Inman

Agent wins battle over open house signs

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Remember Ronald Shore, that real estate agent who launched a campaign to change West Hollywood’s open house sign rules? Unlike other cities, West Hollywood forbids the placement of "open house" signs on street corners, which means agents have to get permission to plant the signs on neighbors’ lawns if they want to drive traffic to their open houses.

Additionally, West Hollywood’s rules forbid the listing of addresses or real estate firm names on signs that aren’t on the listed property itself (signs down the corner, for instance, can show only a directional arrow and the words "open house"). And, most heinously, the city bans the planting of flags on open house signs, although agents can currently plant three flags on the lawn of the listed house.

Well, the WeHo News reports that Shore has triumphed in his bid to change the rules. Last week the city council OK’d many of his suggestions. We called Shore to find out more.

"The rules have been changed, and they are supposed to take effect around Dec. 16," he says.

According to Shore, real estate agents can now list their firm’s name and property address on off-site signs; sign hours have been extended to run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; signs can also go up on Saturdays; and real estate agents can now plant one flag on their open house signs.

Shore’s bid to allow the signs on sidewalks wasn’t allowed, however.

The changes to the open house sign rules are permanent, while rules regarding special promotional signs (the city council also weighed in on that topic) are temporary, according to Shore.

Reposted with permission from Curbed.com. Click here to view original post.

Copyright (c) 2009 Curbed.com LLC

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