Writing on the Wall

Tag, your house is it. At least that’s what the neighborhood rascals damaging your personal property would like you to think. Whether the perpetrators are hormonal pre-teens practicing their cursive or gangsters gone wild, the graffiti clean up process is the same.

Beyond the aesthetic, graffiti has a surprisingly large financial implication on local communities. According to the the U.S. Department of Justice via a recent Contra Costa Times article, about $12 billion a year is spent cleaning graffiti nationwide. In addition, the National Association of Realtors estimates that properties in neighborhoods with graffiti lose 15 percent of their value.

As a student living in Seattle’s University District, I have seen my share of graffiti plastered on walls and fences, and I even spent a few Saturdays cleaning up this type of defacement. Thankfully, I have found a graffiti support group of sorts in Zillow Discussions. Short of drafting a 10-step program, Zillow users have offered up creative advice such as painting the fence black to discourage offenders, using the infamous “magic sponge,” and reporting the cryptic symbols to your local gang unit. If your house is claimed (both on Zillow and on the street), find some solace in knowing that you aren’t the only one with this issue. Go to Zillow Discussions to read more.

(Image courtesy of blogcadre.com)