Homeowner Assoc's: love 'em or hate 'em

[Vuflanovsky]

HOAs run the gamut from modular trailers to condos to single family homes so you probably have to take the idea of someone telling you what to do in context.

In a condo setting, it might have much more to due with everyone towing a common line where not doing so would effect a greater number of people. There's likely not a lot of room for you to do "what you want" independent of the dues you're paying every month. If some jack a ss insists on parking in your deeded spot then there's some recourse and the association near me will put a boot on the car after two warnings...that's what should happen.

To some extent, it can be an urban versus rural mentality thing but if your biggest beef is the place where you live having CC&Rs and bylaws that don't allow specific behaviors then you just shouldn't live there...and not complain when you do these behaviors that ( as some do ) you actually AREN"T pi ssing off your neighbors and it's YOUR property. That doesn't take too much intelligence.

 

[Mr Nice]

Andrew,

Are you going to knock on Nick's front door ?

 

[yeti]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
You really think it's a big deal if a car parks in gravel and if someone puts a brick planter in front of their own house without permission?


Are you baiting me?

I said "good for you".

You have your opinion....and I have mine.


nick -- we all know that you're a very young man -- it's possible that he wants you.
seriously -- hopefully, this doesn't turn into another thread like the evil vandal thread.although, it could be entertaining.have at it, guys.

 

[LoneRanger]

That hoopty parked up in the yard next door or the motorhome up on blocks accross the street might not bother you now. But get back with me when you are trying to sell your house and the situations next door, across the street or etc are limiting the market appeal of YOUR house to potential buyers. Yes, sloppy neighbors can make your house worth less on the market. Let us know how that works out for you. Your neighbors bad habits effect YOUR wallet when it's time to sell.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

The OPs post is a perfect example of why today HOAs are required and necessary....

The thoughtless and obviously cash poor home buyer should have read the bylaws BEFORE they purchased that home. It is solely the problem of the homeowner, not the HOA.

I say to the OP.... go get that stupid thoughtless buyer.
If he doesn't improve the lawn and landscaping to reasonable
condition SUE them.

 

[xxch4osxx]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
I firmly believe in keeping our home and property well maintained. However, the very thought of living in an area where I was forced to do anything is repulsive. Especially with some of the exorbitant "fees" they charge just to be a member. It's one of many reasons why we live in a rural area and will continue to do so.
This is exactly how I think of the subject as well. Though, up here I have never heard of an HOA, maybe it is just a US thing?

 

[Panzerman]

I looked at plenty of houses in Florida before moving from PA and if there was a HOA, it was a no way. I like to work on my car in the driveway and if I want to park a car in my yard, well its my yard. I keep any eye sores well hidden behind a fence and I live in a nice neighborhood. We did have some scrappers move in next door, it was a rental and they had a rickety trailer and garbage everywhere. A phone call to code enforcement for the city and a city inspector came out and told them scrapping was not allowed within the city. They ended up fining them and they left. If you live in a nice city code enforcement will handle any problems. I don't need retired people on golf carts to ride around and tell me my trash cans were out past 11 am.

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Andrew,

Are you going to knock on Nick's front door ?


Salivating at the possibility of conflict in this thread, are you???

Sad.

 

[Mr Nice]

Sorry, wrong thread...

 

[aquariuscsm]

Our city has codes. You'll get a notice and then a fine if you don't keep your grass mowed,if you have an inoperable vehicle on your property,have a vehicle parked on your grass,leave your trash can at the curb on a non-trash day,and many more.

Some cities will give you a parking ticket if you're parked on the street,faced the wrong direction (not sure if they enforce that here).

HOA not needed here :^) But don't get me wrong,I'm not putting them down,it's just not my bag I guess. But any homeownership is a proud accomplishment imo. Everyone has what they like,we're all different,and have different tastes.

 

[hattaresguy]

I know when I buy a house on a street one of the first things I do is look for a junker and on every road even in fairly expensive areas you can find one. If the junker house is next door whack at least 10% in property value off the top.

 

[spasm3]

I could not live in a hoa enviroment.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: racer12306
I don't like HOAs. However, I live in a community with an HOA. Another however, it's a $75/year HOA and the Pres/VP/Tres/Sec is across the street and I met him the day we were moving in. Really simple bylaws. He approves almost anything you ask, most people don't ask. Rule #1, keep it neat and tidy and no one has a problem. I made an assumption, due to the low cost (as compared to the many that are several hundred a month), that the fee is mainly to pay the insurance and maintenance on the community playground and basketball court. And I was right.

