Could a Huntington City Ordnance Be Making It Harder To Find Homes For Sale?

Due to the recent enforcement of a city ordnance that has been around for quite some time, real estate company signs and other business signs have been removed from city right of ways and fines have been issued. The areas in question by the ordnance are intersections, right of ways, and the area between the sidewalk and street. The defendant of this ordnance could be fined up to $500 or imprisoned for not more than 30 days or both. This could be a pretty steep penalty for such an offense.


For many years, prospective home buyers have used these type of signs to find homes for sale in area city neighborhoods. Open house signs have can be seen throughout the Tri-State area during the ever popular Sunday afternoon open houses directing prospective home buyers to the homes on showcase. Internet mapping sites have helped with finding the locations of these homes as well, but directional signs have been one of the historical ways that has been used throughout many decades of business in assisting buyers searching for a home. Some area residents do not have their own personal computer that can be used for accessing what is on the market and the locations of these homes. Some buyers drive around searching for homes for sale and with the elimination of the directional signs at intersections throughout the city, finding that new home may be more of a challenge.

With the enforcement of this ordnance in the city, there are some options for prospective home buyers in trying to locate your next home.

1. This new challenge makes it even more important for the use of a real estate agent in the search for your new home. Real estate agents can help direct prospective home buyers to home listings in the city as well as guide the home buyer throughout the home buying process.

2. After searching online for your new home, prospective home buyers can use an internet mapping site for locating these homes in the city.

3. Prospective home buyers can visit the local Chamber of Commerce and/or Convention and Visitors Bureau to get a map of the city to use in locating homes on the market for sale.

The enforcement of this city ordance has made the intersections less congested with signs and in turn made the city look a little cleaner. The question that I ponder is how will the enforcement of this ordnance effect city residents trying to sell their home in a challenging real estate market? Will it help or hurt? Is there some sort of compromise that be made for all sides involved?

For more information on the city ordnance in question, see the following link:
http://huntington.fnismls.com/Paragon/AssociatedDocs/HUNTINGTON/MLSSharedDocs/BOARD%20INFORMATION/CITY%20BUILDING%20ANDHOUSING%20CODE%20%20%20Signs.pdf

Also, for more details or questions concerning this ordnance contact your local city councilperson or another representative of the city.

Do you have a real estate related question or an idea for our Welcome Home blog? Feel free to contact me at todd@toddnelson.com