Hey you Realtors up north - keep going ahead with putting signs on your clients' property without permission!

Dudes! As in, Realtor Dudes! As you all must know, Realtors and real estate agents have placed "No on Measure A" signs on property they're supposedly trying to sell for their clients. And who needs to ask clients for their permission - "fiduciary duty"? Who takes that seriously?

Okay, so someone might point to this annoying statement:

Why is posting political signs on their client's property not allowed without permission? Two reasons:

1. As agents of the landowners, Realtors and real estate agents have a fiduciary duty to help their clients, and not do anything that could harm the clients. Using the client’s property to advance the agent’s or Realtors Association’s political interest on an important political issue could turn away potential buyers. Imagine someone who strongly supports Measure A is doing initial searches for property, and the person is undecided about following up a cursory interest in a property with a phone call. From that buyer’s perspective, the landowner seems to be putting her worst foot forward by including an odious political message within her invitation to contact her. This buyer would pass up the property when there are plenty of others to choose from.

2. While not all real estate agents are Realtors, the Realtors are the main problem, and their own code of ethics places limits on what signs can be placed on owners’ property. In the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors Code of Ethics, Standard 16-19 states:

Signs giving notice of property for sale, rent, lease, or exchange shall not be placed on property without consent of the seller/landlord.

Standard 16-19 indicates that if Realtors can’t place signs on a property that benefit the owner without the owners’ permission, they certainly need permission for political signs that have no benefit.

And someone might say this to you Northern Cal realtors:

“Please keep in mind that putting up a ‘No on Measure A” sign on property you’re representing without the landowner’s permission could cause serious problems for you. Imagine a landowner or another agent in a dispute with you about your effort to sell the property. You would not want to add to that a dispute a claim they may have that posting an unpopular political message for the benefit of the Association’s of Realtors’ political interests, without their permission, was a negligent act that drives away customers. You should not post political signs without the owner’s permission, and if you’ve already put up signs, you should take them down until you get their permission.”

Don't believe it! It's not a problem - no one could complain about using other people's property for our own benefit when you're contractually and ethically obligated to use if for their benefit. We just don't see a problem.

And if for some crazy reason there is, well we SoCal Realtors can just come on up and take up the slack caused by Realtors who've had to leave the business. It all works out.

Party on, and Southern Californiafy Santa Clara County! Vote No on Measure A!