Agents Hope To Sell Maplewood Officials On Looser Restrictions For Real Estate Signage

MAPLEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Home sales are soaring in Maplewood, but realtors said they're having a hard time getting the word out.

They claim restrictions on the signs they can post are making their jobs difficult.

'For sale,' 'under contract,' and other real estate signs can be found all around Maplewood, New Jersey, but agents are frustrated by township limits to the signs they use to market properties.

"More signage is a benefit to all parties including the town," Coldwell Banker, branch VP, Michael Pennisi CBS2's Meg Baker.

The market in town is hot, hot, hot -- voted a top downtown, close to New York, and complete with a train station -- 63 percent of homes sell at asking price or above within the first 15 days.

Some are gone before they even hit the market.

"What happens is, people find a house they want, and someone outbids them, and it's gone and then they are looking from house to house to house," seller Sarah Walters said.

Agents said pre-market signs like 'coming soon' or 'coming soonish' could make a huge difference for buyers and sellers. The information is already listed online.

"Really, what we are doing is creating a sense of urgency for buyers," Pennisi said.

The mayor isn't buying it.

"Coming soon' is pushing it a little bit, especially 'coming soonish,' what does that mean? Two weeks, two months? Anything could be coming soon," mayor Victor DeLuca said.

With so many signs, the mayor said he is concerned the impression is that everyone is selling, and leaving Maplewood, when it seems the opposite may be true.

Currently, only one large sign with a smaller 'rider' is permitted.

"Where we are able to effectively market the property, get everyone as much information as they would like, without it looking like a crazy garage sale," realtor associate, Irving Cham said.

On Tuesday night, the town council will vote on an ordinance to allow one additional rider with information like websites or open house times on it, but 'coming soon' signage will not be considered.

Real estate companies can be fined more than $200 for improper signage.