While I don't like HOAs, someone that moves into an HOA community needs to follow the rules, regardless of what they are. In a new community they exist and you aren't going to get around it. In the end, they signed an agreement to the bylaws of the HOA and are bound to the rules or face civil penalties.


I prefer an HOA community.

But...I also prefer the HOA leadership to enforce the rules....or just dump the entire thing.

In my neck of the woods, without and HOA (and sometimes even with), neighborhoods often become parking lots and eyesores. People will park cars on lawns....and RV's either in the street (creating visual hazards as well as eyesores) or next to the house on a "homemade" gravel driveway. Same with boats and campers....almost always ends up looking like a junkyard.

I'll never grasp why some folks agree to the HOA when they buy the home, yet feel that the rules are for others. Then the HOA leadership does nothing to remedy the situation. But of course...you still pay dues.

In a higher income neighborhood, where the community collectively desires and agrees to a well run HOA......it works very well.

An HOA in a lower income, or working class neighborhood? Not so much.
I don't live in an HOA, and in my entire neighborhood there isn't a single RV on the street or in someone's yard, there isn't cars parked in people's yards, or the street all crowded. I think what you're thinking of is in more ghetto neighborhoods. Every once in a while there's some shaggy grass or some weeds in a persons yard, but what do I care? I'm not some nazi and judging other people's yards. My yard looks good and that's all I care about as long as the neighborhood doesn't look like a dump. I put in a huge brick planter in front of my house and wouldn't want someone freaking out about it and reporting me. I also have a car next to my driveway in the gravel, that would probably make someone's panties go up in a wad.


Good for you....sounds like you are living exactly where you belong.


Do you have someone carrying an umbrella for you when it rains? I worry you might drown with your nose that high in the air.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
I know when I buy a house on a street one of the first things I do is look for a junker and on every road even in fairly expensive areas you can find one. If the junker house is next door whack at least 10% in property value off the top.



Awesome!!

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: Chris142
No way would would I live where I can't have a truck or antenna on my roof. Pure communist imo
Ham radio and HOAs don't exist well together, although I am aware of several incidents where the radio license holder got himself on the board before making anyone aware he was an amateur.
I get a kick out of the typical Condo Association tactic in Florida to hold meetings in the summer when most of the folks who pay the bills are not around.


Id far prefer to see a decent ham radio setup then a million stupid dish network dishes all over the place.

Let's face it, people will poop in their drinking water if it is convenient. Im very much anti-HOA, but there is a practical limit to what is ugly or desirable to have in any half-decent neighborhood. But there must be a better way... Something where people are in charge unilaterally doesnt work well sometimes...

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Our city has codes. You'll get a notice and then a fine if you don't keep your grass mowed,if you have an inoperable vehicle on your property,have a vehicle parked on your grass,leave your trash can at the curb on a non-trash day,and many more.

Some cities will give you a parking ticket if you're parked on the street,faced the wrong direction (not sure if they enforce that here).

HOA not needed here :^) But don't get me wrong,I'm not putting them down,it's just not my bag I guess. But any homeownership is a proud accomplishment imo. Everyone has what they like,we're all different,and have different tastes.


This seems more like it, where a neighborhood watch or something similar might self-police code violations, but its a higher level of government that enforces.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: andrewg


Salivating at the possibility of conflict in this thread, are you???

Sad.


Why are you so antagonistic?

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: andrewg


Salivating at the possibility of conflict in this thread, are you???

Sad.


Why are you so antagonistic?


Excuse me? Me? Have you no sense of comprehension?

Did you even BOTHER to read what was said as a response to me that precipitated my reply?? That was somebody being antagonistic.

Wow...very selective mind....or just disingenuous.

I don't know what's happened to this board in the past couple of years....but if I am expected to cower when slighted, you've got the wrong guy.

 

[Merkava_4]

How do you know if your neighborhood has a homeowner association?

 

[BRZED]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
How do you know if your neighborhood has a homeowner association?


You could ask me and I'll tell you.

 

[Lapham3]

We've resided in a couple single family homes and a couple twin home HOA developments over the last 40 years. I don't really mind either-just different types of living. The HOA is like a mini-government of you and your neighbors. They diffinately are not for everyone, but there aren't that many in my area and all the baby boomers wanting to dump the single family are attracted to them these days. We've been landlords of one and could sell it very readily ourselves right now.