Bandit signs: Are there companies that put them up for investors?

I’m just trying to learn more about these signs, and I’m curious to know if there are people who will put them up for you once you have them made.

Apart from the phone ringing, how do you know that they have actually put the signs up?

I’ll venture a guess that you have family members that are trustworthy highschool/college kids, most people have at least one in the family. Offer them more than they would get at the local grocery store in cash to go hang signs. Offer them like $10-15/hr to hang them plus lunch.

That’s a fine idea, and I appreciate the reply.

However, I’m really interested to learn if there are companies that do this as a formal business.

Bueller? Bueller?

Being that by definition they are illegal (hence bandit) I think you’d be hard pressed to find a company that will do it. If such a company existed their overhead would be far greater than a freelancing college kid and it would of course drive your end cost up. I still think hiring a friend or family would be best. Maybe you can even think of a friend that is currently out of work or down on his/her luck that could use an extra boost, this task might just be what they need to keep food on the table this week.

I talked to a local company that puts the signs out for the home builders. They said they charge $2.25/sign/week for 100 or less signs and $2.15/sign/week for 100+ (discount increases as the volume increases). You will define the area you want to market to, and they will show you on a map where they will place them for your approval.

The price includes putting the signs out on Friday and taking them down on Monday. They store them and replace them the following week.

I found the guy taking the signs out on Monday so I pulled over and talked to him. He gave me the cell phone of the guy in charge and I talked to him about it. You will need to get a permit for them to destribute the signs though. Here the permit is $150/year plus $1/sign.

My guess is that you can’t get a permit for an “I Buy Houses” sign. Hence the term “bandit” sign, as Rich pointed out.

Also, I don’t think you’d have to include removal of the sign when tasking someone to do this. I’m sure someone else will take care of this!

I just wish I didn’t loathe bandit signs as much as I did. I know they are incredibly cost-effective, but I’m having an ethical dilemma in using them. Regrettably, I think when all is said and done, I am not going to use them.

You can get a permit for I Buy Houses. It is called bandit signs because in general, investors don’t get permits for them.

I don’t feel so bad about using them, no real ethical problems with them. I would however not go completely overboard and only use them strategically at major intersections, etc. I wouldn’t want to be the guy that had one on every phone pole in town, yucky street spam.

I always thought they were bandit signs because they are similar to the public wanted posters for the bad guys… like “Wanted, Jessie James”. Instead your bandit sign is “Wanted, Real Estate”.

If it was named for their illegality, they would call it “illegal signs”.

Maybe I’m wrong. I still don’t understand why we drive on parkways and park on driveways.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyposting

ban·dit (bndt)
n.

  1. A robber, especially one who robs at gunpoint.
  2. An outlaw; a gangster.
  3. One who cheats or exploits others.
  4. Slang A hostile aircraft, especially a fighter aircraft.

Ergo, bandit sign.

I hire help to put out my signs. I pay a fixed cost per sign. I have the person keep track in a log book the locations of the signs. I will often drive by the next morning an do spot checks. The guy I use is already a “bandit” :smile so he doesn’t care if it is “illegal”.

Occasionally he runs into the “code police”, but he keeps putting them out anyways.

Also, I can always tell by the call volume (or lack thereof) if the signs went out.

Has anyone considered paying a college kid or friend etc…a certain amount of $ for each deal that results from his putting out your bandit signs ? Kind of like a “bird dog / finders fee”
Pete

Its fun to put up ones own sign’s.
I think its fun.

Just my 1cent lol

can’t the city track you down by the phone number and give you a fine?

I would put my own signs out if I didn’t think they would track me down by the contact info. :help

Im pretty sure they could. But i Dont care. lol.
But to be honest I dont use Signs anymore. IM looking to test another method I have been working on.