Another Bad Sign for Sellers in Orlando Housing Market

In the midst of showing a house for sale, real estate agent Debbie Frucci got an unexpected visit - from a police officer.

The problem: her open-house signs. Placed in the public right of way, the signs violated Winter Springs city rules. So the signs came down, and the open house got shut down.

“There was no sense in doing it if people didn’t know where to go,” Frucci said.

Open houses have become increasingly important in the softening Orlando housing market. Roadside signs can play a critical role in luring prospective buyers.

But most of the signs, whether those placed by real estate agents, new-home builders or homeowners, are there illegally — and local governments are cracking down. A coordinated, statewide sweep six months ago collected more than 7,000 signs in just Orange and Seminole counties.

The move worries the Orlando Regional Realtor Association, which has formed a task force to tackle the issue. It also is in talks with the Home Builders Association of Metro Orlando, which is “real interested” in possible changes, said Randy Martin, the Realtor group’s president.

By this summer, the Realtor group hopes to propose a new set of sign rules to government officials in Orange and Seminole counties that would go easier on home sellers.

Daytona Beach’s Realtor organization also has begun studying sign ordinances and is considering asking local government for changes in order to lure in Florida mortgage seekers.

Times have changed
When some local governments first started getting tougher, the Florida housing market was sizzling, so promoting open houses or new-home communities wasn’t considered as important.

“A lot of our members weren’t having to do open houses, the market was so hot,” said Frankie Elliott, vice president of government affairs for the Realtor association.

But things have changed. A little more than a year ago, it took about a month on average to sell an existing home in the Orlando area. Now, the average is three months, and there’s more than a year of inventory on the market, according to association data.

“Now, you’re having to go back to the way the old market was . . .” Elliott said. “You don’t want to spend four hours sitting in a house and have no one come by because your signs have been taken.”

Even real estate veteran E. Everette Huskey found himself with virtually no customers at an open house when his sign advertising the event got removed from along Wekiva Springs Road.

“They’re hurting the Realtors,” he said. “They’re hurting the homeowner.”

Still, people hate the clutter of signs along roadways and on utility poles - often called “snipe” or “bandit” signs - that advertise not only open houses but tree-trimming, handyman and even dating services.

“As the types of business out there change and evolve, it seems like the cheapest way most of them want to advertise is by trashing up the rights of way,” said Mike Rhodes, code-enforcement manager for Orlando.

SOURCE: The Orlando Sentinel