T
he heated US presidential election is causing tension in the real estate market. Local brokers report that homebuyers are being deterred by seeing campaign signs for candidates they dislike, with some even trying to back out of contracts altogether. This trend is particularly evident on Long Island, where neighborhoods like Levittown and Sea Cliff have become battlegrounds.
"It's a very loud and heated election," said Tammy Babadzhanov, a broker based in Long Island. "Signs are bigger than ever before." Some buyers are so put off by opposing signs that they'll rule out entire neighborhoods, she added.
Babadzhanov recalled an instance where a buyer rejected a house after spotting a neighbor's Harris sign. "They said, 'Nope, there are Democrats here – I don't want to be here,'" she said. While agents can't dictate what neighbors display on their lawns, they often have to remind clients that it's free speech and not something they can control.
The election season is taking a toll on the real estate business, with brokers reporting a decline in sales. During a recent showing in Brooklyn, Babadzhanov observed how buyers were making quick judgments about neighborhoods based on drive-bys and campaign signs. "This is not the neighborhood for me – I'm moving elsewhere," one buyer told her.
The situation can be tricky for agents, who may face backlash from clients with differing views. Some buyers might view Trump supporters as extremists, while others might see Harris-Walz signs as too woke. Agents like Ellen Caprino have even been asked about their voting preferences to secure listings.
In a surprising turn of events, Caprino revealed her candidate choice to an octogenarian seller and was subsequently hired for the listing. "Over 20 years in the business, this has never happened," she said.
Meanwhile, agents like Milana Sadykova are working to calm down clients who are spooked by opposing signs. She reminded a buyer in Queens that his neighbor's Harris sign wouldn't be there forever and eventually convinced him to stay with the deal. As one broker aptly put it: "This election cannot end soon enough – we need to get back to business as usual."
