Rental advertising

How to Design High-Quality For Rent Signs

By TenantCloud Team March 14, 2025

When you advertise a rental property, you need it to be seen. While the internet offers many ways to get your property out there, sometimes a well-placed physical sign is still one of the best options. One of the reasons for this is that while roughly half of tenants search online for rental ads, nearly 40% still rely on word of mouth. As such, yard signs and lease signs can be incredibly effective.

Additionally, visibly positioned real estate yard signs can catch the attention of prospective tenants who might not have been searching online for rental opportunities. However, just sticking a sign in the ground is not going to guarantee immediate success, as the design of your for-rent sign, along with the materials and words used, must be carefully thought out to attract quality tenants.

This article focuses on what you need to know, including the common design mistakes landlords make with outdoor signs and the role that local regulations play. So, stick around as we explore how you can ensure that your for-rent signs hit the mark.

What Are the Common Mistakes to Avoid When Designing For Rent Signs?

No matter if you’re a brand-new residential landlord or a commercial property manager with decades of experience, you can still make mistakes when it comes to signage—many do. However, forewarned is forearmed, so let’s take a look at the errors that often get made.

Mistake #1 - Making Your Signs Too ‘Busy’

A good for rent sign will grab attention and only offer essential information. Of course, the aim is to encourage people to apply, but you should avoid making it too ‘busy’ and overloading it with things they don’t really need to know at this point. Doing so will make your sign cluttered and hard to read.

Here’s what you should look to include:

An enticing headline like “FOR RENT” or “NOW LEASING”
One key feature (2 Bed/2 Bath/Pet Friendly)
A clearly displayed contact number

Mistake #2 - Using Hard-to-Read Fonts and Colors

Some landlords also make mistakes by using fancy script fonts or low-contrast colors. While these might look stylish at first, they’re often illegible, so be sure to restrict yourself to clear, easy-to-read fonts and colors.

The Best Fonts Are - Bold sans-serif fonts like Arial, Helvetica, or Impact.
The Best Colors Include - High-contrast combinations like black-on-white, white-on-blue, or yellow-on-black.

Mistake #3 - Forgetting About Weathering

The thing about outdoor real estate signs is that they’re outside all of the time, which means that every day, they’re exposed to the wind, rain, and sun. As such, if your yard signs are made from flimsy paper or cardboard, it’s not going to be long until they’re faded or unreadable.

Instead, it’s best to invest in some aluminum signs, UV-coated prints or plastic yard signs. What’s great about these signage options is that they’re long-lasting and reusable, meaning they’ll last for years.

Mistake #4 - Placing Your Sign Where It Can’t Be Seen

When you’ve spent time and money creating durable, eye-catching lease signs, you’ll want prospective renters to see them. However, if you put them where they might be obscured by bushes, other signs, or inside a window with heavy glare, you’re not going to have effective signage.

The best locations include:

Directly in front of your rental property
Near community boards and restaurant signs
Near other open house events or open house signs
By sidewalks with high foot traffic
At busy intersections

Pro Tip: Supplement your signage with directional signs to guide prospective tenants to hard-to-find properties and ensure they don’t miss your rental listing.

How to Design For Rent Signs That Comply with Local Regulations

Looking across the U.S., you’ll find many cities and homeowner associations (HOAs) that have very specific rules when it comes to real estate signs. What this means is that if you put a yard sign that doesn’t meet the criteria in these guidelines, you could be fined or have to take it down. In this section, we look at how to stay within the law and ensure this doesn’t happen to you.

Check Your Local Zoning and Signage Laws - Every city has rules about how big yard signs can be, and that’s typically 18” x 24”. There are also rules about where outdoor signage can be placed (e.g. some areas prohibit signs on public property), and a permit is sometimes required for larger commercial signs. If you’re not sure, a quick call to your city’s property management office can help you avoid unnecessary legal trouble.
Avoid Discriminatory Language - Often, landlords unknowingly violate The Fair Housing Act by using language in their signs that could be discriminatory against a potential tenant. While phrases like ‘Perfect for Young Professionals’ might seem benign at first glance, they point toward a preference for a particular age group.
Understand HOA & Private Property Rules - If your rental is within an HOA community, you must check their guidelines for lease signs, with some only allowing certain colors, signs and placements of yard signs.

