Why one Sydney mayor has declared war on real estate signs

Real estate signs could be banned from public land in parts of Sydney’s inner west amid a spike in complaints about corflutes causing “visual pollution” on nature strips, roads and roundabouts.

A proliferation of real estate signs in public areas has prompted Strathfield Council to investigate introducing new rules to stop agents placing advertising material including “pointer signs” spruiking open home inspections and auctions.

An example of real estate pointer signs that would be banned from public land by Strathfield Council. (Photo edited)

Strathfield Mayor John-Paul Baladi said the number of signs “littering” streets has fuelled a surge in complaints from residents about safety risks for pedestrians, visual clutter and the potential for signs to cause distractions to motorists.

“If you come to Strathfield on a weekend you see real estate agents littering their signs all over green spaces, roundabouts, roads, and it’s causing significant visual pollution,” he said.

“It’s one thing to put a sign outside a house, but it’s another thing to put signs every five metres on a stretch of a road.

“They’re on roundabouts, street corners, and often agents aren’t picking their signs up for days if not weeks on end.”

Strathfield Mayor John-Paul Baladi.

Baladi said public complaints had coincided with a recent boom in Strathfield’s property market.

“With sales hitting the $15 million mark there seems to be a desperation from agents about letting people know which properties are for sale,” he said.

“When one real estate agent puts their signs out, all the other agents feel like they have to put their signs out as well, and before you know it the whole suburb’s being lit up with signs like Vivid.”

LJ Hooker Strathfield licensee David Pisano said most agents “do the right thing” and likened the council crackdown to “revenue raising”.

“There may be one or two agents doing the wrong thing, but most agents only put out their signs in the morning and the afternoon of a sale or an open home,” he said.

“They’re beneficial because it lets people know where and when a property is being auctioned.

“Surely the council has bigger issues to worry about than trying to raise revenue from real estate agents.”

The move comes as several other Sydney councils have taken a no-holds-barred approach to real estate, including Blacktown, which dished out $58,000 in fines to agencies for illegally placing signage on public land this year.

As part of its investigation into banning signs on public land, Strathfield Council is considering enforcement powers and what fines could be applied to agencies caught breaching rules.

Under current council rules, all large real estate signs must be located on the property listed for sale or lease and must be removed within seven days of the sale, lease or auction.

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