Community Corner
Are Campaign Signs a No-No When Selling Your Home?
How will prospective buyers vote when they see campaign signs on your property? Our resident real estate expert gives his take on yard signs and other decorations around and in your home.
It’s election season, and a person would be hard pressed to miss the abundance of campaign yard signs that are blanketing the county.
While we are all proud to live in a country where one can freely express political points of view, there comes a time when the visible support of a favorite candidate or political party should be considered with caution. We all know how contentious and zealous some people become when expressing political opinions—entire families can be split by a single issue. The accepted societal practice is to never discuss politics or religion in mixed company.
Common sense would then dictate that political signage could be a turnoff to a prospective homebuyer.
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We always explain to our listing clients that one of the rules of selling is to neutralize the property. That means nonpartisan color palates and the removal of family pictures and other personalized decorations. That could include your favorite sports team logos in the den to religious statues or pictures.
It’s important to offer the widest appeal to the buying public. Personal items can be a turnoff and you never want a buyer to walk away without making an offer because they were offended by something that could have easily been removed. The same is true for political yard signs.
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Even if the campaign signs you display are consistent with the majority opinion in your neighborhood, there’s always the chance a prospective buyer might not subscribe to the same convictions. The best rule of thumb is “If you’re in doubt, take it out.”
I always ask my sellers to put themselves in the mindset that the house they are trying to sell is no longer their home, but instead it’s a liability. A relaxed atmosphere free from distractions is the best presentation.
iDeal Real Estate Professionals LLC is owned and operated by Brandon Bramlett and C. Mark Willix and is affiliated with Maximum One Realty Greater Atlanta. For personalized service, visit us at www.idealrealestateprofessionals.com. You can also email us at info@idealrealestateprofessionals.com.
