Fremont cracking down on out of control open house signs

FREMONT, Calif. (KTVU) - City leaders in Fremont are cracking down on real estate agents who clutter sidewalks and streets with open house signs after several complaints. 

According to the East Bay Times, the only stipulation is that signs can't be up before noon on weekends and can't block sidewalks, but there are no rules about the number of signs an agent can put up. 

Some agents have reported competitors who place signs out as early as 6 a.m., but agents countered that saying it's safer because it's less traffic at the time, adding their competitors are simply jealous of their success. 

Fremont's deputy community development director Wayne Morris told the East Bay Times, the city could impose a limit on the number of signs agents can place at intersections for each property sale, set distance between a sign and home, restrict signs from being placed near historic buildings. 

Between October 2018 and October 2019, the city issued $32,000 in fines to realtors and seized some signs until the debt was paid.