The U.S. housing market is finally enjoying what many experts are calling a modest recovery. This week, the National Association of Realtors reported that sales of previously owned homes improved in August, rising at their fastest pace in more than two years.
Warning: This post contains explicit language.
In an effort to avoid a Realtor's fee, however, many people are trying to sell their houses on their own, CBS' the "Early Show" reports. But at least one New Jersey homeowner took a rather unconventional approach to his marketing strategy, posting an eye-catching placard in the front yard of his home:
"House For Sale By Owner Because My Neighbor's An Asshole," the sign proclaims.
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A listener of the Dennis & Judi show on NJ 101.5 FM sent the image in to the station, which then posted the photo on its website.
As CBS points out, buyers learn about homes from three main sources: real estate agents, an Internet search and yard signs. While perhaps unintentional, the sign above, which is now a viral Internet phenomenon, combines both the physical sign aspect with web search-ability. Genius.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this New Jersey homeowner is not the first to try radical tactics in the hopes of garnering attention for a property.
Ellie Zober, an Oregon woman who found out her husband was cheating on her, included the rather personal information on a For Sale sign of her own.
“I’ve gotten calls from Sweden and Scotland and Ireland and a man from Japan called to buy the house,” Zober told ABC News Radio. The family is trying to avoid foreclosure and admits the sign is purely for exposure, although the story is also true.
However, some real estate agents aren't exactly encouraging the For Sale By Owner route. Judy Moore of Re/Max Landmark Realtors told U.S. News : "You wouldn't go to an amateur to perform an operation on someone. It just doesn't make sense."
But as these creative sellers prove, the journey can certainly be hilarious. On the other hand, eccentric ideas and signs could backfire. After all, "My neighbor's an asshole" is not exactly a ringing endorsement for a neighborhood.
For a list of more hilarious real estate signs, visit Oddee.com.
Photo courtesy of Judi Franco/NJ1015 listener