I detest HOA nazis

[RDY4WAR]

It’s because you don’t understand them.
You vote in elections for your local government who regulates what you can and can’t do with your property.

Should you chose to live in an HOA community you vote for and elect a community board that maintains the community to your liking, includes amenities to your liking, style and use of homes to your liking or don’t buy there. Majority rules is democracy same as your local county government

Free choice …

Yep, and I get into it with local government as well. A big factor in choosing the house we did was the relaxed ordinances in this county. A few corrupt councilmen tried to change that a few years ago, attempting to redo our comprehensive plan to favor high density developers. They all lost their reelection the next year with 4 out of 5 seats changing hands, including the chairman.

We were looking at a house in a neighboring county that we liked, but the ordinances were a bit ridiculous. Can't have an RV or boat/trailer parked on private property. Can't have a detached garage with the doors facing the road, but can if the garage is attached to the house. That last one still baffles...

I oppose most anything that restricts what a person can do with their own property so long as it doesn't endanger the health and welfare of others. Obviously you don't want someone with open sewage in their yard, but something like a pink roof or forward facing garage doesn't harm anybody. This includes taxes as well. I would love to abolish property taxes as I feel it's in direct opposition to private property ownership. If the government can seize your property for not paying property taxes, then you don't actually own your property. You're just renting it from the government. The same for any individually owned property to include cars, boats, open land, etc... To me, an HOA having the ability to seize your property for not abiding by the rules or not paying your dues just makes private ownership that much more meaningless.

I respect someone's right to live in an HOA and be a proponent of HOAs. The same for the person that wants a pink roof. Have at it. That's their choice. My view, personally, is that my opinion means zilch beyond my property line and HOAs are the opposite of that so I don't care to ever live in an HOA, even if the by-laws are reasonable to me. I abhor collectivism.

 

[CKN]

When you pay the note or lay out the cash - you get a say until then - f straight off.

Nope zoning laws get a say. You are very articulate.

 

[alarmguy]

Yep, and I get into it with local government as well. A big factor in choosing the house we did was the relaxed ordinances in this county. A few corrupt councilmen tried to change that a few years ago, attempting to redo our comprehensive plan to favor high density developers. They all lost their reelection the next year with 4 out of 5 seats changing hands, including the chairman.

We were looking at a house in a neighboring county that we liked, but the ordinances were a bit ridiculous. Can't have an RV or boat/trailer parked on private property. Can't have a detached garage with the doors facing the road, but can if the garage is attached to the house. That last one still baffles...

I oppose most anything that restricts what a person can do with their own property so long as it doesn't endanger the health and welfare of others. Obviously you don't want someone with open sewage in their yard, but something like a pink roof or forward facing garage doesn't harm anybody. This includes taxes as well. I would love to abolish property taxes as I feel it's in direct opposition to private property ownership. If the government can seize your property for not paying property taxes, then you don't actually own your property. You're just renting it from the government. The same for any individually owned property to include cars, boats, open land, etc... To me, an HOA having the ability to seize your property for not abiding by the rules or not paying your dues just makes private ownership that much more meaningless.

I respect someone's right to live in an HOA and be a proponent of HOAs. The same for the person that wants a pink roof. Have at it. That's their choice. My view, personally, is that my opinion means zilch beyond my property line and HOAs are the opposite of that so I don't care to ever live in an HOA, even if the by-laws are reasonable to me. I abhor collectivism.

Well said and free choice to live where we want and how we want is a wonderful choice to have

 

[alarmguy]

So there's 30% without an HOA then according to my math... Not just farms, industrial, or antiques...

Wife's fam in CO lives in an HOA. They can only choose from an approved list of paint colors, siding types and colors, and roofing products and colors. Nothing but temp emergency repairs without approval. Landscaping has to come from an approved list, and locations of all trees have to be approved by the HOA. Etc... Of course, when it was built it was outside any incorporated City, which made it cheaper to build, but there was no city ordinances or code enforcement, so the HOA filled in that role. Now its in a City, pays taxes like one, and gets both code enforcement and HOA enforcement. Good times...

Excellent this was their right and chose to live there.

