Real Estate Signs 101: The Basics of Getting Started

It’s no wonder that real estate signs have been proven to be the best marketing strategy in the industry. Well-designed, strategically placed signage can be a very effective and consistent method of lead generation! Whether prospects are buying a home or looking to sell one, your real estate sign can be the focal point that starts the conversation.

When it comes to real estate signage, there are a few basic questions to consider:

• What size signs would you prefer? The most common sizes are 12”x18”, 18”x24” and 24”x36”, but you can have signs custom created to almost any size you’d like. When it comes to selecting a size, determine what’s most important to you. If outshining your competitors in the neighborhood is at the top of your list, go with the largest size and limit the amount of text for higher visibility. If having the most appealing or attractive signage is more important to you, then stick with one of the standard sizes and focus on the design and finishing, and then go for an elaborate mounting method. This question is not as simple as it seems. What are your goals? What would you like your signage to accomplish for you? Choose your size based on those desires.
• What shape will work best for you? Most real estate signs are rectangular, but they don’t have to be! If “creative” and “impressive” align with your brand, you may want to custom cut your signs into a shape that stands out. Hanging signs can be any shape – and they look remarkable hanging from scroll brackets. Depending on the materials, real estate signs can be customized. Keep in mind, there are added costs for this feature, but there could also be added benefits! Again, what image would you like to portray to your clients? And, what budget restraints, if any, do you have?
• How long would you like your signs to last? This may seem like a trick question, but really it’s not. It determines what material would work best for you. If you only need temporary signs, coroplast would be an ideal. It’s corrugated plastic that is lightweight, inexpensive and waterproof – perfect for short-term use. But, if you’d like to get some mileage out of your signs, aluminum would be the best choice. It, too, is lightweight and weather-resistant, but a lot more durable and long-lasting. It can also be custom cut into any shape you’d like. If you were considering hanging your sign, Dibond might be a good material choice for you, as well. It is plastic sandwiched between two sheets of aluminum – so you have the strength and durability of the aluminum along with the added thickness of the plastic core. Dibond is available in both 1/8” and 1/4”, and the difference in pricing between it and aluminum is nominal. So, the determining factor really is how long you’d like your signs to last. Short-term or long-term use?
• How will you mount your signs? How you mount your sign can affect your answers to the previous questions. For example, if you are using real estate frames, you will have to stick with the standard sizes – custom cutting is not an option. Or, if you are hanging your signs, then you can custom cut them to shape, but you will need to consider the costs of additional hardware for mounting – like posts, hanging kits, etc. Will you have real estate riders? If so, you will need to consider frames with rider slots or hanging hardware for the riders, as well. Mounting is crucial and should probably be decided early on.
• Will you have just text in your layout or do you have a logo and graphics? Your sign design is super important. You want it to be appealing and stand out from the other signs in your market. So, the more time and energy to put into the design, the better. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to have an incredibly elaborate design. In fact, when it comes to real estate signs, less is actually more. But, you do want to make some very strategic, deliberate decisions. For example, you want to choose highly legible fonts and make sure the text is big enough to be visible both from afar and from a moving vehicle. You also want to make sure the colors compliment each other and the graphics and headshots are high quality. Work closely with a sign company to make sure that your sign design is not only attractive but practical as well.
• What level of protection against weathering do you need? Since your real estate signs are going to be outdoors, you want to make sure you protect your design from the harsh effects of the sun and inclement weather. You don’t want your sign to fade too quickly! There are several protective laminates available to ensure durability – some provide short-term protection and others will protect your sign for 7 years or more. Most sign companies won’t even discuss durability grades with you, so be sure to address it. The better protected your signs are, the longer they will last!
• What extras would be beneficial to you? QR codes, brochure boxes, business card holders, riders? If info sheets, brochures or rack cards are a part of the marketing plan for your listings, adding boxes to your real estate signs may be a good idea. Or, if you have all of that information available online, QR codes allow customers to download it with their cell phones or tablets. Riders are also popular “extras” – they give you just a little more room on your signage for attention-grabbing text – like “Motivated Seller,” web addresses or phone numbers. These extras may increase your costs, but they could also increase responsiveness.

These are just a few questions to consider when you decide to purchase real estate signs. Take the time necessary to decide the best sizes, materials, laminates and graphics for you and your business. Ultimately, these signs are going to work around the clock for you, so make sure you take great care in having them produced!