Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Thats it. Way too many people see a house, fall in love with it, buy it, then move in without a clue what their HOA policies are. THEN they want to complain. I agree HOA's are not for everyone. Buyers should do their homework up front, understand it, and not complain when polices are enforced.
you and couple others in the thread assume too much:
so let me tell you my story with 2 HOAs:
-I read the rules from both HOAs
-rules where kind of enforced with unofficial preference given to the older owners: DUH, this is a family community, not a retirement one!
-I got some violations from one HOA for:
-crack in my garage door window; it was visible only from 2 feet away
-damaged entry walkway: sorry more then 10ft away from walls; HOA business not mine
-something something about door to patio: sorry, external, so HOA business not mine
-not updating my address: DUH, department communication; me, I have a legal document saying I sold the house!
-and some others....
-call/leave email about the violation, they contacted me 2 months after (after the fine term.....); they where low in personnel, catching up after vacations.....
They delayed my closing when I was selling my house because of their "timeless"/NOT response
now I moved, so let's start with HOA #2:
-violations:
-violation for floor install/not thick enough: duh, I'm first floor; nobody is going to hear me; also HOA didn't
provide me the minimum floor thickness/subfloor requirements(the lady just forgot to give it to all the buyers in
the last 5 years)
-violation for my kids being outside on common grounds: well, they are well behaved, not tearing everything apart;
it did not apply to all the renters kids? found out later they had a "problem" with a former HOA worker they where
evicting; my kids where playing with that kid.....
-violation for noise from my neigbor: well it was before 5pm, my workers where doing the subfloor per HOA recommendations;
did not apply to my upstairs neighbor waking me up repeatedly at 3AM .....
-violation for parking in my spot: OK long story; I bought and the former 2 neighbors where in a vehicle door banging
contest, hence the only air mattress in all the garages between them; we take the spot showed to us by the HOA, park
there for 3 years, neighbor dies. next week i cannot park in any spot: well, I raised h411 with HOA, and told them
"you have until Monday to clear this up or I'm calling towing; I have a legal document saying I have ownership to
a parking spot!"
-rules where kind of enforced with preference given to the older owners: DUH, this is a family community, not a retirement one! also the fact you have families, just brought your old 70's building value up, since we renovate ours apartments and we keep it clean. also families pay there HOA dues= more common money!
most of the enforcement of the rental rules (numbers cap/yay/nay), it hit them big time at the last recession when people on a fixed budget could not afford their own mortgage and could not rent to pay for it=no HOA dues.
no HOA dues=only basic maintenance + cheaply paid maintenance personnel.
hence a lot of families bought short-sales/auction/....
They may be a lot of good HOA, but there are only as good as the people running them.
A lot are on power trips. they still don't know, the law can trump them, but they have the power (without having any training or law knowledge) to put a lien on your house and fine you each month even if in the wrong....
