What is the shelf life of your average bandit sign?

Question

I just put out a few bandit signs along busy streets in the Denver suburbs and I'm curious how long I can expect them to stay there? Do people regularly come through and take them down?

Account Closed · Answer

Calling areas that have the concern and resources to enforce their own muni codes "pretty anal" is pretty funny.  At what point does enforcement of laws on the books become anal?  When adhering to the laws doesn't work for our real estate business?

Jon Holdman · Answer

If they're banned by your city code, you're breaking the law regardless of where you put them up.  Real estate investors have a bad enough reputation without people deliberately breaking the law.  Read the codes for the cities where you're putting these out and DON'T USE THEM if they're illegal.  Effective or not putting them out if they're illegal makes you a criminal.

Vonetta Booker · Answer

It depends on where you put them, and how high.  I've seen a couple of my bandit signs hang for over a year--pretty banged up by then, but still there nonetheless.  I have this long pole & sign hammer that I use to nail 'em in as high as possible.  The flack you get for your signs pretty much depends on the town; I've seen that the lower-income towns don't care as much as the more upper-class ones, who can be pretty anal.

There's always a debate about how effective they are, but in my experience I've found them to be VERY--especially if you put them up at main, busy intersections.  Lots of calls--however like one poster said, not as much as a year or two ago (most likely due to the market coming back).

Bill S. · Answer

Bandit signs = Snipe Signs are prohibited by Englewood City Code.

Englewood Sign Code

Specific section is 16-6-13: Signs - C. Prohibited Signs and Other Prohibitions - 5.h.

If you leave them up you will get a call from code enforcement. It's pretty much universal in the Metro area.

Jon Holdman · Answer

There appear to be a group or groups here in the Denver area that actively deface or remove these signs.  I've not reviewed Englewood municipal code but I would bet money they're prohibited.

Dev Horn · Answer

Most often we find that they are actually removed by other investors who feel they are protecting their home turf.  Otherwise, most larger suburbs have pretty strict ordinances that prohibit "bandit signs", so you can expect code enforcement to get them eventually, and that could come with a fine.  Know the rules in your area.

Bradley Smotherman · Answer

Hey Bryan,

I am sure that is part of it, but the call volume has been slipping for about 2 years. I think the recovery of our local markets is the main influence. It only takes one good deal for a years worth of signs though, so they will remain out.

Bryan L. · Answer

@Bradley Smotherman

Yours are probably not bringing in the calls lately because of all of the political signs that are up as well.

Bradley Smotherman · Answer

My main marketing channel has been bandit signs for years. Although I do not get near the results that I used to, I find them to still be worthwhile if you buy in bulk. I average 100 signs per week, and will get 5-10 calls off of those signs. I have them put out Friday night, and pulled early Monday morning.

Generally these will not stay out past that anyway, unless you are in a rural area.

Jason K. · Answer

I saw a bunch got hung last night in Tucson.  On my way home from a job site this afternoon I saw a woman methodically removing them one by one.  Im interested to see if the hanger even got one call.  What a waste of investment.  Id hang em high so no one can reach em w/o a ladder.

What is the shelf life of your average bandit sign?

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