Another reason why I will NEVER buy a house that's under a Homeowner Association

[Jumpem]

If you live in town of any size, I don't see how a HOA is worth the risk. Don't most towns have codes and code enforcement officers? I know my local code people would be all over a transmission sitting out in public view for 3 months.

They don't do much. One of my last neighbors had garbage piled on their deck instead of going to the dump. They had several junk cars in their driveway. They had kids toys, beer cans, garbage, old junk, and debris scattered all over the driveway and yard. They never mowed their lawn, it was just waist high weeds.

Absolutley nothing remotely like that in my new HOA community.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

They don't do much. One of my last neighbors had garbage piled on their deck instead of going to the dump. They had several junk cars in their driveway. They had kids toys, beer cans, garbage, old junk, and debris scattered all over the driveway and yard. They never mowed their lawn, it was just waist high weeds.

Absolutley nothing remotely like that in my new HOA community.

In fairness, I had a similar situation at my old house and I called the town and the guy's lawn was mowed within a couple of days of that call.

 

[Jumpem]

In fairness, I had a similar situation at my old house and I called the town and the guy's lawn was mowed within a couple of days of that call.

Other neighbors called the town and state police constantly. Nothing was ever done.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Other neighbors called the town and state police constantly. Nothing was ever done.

This usually happens in shitty neighborhoods. Most of the nicest looking neighborhoods in my area are non hoa. If someone works their ass off to live in a nice house than they will take pride in it and take care of it. My neighborhood is beautiful. It doesn't have a hoa. Amazing people can actually take care of their shit and not need a nanny.

 

[Specop 007]

I have had some neighbors from hell. Even then i still wouldn't want a HOA.

And what problems have you had with a HOA?

 

[Specop 007]

In fairness, I had a similar situation at my old house and I called the town and the guy's lawn was mowed within a couple of days of that call.

So you want the local police to fill the exact function a HOA does?

 

[episodic]

IMHO that is what is wrong with the country right now. I think when a person BUYS his or her land, it is theirs (or it should be). If they want chickens - no problem. If they want to change their transmission, no problem. If they want to make a huge rock garden in the front yard - no problem. If they want to fly a huge flag - np. A treehouse, check. BBQ grills, check. An old project car you are working on - CHECK. It is supposed to be yours. I have a large garden in my back yard that would probably be prohibited in many places. I raise some rabbits, and I have a couple of backyard hens laying (no roosters - I'm not rude). They bother noone. I'm sure all of that would be banned.

If you want to artificially inflate the value of your land with everything being perfect for as far as you can see - buy the land as far as you can see. Just my opinion.

 

[Zebo]

They are good and bad. I wouldn't live in one because I'm the neighbor you all fear. Welding in the front yard. Painting cars in my garage. Burning stuff. Have a full shop, etc. So out of respect I live on a bit of acreage where no one is bothered. OTOH one of my brothers is a prissy anal retentive yuppy who has to have a new German car every 6 months and everything has to be perfect so it's perfect for him.

 

[waggy]

And what problems have you had with a HOA?

none. i haven't and won't live in a HOA. if i want to build a damn playhouse for my kids i will.

I mow my yard when it needs it. i trim my trees when they need it. we keep the yard mostly clean (yards are there for kids to play on).

I don't need some busybudy's telling me to close my garage door or mow the yard.

 

[Zebo]

In my brothers neighborhood you can't even park cars on the street w/o getting neighbors signatures for special event.. This is in laguna Niguel Ca.

 

[Specop 007]

IMHO that is what is wrong with the country right now. I think when a person BUYS his or her land, it is theirs (or it should be). If they want chickens - no problem. If they want to change their transmission, no problem. If they want to make a huge rock garden in the front yard - no problem. If they want to fly a huge flag - np. A treehouse, check. BBQ grills, check. An old project car you are working on - CHECK. It is supposed to be yours. I have a large garden in my back yard that would probably be prohibited in many places. I raise some rabbits, and I have a couple of backyard hens laying (no roosters - I'm not rude). They bother noone. I'm sure all of that would be banned.

