How long is a real estate agent entitled to keep their “For Sale” board outside a house once it’s been Sold?
Friday
Feb 5, 2010
The agent insists its their right to keep it up until settlement in Australia. Does anyone know any different?
I live in Australia and the board is on my apartment block, but not my apartment. However it makes the exterior of the building look ugly. Im not the seller, but I am an owner in the building, and I want it gone. They say it can stay until "Settlement", however I want to know on what grounds legally can they do this.
Comments
Trolley
February 5th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Not sure whether there is actually a written law on this.
But agree with the above comment, talk to the seller – that other owner in your building – on top of the agent.
One of the flats downstair was auctioned last month – settlement is not for another 60 days – they removed the "Sold" sign recently.
Another flat was sold about half a year or so ago, the sign was there for months. The agent left it there despite us (body corporate manager and owner-occupiers) ringing, the new owner ringing etc. At the end we had to get some handyman to dismantle the board and turf it ourselves.
I live in Melbourne, Australia.
jamie5987
February 5th, 2010 at 9:40 am
In the U.S. generally they place a "Sold" tag on the sign, and it stays there until you close.
A5150Ylee
February 5th, 2010 at 9:40 am
After you close it becomes your property and you can kick the sign out to the street.
boitchick
February 5th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Don’t know about Australia, but here it’s almost always removed less than 30 days after closing, it has a "Sold" sticker applied and stays on the property of a short period of time to let interested parties know it’s no longer available. Now that you have purchased the home you have the right to call the agency and request that the sign be moved. Find out what the legal boundaries of your property are and if it is on your actual property you can give them a date by which they must comply, warn them that if they don’t the sign will be removed and destroyed. If they don’t come get it you are well within your legal rights to remove and dispose of it.
Brian G
February 5th, 2010 at 9:40 am
In the US, the For Sale sign stays until the sale is closed. The reason it stays is that all too often the sale will fall through and must be listed again. The agent will generally put another sign with it, Sale Pending or In Escrow so they are not constantly bothered with more people wanting to see a place that isn’t available. When the sale closes, they are quick to put up a Sold sign to advertise they are good at their job, but the new owner can take it down whenever they please at that point.
Check in your apartment rules. Both my condo and my parents in another area have rules about where for sale signs may be placed, and they are enforced strictly.
ttpawpaw
February 5th, 2010 at 9:40 am
The placement of the sign is between the agent and the seller. It is the seller that you need to address your question too. The agent is getting some free advertising and I don’t blame him. Go talk to the seller.pp