DIY house selling: why you need a For Sale sign

For Sale sign information from Lawpack's Sell your own Home Kit.

The importance of a For Sale sign

It's estimated that around a third of all sales are generated from a For Sale sign. The For Sale sign is one of your most important marketing tools when you're selling your own home.

Most people move house within a relatively small area and potential house buyers will have spotted the For Sale sign as they go about their daily lives. Meanwhile house buyers who have decided to move to your area often start their search with a scout of their preferred area looking for For Sale signs.

For Sale signs: Home-made or professionally printed?

Making your own For Sale sign is a simple matter, but bear in mind that a home-made For Sale sign may be less attractive than a professionally printed For Sale sign.

Start by working out what information you need to include. Useful items are:

A prominent 'For Sale' slogan.
Include the words 'Private Sale'.
If you don't want people knocking on your door, include 'Viewing by Appointment Only'.
Contact details. For security reasons, you should think carefully before you include your home phone number. The best option is a mobile telephone number or you could use your work number.

Other good ideas include:

If you have produced your own house for sale website, or you have listed your property on a low-cost but big-reach houses for sale website, include the web address.
If you decide to leave a pile of your house for sale property particulars in your porch or attached to your front door or gate, indicate on the For Sale sign that people are welcome to take a copy. If you leave your property particulars outside for all comers to pick up, again be careful about which pictures you include.
For Sale signs with a brightly coloured background have been found to work best - and don't be afraid to use different colours. Get some tips on design by looking at local estate agents For Sale signs. If you're selling a flat, you can either put the For Sale sign in your window or on the gate outside your block.

Where to get a professional For Sale sign (customised by you) for only £35

Lawpack has taken the hassle out of making your own For Sale sign by making available a professionally printed, colour For Sale sign that can be personalised with your own phone number. You can find out more about the personalised For Sale sign here.

Planning permission and your For Sale sign

In most places - the exceptions are certain conservation areas in Bath and in the London boroughs of Camden, Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea - For Sale signs don't require planning permission. But certain rules do generally apply in England and Wales (but not in Scotland) for For Sale signs.

These are laid down in the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992. Schedule 3 Class 3 (A) of the Regulations refers to estate agents' signs. It states that:

There should only be one For Sale sign.
On residential property the For Sale sign must not exceed 0.5 square metres, or 0.6 square metres if two signs are joined together.
No For Sale sign is allowed to project more than one metre from a building.
All For Sale signs must be removed 14 days after completion of the house sale.

Further Information on For Sale signs and selling your own home