If you want to artificially inflate the value of your land with everything being perfect for as far as you can see - buy the land as far as you can see. Just my opinion.

Whats interesting is I suspect you would agree you shouldnt be able to run into a movie theater and yell fire, you shouldnt be able to drive drunk down the road and yet you think if you own land in an urban area you should be able to do anything you want?

 

[Specop 007]

none. i haven't and won't live in a HOA. if i want to build a damn playhouse for my kids i will.

I mow my yard when it needs it. i trim my trees when they need it. we keep the yard mostly clean (yards are there for kids to play on).

I don't need some busybudy's telling me to close my garage door or mow the yard.

So the entirety of your experience with HOA's has been what you've read from news articles, which go out of their way to find the most difficult and draconian HOA's in the whole country?

Seems like a reasonable basis to form an opinion on........

 

[waggy]

So the entirety of your experience with HOA's has been what you've read from news articles, which go out of their way to find the most difficult and draconian HOA's in the whole country?

Seems like a reasonable basis to form an opinion on........

well shit. i haven't been shot in the head either and i know that's bad.

again i don't need anyone telling me what i can and can't do (besides laws already on teh books) with my property. IF i want to build a child playhouse or paint my fucking house lime green i will. That is the main reason i won't live in a MOA

 

[Zeze]

I bet you OP will end up buying a house with HOA.

 

[Raduque]

Wow. For once, I agree with Dave. What the fuck is happening?

I am so thankful I don't live in a HOA neighborhood. The people around here take care of their homes even without one, go figure.

 

[Specop 007]

well shit. i haven't been shot in the head either and i know that's bad.

again i don't need anyone telling me what i can and can't do (besides laws already on teh books) with my property. IF i want to build a child playhouse or paint my fucking house lime green i will. That is the main reason i won't live in a MOA

So find a good HOA? I did live in a HOA for quite some time. It wasnt a problem at all. I dont think anyone was ever given a notice to make changes to property. Gardens, tree houses, garage doors left open, you name it.

The point is I understand why one wouldnt want to live in a HOA, but by and large its not a big deal. The HOA isnt there to harass the neighborhood, its there to protect it.

The stories you hear are what are considered corner cases. Its certainly not reflective of all HOA's, not by a long shot.

I understand how you feel, I feel quite similar. But I also think you have some abject fear and perception of a HOA as the Third Reich come back and by and large its not.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

So find a good HOA? I did live in a HOA for quite some time. It wasnt a problem at all. I dont think anyone was ever given a notice to make changes to property.

Unfortunately, even if you find a good HOA, you really have no control over it in the long run. Ten years later you might be in a hellish HOA despite any attempt you make to keep it reasonable.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

So find a good HOA? I did live in a HOA for quite some time. It wasnt a problem at all. I dont think anyone was ever given a notice to make changes to property. Gardens, tree houses, garage doors left open, you name it.

The point is I understand why one wouldnt want to live in a HOA, but by and large its not a big deal. The HOA isnt there to harass the neighborhood, its there to protect it.

The stories you hear are what are considered corner cases. Its certainly not reflective of all HOA's, not by a long shot.

I understand how you feel, I feel quite similar. But I also think you have some abject fear and perception of a HOA as the Third Reich come back and by and large its not.

1. I like my money to stay with me. 'It's only $100 a year.' $100 is a year of Amazon prime membership and a nice dinner out for my wife and I. Also good luck paying $100. Most I've seen were $200+.
2. I live around other grown ups that don't need their asses wiped by a hoa to take care of their houses.
3. I don't need permission from some 60 year old busybody on wtf I can and can't do to my house.

 

[Jumpem]

This usually happens in shitty neighborhoods. Most of the nicest looking neighborhoods in my area are non hoa. If someone works their ass off to live in a nice house than they will take pride in it and take care of it. My neighborhood is beautiful. It doesn't have a hoa. Amazing people can actually take care of their shit and not need a nanny.

It wasn't even a neighborhood. It was in the woods, on multi-acre lots, in a ruraal county. Problem was that the housing was in the $60k-130k range.

