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Question for readers: Developer signage

October 2nd, 2007 · Comments · By Matt

By an anonymous guest contributor

After more than a year of searching I finally bought my dream condo. During my walk through I asked that they remove the sign covering three windows. You can see the sign in this photo:

Downtown Condo

I understood that this wouldn’t be a problem. Of course you can’t imagine my surprise when I recently closed and received the keys and the sign was still up.

I talked to the marketing firm that same day and was told it was in the process of being removed. Several days pass and it is still up. I then tried emailing the person in charge of onsite marketing and their email was down. I then called and spoke to one of their employees who asks if I would consider leaving the sign up for several months in exchange for $500. I laugh and counter with $3000/month. They laugh back. I assume this means the sign would be coming down the next day but still it remains up. I then begin visiting the sales center every day and emailing every day. Still nothing. They supposedly ‘emailed the developer’ number of times but no response. I ask if they could try calling the developer and apparently they did because I get this emai:

The process for removing the banner has begun. The seller is coordinating with the sign company who installed. They will need to coordinate the rental and delivery of the lift.

That was five days ago. The sign is still up. I’m tempted to take it down for them but it’s secured very well and I don’t really want to risk my balance on a 4″ ledge.

What would you do next?

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  • JasonS
    There isn't an association until the builder turns over the building.
  • jaap
    So where is the venerable Condo Association in all of this? Since the sign is bolted to the outer wall and not really owned individually, it is legally in their purvey, no?
  • I have a feeling they will not be taking that sign down as agreed. I would have pay a professional to get it taken down the day after and bill them. You are being too generous to people who have broke their word and now taking advantage of your kindness.
  • ripper
    First I'd probably quit crying.
  • ken
    Good idea to charge them for the use of your unit. Find the prevailing rate for advertising. Bill them. Since they were negotiating with you for further use of your space, there is clear value to them. If they do not want to pay, take them to small claims court. They will settle. Also, for future reference to others here - if there is work still needing to be done, hold back some money at closing. This is commonly done and is the only thing that truly motivates these large concerns. Even though the buyer is always anxious to get into their new unit, the sellers are also super motivated to close. Holding back a few thousand $'s will get things done. Use your realtor resources to help with this.
  • JasonC
    When they take it down on 10/12 are they still going to give you the $500?
  • jo
    if its canvas i'd cut a hole out of the sign, not actually cut it down.

    nine MORE days is a bit of a wait, they've had a month. forget that. i'm ripping a big ole hole in it.
  • Matt Gaines
    What's up with the anonymous bit? Everyone knows it's your unit, Matt.
  • Thanks for the ideas everyone.

    Cutting it down or removing it actually isn't that easy even though I have a condo full of Saw-alls, tin snips, wire cutters, etc. Why? It's a canvas sign and has been attached to the building with bolts. Not all of the bolts are reachable from either the 2nd or 3rd floor windows. And as can be expected I worry about the liability of damaging the sign by cutting off the accessible portions.

    I did receive an email from the marketing company that the sign will be coming down on 10/12/2007 meaning it will have been up for 4 weeks longer than it should have been.

    I find this all rather outrageous since I have likely referred more people to this project than any other person not involved in the project.
  • Dana
    I had a similar problem with a sink that was damaged on a new condo. I noticed it during the walkthrough, put it on the "list of things to fix", and it was 9 months until it was acutally replaced. The seller, developer, sink manufacturer...everyone totally passed the buck on it. So instead of letting the onsite project manager handle it (which she wasn't doing), I kept a running email from day one, escalated to the managers of the people I was dealing with and decided to write/call every day until it was fixed. I even called the home office of Kohler. Not the best use of my time, but it was the only way it was going to get done. Ugh...it shouldn't be so hard.
  • kpom
    http://www.seattle.gov/fire/deptInfo/sfdfaq.htm...

    Q How do I submit a complaint about:
    fire code or fire permit violations
    trash build up at a home or business
    locked exit doors
    bars on windows with no quick-release latch

    A Contact the Fire Marshals Office at 206-386-1450 during business hours or forward a detailed e-mail message to diane.hansen@seattle.gov

    If the Seattle Fire Code bans bars on windows with no quick release latch, one would think metal structures blocking window access would also be banned.
  • Peckhammer
    "Id call up an equipment rental place and see if they have an ivy hi-lift available for rent tomorrow."

    I would be very careful about assuming you can enter into a unilateral contract and expect reimbursement. I'd also be very careful about following any of the ill-informed advice expressed in this blog.

    That said, isn't the blocking of a window a health and safety issue? It would be a shame if Matt were broiled into a crispy carbonized shell of his former real-estate-technology-self because his egress was blocked as the building burned to the ground; the stream of water from a fire hose being blocked by a large metal "window" proves that glass has advantages for more than just letting in western light.

