Putting Up the Signs

When recreational, remote and waterfront properties are your specialty, all aspects of the job can create challenges. For instance, how will for sale signs get put up and where will they be placed?

Signs are awkward to carry and transport, and the ones we put up on properties have to be big enough to be visible from a distance. Getting them into the boat or truck is one thing, getting them to where they are going to go on the property is another thing altogether!

Signs need to go up at all times of the year, and they need to be sturdy enough and mounted well enough to withstand all types of weather, especially some of the wilder winter weather the BC coast can receive. This adds to the challenge of prepping the sign. It can also mean sometimes replacing signs in the spring!

Ed and Shelley are usually the ones to put up the signs, although they have recruited others to help on occasion. As Shelley says about these outings, "Sometimes it seems to be a comedy of errors - you never have the right supplies no matter what you bring and something always creates a challenge."

"Getting the sign on the right property can be difficult," says Shelley. "There aren't any street numbers on these properties, so good mapping and charts are crucial."

Some properties require travelling to by vehicle and some good trekking to find the right location to place the sign. Up on trees, in clearings and in other places of high visibility are all good options.

The reward in getting these signs out comes when we receive a call in the office from someone who is in a boat or on a remote road looking at the sign and calling to inquire about the property, or they've written the number down and called us when they are back in cell range. (Of course that can also pose challenges for us in the office, as we have a lot of signs out there and telling us it was seen from the water doesn't really narrow it down – and there isn’t a road name to give us more of a clue. “What island were you near?" or "What forestry road were you on?")

Sign placing is just another unique aspect of the BCO office. "It's always interesting, but in the end we get the job done while having fun and being outdoors.”

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!