Real Estate Yard Signs...Do they work?

Each year NAR creates a Profile on Buyers and Sellers. In the report there are 2 sets of numbers that speak to your question. The first set of numbers is where do buyers Search for homes; 90% use a Realtor in their search, 78% used the Internet, 71% listed Yard Signs, 51% visited Open Houses and 50% looked in the newspapers. (these are the 2005 results - I don't have the 2006 numbers handy. The second set of numbers - that personally I everything but preach at our agents - are the numbers of where a Buyer first found the Home they purchased. Again the 2005 numbers: 36% introduced by an Real Estate Professional 24% found the Home on the Internet 15% discovered the Home from a Yard Sign 10% combo of Friends, Family Neighbors and people that the seller already knew 7% Builder/Owner 5% Newspaper 1% Magazine I do remember that the 2006 numbers had Real Estate Professionals at 39%, the Internet and Yard Signs stayed similiar to the 2005 #s. Regards, Dave

I don't have the current statistics but I'm certain that yard signs still one of the best marketing tool. Recent buyers we have are people who have been going around the place looking for properties. Yard signs with phone numbers are given the first preference by buyers to check the property during the tour in our experience.

Thanks for your comments. The statistics are always interesting! I'm sure they vary greatly depending if you're a rural recreation only area or work in a big city.