The only way the city or municipality can fine you is if they can look up your number posted on your bandit signs or on your website. The golden no “duh” rule is to never use your home or business number. All of my bandit signs have my cellphone number on them. The cell number that I use for my bandits signs is a “PREPAID” cell phone number. Since prepaid phones don’t have bills, the code people can’t send a fine to what technically doesn’t exist “a billing address”. If I’m missing something here, let me know. :biggrin
I have never used bandit signs however have bought my share of houses from them…
I do use these things - Bill Boards
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn205/michaellquarles/billboard.jpg
However you can legally use bandit signs if you use them this way… BTW always check with an attorney for the legality of everything.
Yes that right folks run for mayor of your city or any other political position. Not to win but for the advertising. Politician’s have written laws that allow them to NOT have to adhere to the do not call list and they do not have to adhere to the sign ordnance either.
Can’t you see the signs around town that read; “Don’t vote for “Michael “I Buy Houses” Quarles for Mayor, I don’t want you vote”? Besides effective marketing you can also take contributions and use it for advertising.
The newspaper and TV stations will have a field day interviewing you as the “I don’t want you vote” candidate.
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn205/michaellquarles/major.jpg
One of the other students in my seminar came up with the same reasoning about using pre-paid cell phones when doing their signage. My instructor then offered this scenerio:
You get a call from one of your bandit signs…they say that they’s like to meet you to see if you could buy their house or help them out. They tell you that they’d be more comfortable meeting you at a StarBuck’s. When you arrive, this person is actually one of the people who inforce the signage codes. = Busted.
Yes…it’s a big stretch that a city/town person will ever go to these lengths to try to “catch” someone. But I guess it is possible. If they truly do want to find out who it is…I guess they can.
Darin
I thought about that scenario as well, but then I thought of a possible way around that. Most code enforcement folks work unitl 5pm M-F. I normally meet prospects after 5pm and on weekends. My prepaid number is on my bandit signs, but they have no proof that I put them out there.
LOL…that was the same thing I was thinking at the time.
I guess like the old saying goes…It’s better to ask for forgiveness than to ask permission.
You could always say that you “hired” someone to put the signs up for you too.
My area is soooooooo strict about signage that NOT EVEN REALTORS can put up a For Sale sign or open house sign without getting in trouble. I tried doing it in “certain” areas but my results were spotty at best. (Tire kickers who weren’t truly motivated to sell)
Darin
well it’s better to avoid getting fined, I also use these kinds of tactics LOL, never will I put my home phone number on it…
I think that could be fun!
Never say never. I don’t say they will catch you, but I believe they can catch someone if they really want, so you can never be 100% safe. Good luck
This is how I look at it. Next year we are all going to see a TON of political bandits signs all around us, from the street to the highways. It’s just as illegal for them as it is for anyone else. The difference is that they won’t be hassled nearly as much as an investor.
It’s going to vary by area. All political signs here are on private property and they have a size limit. It would probably be possible to make deals with property owners to post a small sign, for a very small fee-- pizza or case of beer once a month, say. It would beat driving around and replacing signs every week. If they are on private property and meet code for signage, you’d be legal.
Bandit signs here don’t stay up more than a couple of hours, and that includes weekends, so I suspect that code enforcement would find you if they had to take down your signs more than once.
No one posts real estate bandits that I’ve ever seen. The local bandits are usually for weight loss scams, er, programs. I assume that word goes out through the real estate grapevine that it isn’t a good idea. The weight loss people are probably mlm and not hooked up.
All of which is the long way around to say: if your town cares, they will find you.