    I'd bet the fire department has a phone number.
  • Rachel
    I might know this person's upstairs neighbor...
  • Anonymous Trace North Buyer
    I was wondering when it would come to this. When I drove past 12th & Mad last night I thought you're solution lies with a visit to your upstairs neighbors, some wine, a pair of wire cutters, a plausible story about a wind storm and an unimpeachable alibi. You're a plenty smart guy so I'll let you piece the rest of the plan together from here. And of course you'll have the discretion to not mention me to anyone in the sales office.
  • They know that you have this blog and that they get all this free publicity from being belligerent towards you even after you give them half a million dollars.

    info@tracelofts.com is a good way to tell the sales staff that this doesn't make a good impression on their target audience.
  • newbuyer
    If your place isn't sold out: Tell them you have a lead on someone who is interested in buying a condo there but won't give any information until they remove the sign. See how fast that one works!
  • EconE
    Hey...wait...I know that Building!

    Isn't that TRACE!

    In fact...that almost looks like your unit Matt!

    Here's what I would do.

    I'd call up an equipment rental place and see if they have an ivy hi-lift available for rent tomorrow.

    Then...I'd rent one and have it delivered.

    Then I would call management and let them know that I have acquired the "access capabilities" and that they may now come and remove their sign as the lift is in place.

    I'd be sure to remind them that I would be billing them for it and giving them a 24 hour deadline for reimbursement. I would also let them know how displeased I have been regarding the fact that they have not kept their promise nor returned emails in a timely manner. I would also hand deliver a letter that states as much and also go to the post office and deliver a copy of that letter certified mail. That letter would also state that it had already been hand delivered to management.

    Oh...what's that...they don't have anybody available to come and take it down?

    Then I would let them know that I would be taking it down myself and then billing them for my time. I would work slowly and carefully and would bill them at an hourly rate that is commensurate to what the developer him/herself makes on an annual basis (factored into the $/per hour breakdown).

    Yes...I know...they'll proabably say something along the lines of "the developer doesn't do the manual labor around here". So...I would say..."neither do I...that's why I charge so much".
  • Sophia Katt
    I would route this page via email to the Seattle Times, with a suggestion for a story covering the condo craziness and its aftermath. I would cc the marketing firm.
  • Bob
    I wonder how long they will leave it up if you never complain. Probably until every unit has been sold or maybe even beyond. Not that I am surprised. That is how government and businesses are often run.
  • Jon
    The biggest question is: Did you get it in writing? I am sure you can go through some legal channels and have it removed, but that takes time, energy and frustration. Furtermore, by the time you file the $250 lawsuit at small claims court, the sign will be removed.

    You might be at fault if you destroy property, even if it blocking your view.

    I would agree with a previous post, which is write them a letter... you could get an attorney to draft it, but that will cost you some $$. I would write it yourself and threaten your attorney's involvement.

    As for sales agents and Jo's comment... not all of us are bad.
  • Dave
    You are being waaay to nice about this. If there was a developer sign blocking my new $500k condo views, I would be more vocal than Samuel L. Jackson on a plane full snakes!!
  • mhays
    Removal by yourself would be a massive safety hazard. If anything hits someone you're toast (as are they), and the actual fall wouldn't be predictable.

    This is poor planning on the developer's part. Who does a sign that covers windows? They have all that brick above the second floor to use.
  • jo
    That's REALLY REALLY annoying. I would have given them three days to get it off.

    If that's me, I open the window and cut off whatever is blocking the window. If cutting doesn't work, I'm taking a baseball bat to it from the inside. Get a buddy to make sure nothing hits anyone on the sidewalk.

    And that's funny about emailing the marketing company. I don't trust a single thing any of those sales agents have to say.
  • brian
    did you specify the removal date in writing during the walk-through? these people aren't to be trusted, obviously. i would go in person to the developer's office before 5PM today and spell out my demands verbally. if nothing else it might help them prioritize you to the top of whatever pile.

    you know who to find - Ted Schroth

    'Overall, Schroth concludes that Trace Lofts will have a positive impact on the community. Instead of taking something down, we wanted to add something to the neighborhoods character, he says. We wanted to create something that enhances rather than detracts.'

    I assume he wasn't speaking of the signage...
  • strategeri
    Open window, cut sign ties, tell them it was really windy last night.
  • v
    I'd cover it up with a sheet.

    Or maybe a sheet with "Matt lives here but h8s teh daylite lol!"

    It's clear they're stonewalling you. It's wrong that you're getting shafted by this. Maybe you could ask a lawyer to draft a nice letter?
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