Gimme a little sign

I’m not sure what message I’m meant to be getting, but I don’t think it’s working.

Everyday I pass a small group of new houses. They’re nearing completion and so they’re almost ready for sale. There’s a large real estate sign at the front of the properties with all the relevant details as well as a large photo of the real estate agent.

I can understand putting an agent’s photo up so that potential buyers know who’ll be looking after them at the real estate office but I don’t know why the picture shows the guy on his mobile phone.

Was he really so busy on the day they took the photo that he had to take a call in the middle of the photo shoot? Does he want us to know that he can operate a mobile phone? Is the photo meant to give the impression that he’s ready for your call? Maybe he’s a caring family man and he’s chatting to his wife or kids.

I’m not sure what I’m meant to think or what image he’s trying to create.

On the other hand, maybe I should just spend a little less time worrying about real estate signs.

Posted by Rodney Olsen



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About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He has worked in radio at Perth's media ministry Sonshine for over 25 years and has previously worked at ministries such as Compassion Australia and Bible Society.

The views he expresses here are his own.

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7 Comments

  • You know, it reminds me of a “for sale” sign I pass on my way to work everyday. It says “you can afford beachfront”, right before my bike swings around Narrowneck with sweeping views of the South Pacific.

    For some reason, that apartment has been on the market for quite a while.

  • Heh. Reminds me of a local radio commercial for a mortgage company. “Life’s full of worries, your mortgage company shouldn’t be one of them. I don’t know about you, but I put a premium on sleeping.”

    Every time I hear that I think, “Why would I want a mortgage broker that’s sleeping?”

  • Typically, our real estate signs are actually adverts for dentists. I’ve never seen so many with such great smiles! Makes me want to buy a house…again.

  • Here in the area around Chicago, Illinois USA we have billboards with photos of real estate agents, mortgage brokers, attorneys and nearly everyone else involved in buying or selling a home. None of them are talking on a mobile phone, however. Mainly, they’re happily waiting to take their share of the proceeds.

    Great blog!

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