What does The For-Sale Sign represent?

The for-sale sign in Laurel Township is a symbol of utter desperation. While much of the country is experiencing hardship, a lot of parents have had to give their children up to orphanages or other family members, as they are unable to maintain the burden of feeding and clothing them. To sell one's children represents an entirely new level of need. Only in the direst of situations would a family seek to make money by giving up their own children in exchange. It represents an unparalleled sense of desperation in a time of extreme poverty. The for sale sign is a representation of a last resort following the exhaustion of all other options.