Gail what are you going to report? Someone took your flyer's? Someone scratched your sign? Some lender left his card in an empty flyer box? Although it sounds as though you feel it was the work of the lender, you have nothing to prove it or even any strong and convincing evidence. If the lender was to take your flyer's, why leave a card to let your know? Perhaps the neighbors took the flyer's and the lender showed up after there were just one or two left and left a business card.

My advice, forget about it and go on with your sale. Replace the flyer's, market the property and close the deal. Not worth worrying about.

Gail I certainly sympathise with you but unless you can catch something like this while it is happening it is next to impossible to do anything about it. I would probably call that lender and ask him not to solicit in your literature box and advise him it lacks professionalism to do what he/she did. Then go out in the woods, let out a blood curdling scream and return to your car and say, I'm glad I got over that! It is kind of a cleansing ritual. Doesn't always work but scares the hell out of the trees and animals.

It seems like we (agents) have to deal with this kind of aggrevating shtuff quite often.  It is certainly worse in a situation like this one where you feel bad for the seller already.  But, of course as Gary has already said, there's really little or nothing you can do about it.  And you know what we have to do with things we have no control over!

Yes Gail, extremely frustrating. Not much you can do except ask the neighbors if they've seen anything but can't do much about it. I like Gary's idea though of the cleansing. I need some woods close by.

If there is power at the home setup a laptop with a camera and motion detector software (most Logitech camera software has that feature). Point the camera at the sign and let it bust the culprit. I did this once with something that was not real estate related and caught the (_|_)hole in the act of vandalizing. Went and showed him what I caught him doing and he started crying like a 3 year old. HAHAHA I then turned it over to the sheriff and let them charge him. Bonehead. LOL

A builder I work with did the same as Scott.  

His LANDSCAPING, of all things, was being stolen at night!  Very expensive schtuff.  Rhodies, azaleas, etc.  He set up the same thing Scott explains (relatively inexpensive.  The equipment he has doesn't require an onsite computer, just records.)  Caught the guy....

Short of that, no much you can do.  I agree with taking a walk around the neighborhood and building up some goodwill for both you and your seller without divulging too much.

Suggested "script" (and I hate scripts, but you'll get the gist).....

"Hi, I'm Gail Griffin, a local Realtor, and I have your neighbor's house listed for sale.  I'm rather concerned because someone has vandalized my sign and brochure box.  Kind of a black eye on the neighborhood, wouldn't you agree?  I'm sure you understand and I really want to find you a good neighbor.  Would you be kind enough to keep an eye out for me?"

Not only do you get the neighbors involved in a positive way but now the neighbors know you as a person and Realtor looking out for your seller's best interests...and theirs.   You'll probably also get some info you weren't expecting.

LOL Gary, primal scream therapy!

Gail, this happened one time. I would be a busy little worker bee and let it just fade away. Put up new sign and flyer box, chalk it up to neighborhood kids. Then do what Cathy said, alert the neighbors who love to be nosy anyway. Perhaps pick up a few as new clients.

IF it happens again, you may then want to go the surveillance route. But I don't think there's any need for overkill with just one incident.

In my area, winds blow signs, people don't know how to drive so they run them over, even get used for target practice. Signs are a writeoff, time for new signs . . . LOL

Gail - Since the person left their card, call and say, "Thank you for your interest in my listing...Let me tell you a little story. You remind me of my favorite lender...he's swimin' wit' da fishes now." (Use your best gangster accent)  ;-)

LOL Bill that's a good accent, I could hear it all the way over here!

Candice - A whole new slant on story time, right? ;-)

I like Cathy's suggestion. "You'll probably also get some info you weren't expecting".  And when they see how much you look out for your client, when the time comes to sell they will remember you.

If none of that works, Gail, you just let us know and we'll do a regional carpool down to Chino and we'll set up a "Realtor Watch" and catch that knucklehead!

Seriously, good luck to you, Gail, with your listing and its sale.  Hopefully it was a one-time situation (kids)....

I have a FSBO down the street from me and they asked ME why their corner, directional sign was alway stolen (like it was ME doing it?)...  I tell them that there are a lot of weird folks out there and it's all a part of the cost of biz ...  :)

Gail we had someone break up our sign and through our flyers around the yard in a gate guarded community.  I believe it was kids, as the neighbor told me he found our sign down at the park too.  We replaced our sign with a thick heaver sign and they haven't touched it since.  Not sure if the neighbors are now watching or the heavy sign is not so enticing as the thin plastic.  I don't think the lender would do that as I think he left his info for you, knowing you would find it in the flyer box.

Jana

Phil, a homeowner has his FSBO sign at the main road pointing down a side street. This FSBO is even cheaper than you or I, and has no other directional signs up. So when I got a listing a few streets away, I put up more directional signs that take people past his side street and down to my listing. The township doesn't let real estate agents put up directional signs so all mine look just like the FSBO signs.

Someone keeps taking one of the signs down and I keep putting a new one back up. I know it is someone who lives down the street because it is a dead end street with no where to turn around. I don't want to catch anyone. I am having too much fun. Traffic has been pretty good with about 30 flyers taken (one at a time) from the box.

It doesn't take much to amuse me.

Good Luck, Gail.  

I have quantities of flyers disappear all the time.

Sometimes wonder if other agents in same sub do it, or FSBO owners.

Eh, whatevah! I have had signs disappear as well, several times.

Guess it is the nature of the beast. I can get overwrought if I want,

or I can concentrate on selling the listing and laugh all the way to the bank...

primal scream huh? Maybe I should try that!

Glad you feel better.

It's all part of the cost of doing business...