Pro Tip: HOAs can have surprisingly strict (and sometimes outdated) signage rules. Before investing in custom signs, ask for a written copy of their guidelines to avoid costly redesigns or removals.

How to Design For Rent Signs That Provide Clear Contact Information

Learning how to design high-quality rent signs is relatively easy. You simply need to lay out your information in a way that makes it easy for home-seeking renters to reach you. In this section, we look at how to ensure your contact information is instantly readable on your custom sign.

Step #1 - Make Your Contact Information The Most Visible Element

When putting your sign together, you should make sure that your phone number is the 2nd-largest text, directly after “FOR RENT”. It will also help if you use large, bold numbers (e.g., call/text 555-123-4567). Aim for a font that’s able to be read by people driving by your rental unit.

Step #2 - Offer Multiple Methods of Contact

In the modern world, people have a lot of different contact options, and if you aren’t offering at least one method they prefer, you could miss out on a good tenant. That’s why, in addition to providing your phone number, you should also consider:

A website with your rental listing
A QR code that links to an application page
A text message option for fast responses

Step #3 - Make Your Sign Interactive

People are often drawn to QR Codes - an option that a potential renter can use simply by scanning it with their phone - and by including one, you can make your yard signs even more eye-catching. For the uninitiated, QR codes allow renters to scan them and instantly view not just details of the property but also photos and application forms.

Pro Tip: If using a QR code, fully test it before printing your signs to ensure it scans correctly and leads to the right page. A broken or unreadable QR code can frustrate potential renters and drive them away.

Choosing the Best Materials for Your Rent Signs

As we touched upon earlier, there are various different types of real estate signs to choose from, but which is the best for your unique needs? Choosing the best materials depends on the specifics of the rental property. Read on to find out why.

Aluminum Signs: Best for Multi-Property Landlords

They’re best for long-term rentals and multi-property landlords, as they’re super-durable, rust-resistant, and usable for years. Aluminum signs also offer a clean, polished look that adds credibility to your real estate portfolio, and while they can be expensive, they typically only need to be bought once.

Coroplast Yard Signs: Best for Budget-Friendly Advertising

As a lightweight and cost-effective option, Coroplast yard signs are best for short-term, budget-friendly advertising. They’re also super easy to set up and are ideal if you need lots of signs in multiple locations. They’re not as durable or as professional-looking as aluminum signs, but they still look good and will last you 1-2 years before you need to replace them.

PVC Signs: Best for a Balance of Durability & Affordability

Another option is PVC signs, which are more durable than Coroplast but lighter than aluminum, making them a mid-range option for landlords who want a long-lasting yet cost-effective solution. They hold up well against wind, rain, and sunlight, offering a smooth, professional finish without warping.

When combined with wall graphics on leasing office windows or building exteriors, they can enhance visibility and create a more professional, branded look.

Pro Tip: If you’re unsure which material to choose, consider your turnover rate—short-term rentals benefit from Coroplast’s affordability, while long-term properties gain from PVC or aluminum’s durability.

Getting Your Rental Property Signage Right Is Vital

A high-quality for rent sign is one of the most effective ways to attract quality tenants, and the great news is that creating one doesn’t have to be difficult. All you have to do is be up-to-date with local signage laws and follow best practices as shown above. Do that, and your outdoor signage will convey your message clearly to interested parties.

Beyond getting your signage right, managing a rental property requires the right tools, and TenantCloud offers an all-in-one property management platform that simplifies everything from tenant screening to automated rent collection and maintenance tracking. Our software allows you to streamline these tasks so you can focus on filling vacancies faster.

So, if you're ready to take the hassle out of property management, explore TenantCloud today to see how it can support your rental business. To speak with a team member, call 1-737-300-9331 or visit our website to learn more.