 

[Jumpem]

IMHO that is what is wrong with the country right now. I think when a person BUYS his or her land, it is theirs (or it should be). If they want chickens - no problem. If they want to change their transmission, no problem. If they want to make a huge rock garden in the front yard - no problem. If they want to fly a huge flag - np. A treehouse, check. BBQ grills, check. An old project car you are working on - CHECK. It is supposed to be yours. I have a large garden in my back yard that would probably be prohibited in many places. I raise some rabbits, and I have a couple of backyard hens laying (no roosters - I'm not rude). They bother noone. I'm sure all of that would be banned.

If you want to artificially inflate the value of your land with everything being perfect for as far as you can see - buy the land as far as you can see. Just my opinion.

Just because you own a piece of land, that does not give you the right to disturb your neighbors or affect their property values.

 

[Doppel]

There are pros and cons. I was in an HOA and they were impotent. We had one house that had basically a jungle as a front yard and another full of white trash with a thousand cars at their house, all against rules (not enforced). I currently am in a place without an HOA and few issues, but you never know. Sometimes my neighbor leaves his yard full of crap and I'd like to burn it or have it moved. The best is generally to live in a place without HOA but wealthy enough that you weed out the majority of trashy people who live like barbarians, thereby affecting your property.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

It wasn't even a neighborhood. It was in the woods, on multi-acre lots, in a ruraal county. Problem was that the housing was in the $60k-130k range.

Problem is the neighbors who smile to his face and have the HOA on speed dial.

 

[NL5]

IMHO that is what is wrong with the country right now. I think when a person BUYS his or her land, it is theirs (or it should be). If they want chickens - no problem. If they want to change their transmission, no problem. If they want to make a huge rock garden in the front yard - no problem. If they want to fly a huge flag - np. A treehouse, check. BBQ grills, check. An old project car you are working on - CHECK. It is supposed to be yours. I have a large garden in my back yard that would probably be prohibited in many places. I raise some rabbits, and I have a couple of backyard hens laying (no roosters - I'm not rude). They bother noone. I'm sure all of that would be banned.

If you want to artificially inflate the value of your land with everything being perfect for as far as you can see - buy the land as far as you can see. Just my opinion.

How does an HOA stop you from doing ANY of those things? You are completely free to buy land wherever you want. Don't want an HOA? Don't buy property with one. I've never seen an HOA force someone to buy a house from them, ever. Some people want a level of order to their neighborhood, and are willing to pay more to guarantee that. Why should they not be allowed to do that? You do realize that at one time, the land was owned by a single person, that adopted the rules and put them in place, right? So they don't have the right to do what they want with their own land?

The only time I would feel bad for someone with an HOA, would be if it were formed AFTER they bought the property - but I don't know if that's even possible.

 

[MotionMan]

Years back, my great grandfather was a WW2 veteran and was injured waist down in 1944. My dad helped built a tiny 2 foot ramp on the steps of the house, so he can wheel himself up the porch of his home.

HoA came inand force him to take it down.

Did your grandfather go through the proper process to obtain authorization for the ramp or did they just build it? If the latter, then the HOA, by the rules of the CC&R's, probably had to do something.

MotionMan

 

[MotionMan]

I handle HOA matters, but this is not legal advice - this is common sense advice based on experience. I can tell you that the single best way to have an enjoyable experience living in an HOA is to immediately become active in your HOA. Go to meetings, join committees, run for offices. Also, don't act like an entitled prick (By joining an HOA, you actually do give up some of your property rights. Be sure you know which ones you gave up and which ones you retained).

While being involved, inject the voice of reason. Instead of making Mr. Jones remove his illegally built wheelchair ramp for his wife, ask him to seek retroactive approval from the architectural committee and Board for the ramp.

Also, make sure that the actions of the Board are as open as possible - only hold private meetings for matters related to residents' financials and the like.

Finally, send threatening letters only 1) after consulting with the HOA's attorney and 2) after trying to resolve the matter informally and as nicely as possible - bend over backwards to try to solve problems without getting nasty. Remember, these people are your neighbors.

MotionMan