 

[alarmguy]

It's going on the market next week.

Glad to hear it, good news is it will command a good price vs no HOA because prospective buyers will be looking at a clean neat community and your neighbors wont have abandoned cars, boats and trucks on their property. The other yards and homes will be well maintained = great resale value if the HOA is as good as your OP/

 

[PimTac]

I know someone who lives in a small HOA, around 20 homes or so. It was built in the late 70’s early 80’s time frame. The houses were all painted earth tone colors per the HOA requirements. That was the popular color trend at the time.

Around the early 90’s a new resident moved in and decided to repaint his house a creamy white. The HOA boss went and told him it was not an approved color as the painters were applying the paint. The resident stood his ground. The HOA put him on report. At the meeting the topic was not about the non approved color but how nice it looked. After some discussion the approved color choices were changed. Now that neighborhood has a mix of colors and it looks pretty good.

Rules can have a purpose and they can also be overbearing.

 

[alarmguy]

I know someone who lives in a small HOA, around 20 homes or so. It was built in the late 70’s early 80’s time frame. The houses were all painted earth tone colors per the HOA requirements. That was the popular color trend at the time.

Around the early 90’s a new resident moved in and decided to repaint his house a creamy white. The HOA boss went and told him it was not an approved color as the painters were applying the paint. The resident stood his ground. The HOA put him on report. At the meeting the topic was not about the non approved color but how nice it looked. After some discussion the approved color choices were changed. Now that neighborhood has a mix of colors and it looks pretty good.

Rules can have a purpose and they can also be overbearing.

The HOA is the community members of the board ELECTED by the community, the community through the elected board members decided the colors look good and voted to change the rules. Perfect example of Democracy in action.

 

[DwightFrye]

In many parts of Commiefornia if you want to live in a nice neighborhood, you will have no choice but to live where there is some sort of HOA. They range from mild with regards to CC&R's to ridiculous. But they do keep neighborhoods from looking like the Joad family from The Grapes Of Wrath just moved in. Which is what most people want who are buying homes with a median price of over $800k.

My condo HOA wasn't difficult to deal with. When I wanted to replace all of my old aluminum framed single pane windows with new vinyl energy efficient ones all I had to do is fill out a form and make sure they were the approved color that matched all the other ones in the complex.

Where I live now there are no HOA's. Most people do a good job of maintaining their property's appearance and show some pride of ownership. But of course there is one guy who owns a home right on the main street that enters my neighborhood and it is an eyesore. It's one thing if you don't have the money to paint the house and another when it looks like squatters or hoarders live there. Some people are just lazy or don't care.

 

[blkwtr]

When you buy a property governed by a HOA, you are provided a copy of the covenants and restrictions. You then agree to abide by them. If you are not happy with the covenants and restrictions or don't want to live in a area with a HOA, move somewhere else.

 

[PF52]

I know someone who lives in a small HOA, around 20 homes or so. It was built in the late 70’s early 80’s time frame. The houses were all painted earth tone colors per the HOA requirements. That was the popular color trend at the time.

Around the early 90’s a new resident moved in and decided to repaint his house a creamy white. The HOA boss went and told him it was not an approved color as the painters were applying the paint. The resident stood his ground. The HOA put him on report. At the meeting the topic was not about the non approved color but how nice it looked. After some discussion the approved color choices were changed. Now that neighborhood has a mix of colors and it looks pretty good.

Watch out; it's a slippery slope. Soon the residents will want to fill their yards with abandoned cars, boats and trucks.

 

[Aredeeem]

This is not directed at the OP, but just the topic in general ...



HOAs are a combination of a "product" and a "service" of sorts. You have the ability to use or not use that product/service, based upon your choice of where you live. If you don't want to live under the purview of an HOA, well then, don't; choose a different location.

But don't complain about the HOA's rules if you choose to live there. Life's about choices; make one and accept the conditions thereof. Anyone who complains about an HOA probably didn't do their own due diligence homework BEFORE they moved into the HOA area. HOAs are typically very good about making their rules known if you just ask to see a copy of the C&Rs, Bylaws, etc.

