and you try to drect all real estate activities to your office. You do this by sticking your hot little hand into everything. Buy, Sell, Contract, Assist in any Real Estate Situation. New Roof to new replacement plumbing. Buy and then lease back, give options to repurchase. Anything its a great game.
Lucentiasly Lucius