I, for one, live in an HOA and like it. Ours has good rules, but it's not overly burdensome. It keeps the shenanigans to a minimum, and we have almost zero complaints. One family moved in not long ago and made some (false and baseless) accusations; rather than get a copy of the C&Rs, they just guessed their way through stuff. And they pretty much got shut down by the other families so the HOA had to do nothing official. Like minds think alike.

I've lived out in the sticks with no HOA, and had some terrible neighbors (noise, junks laying about, rudeness, carelessness with firearms, etc). We purposely moved into this neighborhood understanding (and liking) the rules.


There's nothing wrong with wanting to live in a HOA.
There's nothing wrong with not wanting to live in a HOA.
But there is something wrong with complaining about a condition you have total control over.

Well said, a complicated problem, an easy solution.

 

[John105]

A little OT but for my buddy who is Dave Ramsey and as such anti amazon anti Costco saying I'm a fool to pay to shop....I said but what about your condo HOA fee of $200/mo. (there's even a "tech" fee like $60 in there), and they didn't fix the hot water heater at the gym for 3 months, isn't that foolish? He said not at all, I don't have a choice, you have a choice with costco and amazon

 

[CKN]

A little OT but for my buddy who is Dave Ramsey and as such anti amazon anti Costco saying I'm a fool to pay to shop....I said but what about your condo HOA fee of $200/mo. (there's even a "tech" fee like $60 in there), and they didn't fix the hot water heater at the gym for 3 months, isn't that foolish? He said not at all, I don't have a choice, you have a choice with costco and amazon

The difference in gas prices pay for the Costco membership for anybody that drives the amount of average miles per year. Listen to Dave Ramsey and one will lose several hundred dollars per year-if not a thousands.

 

[John105]

The difference in gas prices pay for the Costco membership for anybody that drives the amount of average miles per year. Listen to Dave Ramsey and one will lose several hundred dollars per year-if not a thousands.

I just don't understand how a $120 Costco membership is even worth being against, when he has a $80/mo "tech" fee for nothing, living in a snooty condo. Get what I mean....to target Costco and amazon specifically, yet pay many fees for absolutely nothing, and don't call oneself out for them...his position is I have a choice to avoid costco (and go to Walmart which I do), yet he has no choice to pay his fees, so they're ok hahahaha

 

[gfh77665]

This whole thread is absurd. The complainers here are voluntarily participating on a highly moderated, regulated forum. Thats the exact media version of a HOA! They have to abide by rules here on BITOG, even if they disagree. No one is forcing them to participate here. That "can" go to other forums that allow all kinds of profanity and hate speech if they want, but not here. So why aren't the HOA haters melting down about FREE SPEECH? BITOG does not allow unlimited free speech, so haters, why are you here? Also, why is name calling like "Nazis" being allowed here, even in the title? That's about as vile as it gets!

 

[grisby]

There is a HOA down the road from me where my one friend lives and if you have a 4 year or older vehicle it must be in your garage. Not allowed to be on street or driveway

 

[CKN]

This whole thread is absurd. The complainers here are voluntarily participating on a highly moderated, regulated forum. Thats the exact media version of a HOA! They have to abide by rules here on BITOG, even if they disagree. No one is forcing them to participate here. That "can" go to other forums that allow all kinds of profanity and hate speech if they want, but not here. So why aren't the HOA haters melting down about FREE SPEECH? BITOG does not allow unlimited free speech, so haters, why are you here? Also, why is name calling like "Nazis" being allowed here, even in the title? That's about as vile as it gets!

There is a general feeling of "entitlement". Even if it goes against the rules. It's rather sad what society has become.

 

[John105]

There is a HOA down the road from me where my one friend lives and if you have a 4 year or older vehicle it must be in your garage. Not allowed to be on street or driveway

that's pretty funny. The HOA president likely works for a leasing co

 

[PF52]

There is a HOA down the road from me where my one friend lives and if you have a 4 year or older vehicle it must be in your garage. Not allowed to be on street or driveway

What is to be gained by that?

 

[John105]

What is to be gained by that?

Wouldn't it be for appearances....no old cars i.e. everyone is successful in the community