HOA's: Love 'em or hate 'em?

[Riverfront Headmistress]

I often wish we lived in a neighborhood that had rules - at least one that enforces lawns to be neat and tidy.

[Shenan]

HATE EM!!!! Hands down!!

 

We just moved away from one. There is too much complaining and non resolutions at the HOA meetings and enforcing/resolution of dues can be a pain because some people don't want to pay for what others think would be a great improvement to property values and community beautification!! No one is ever pleased.

 

Not to mention the horror stories I have heard from our HVAC/mechanical service job oriented friends. They won't let them park their work trucks in their OWN driveways!!!

 

I should also mention though, were not the type of people who enjoy having others tell us what we can and can't do with our property/belongings.:D So my POV may be a little biased.:D

[Faith]

Thumbs down, hate them also.

[Kathy in MD]

Both! Because of the HOA, we were able to stop our neighbors from building a second floor deck only 3' from our previously very secluded second floor rooms. They could have easily looked inside our house and overheard any private conversations.

 

OTOH, they can be a real pain when they decide to get nit-picky.

[bettyandbob]

as a child I lived in a Levitt built community which was developed in the early 60s. Rows and rows of similar homes on a grid street map. There was no HOA. There's nothing like a neighbor deciding to put a 6 foot tall cinder block fence around his yard to make you see the need for HOAs in the situation where lots are lined up and less that a 1 acre.

 

Now, when you buy a home you need to investigate the HOA before you buy. What services does it provide. What does it regulate? What's the record? How well has it regulated over time? I'd have a hard time buying in a new community I couldn't investigate this. You buy the house and buy into the HOA with your eyes open. The HOA can work for you, but you have to understand it.

 

My HOA provides a huge amount of access to recreation: pools, tennis, ball courts and fields, tot lots, miles of bike trails, nature trails, and more. I know I can't build a deck without showing the plans to the HOA for approval (a one evening 2 hour adventure). I also know that my neighbor cannot build a 6 foot tall eyesore around his house. I'm will take a little well run regulation for great recreation and aesthetics. This hassle helps maintains my home's value.

[sdWTMer]

Hate'em!

[Scarlett]

I should also mention though, were not the type of people who enjoy having others tell us what we can and can't do with our property/belongings.:D So my POV may be a little biased.:D

 

But, but, but....you would know the rules before you moved in.

[Scarlett]

as a child I lived in a Levitt built community which was developed in the early 60s. Rows and rows of similar homes on a grid street map. There was no HOA. There's nothing like a neighbor deciding to put a 6 foot tall cinder block fence around his yard to make you see the need for HOAs in the situation where lots are lined up and less that a 1 acre.

 

Now, when you buy a home you need to investigate the HOA before you buy. What services does it provide. What does it regulate? What's the record? How well has it regulated over time? I'd have a hard time buying in a new community I couldn't investigate this. You buy the house and buy into the HOA with your eyes open. The HOA can work for you, but you have to understand it.

 

My HOA provides a huge amount of access to recreation: pools, tennis, ball courts and fields, tot lots, miles of bike trails, nature trails, and more. I know I can't build a deck without showing the plans to the HOA for approval (a one evening 2 hour adventure). I also know that my neighbor cannot build a 6 foot tall eyesore around his house. I'm will take a little well run regulation for great recreation and aesthetics. This hassle helps maintains my home's value.

 

 

:iagree:

[Plaid Dad]

:thumbdown: Hate them with a purple passion!

[Scarlett]

We live in a small neighborhood with a HOA. The dues are only $100 a year and the restrictions are not horrible. Ask for approval before fences, decks, pools, detached garages...things like that. No portable buildings. Keep your grass mowed. 23 of the 24 lots comply with no problem. It is a lovely street. However, we have ONE member who thinks rules were not meant for him. He has a portable building now that he refuses to get rid of. He mows his grass whenever. He built a pool and put all the pool equipment...pump and all that OUTSIDE his privacy fence. His garage windows have no blinds and you can see his junk stacked to the ceiling.

 

Short of taking him to court, there is nothing we can do. We have begged and pleaded and showed him in black and white what the rules are. We've hired a real estate lawyer specializing in HOAs to review our covenants. My dh is president of the HOA and it has been one big impossible situation. So now we are in the position of suing him or letting him do what he pleases. I feel so sorry for the two families that live on either side of him.

 

So the answer is, they can be great as a way to have expectations clear. However, I think they are difficult to enforce....especially in small neighborhoods. And if you don't want to be told what to do on and with your property, don't buy into a neighborhood with restrictions and covenants.

[Colleen]

I would not choose to live in a place where I was expected to maintain a golf-course style lawn, select only muted colors for my home exterior, and/or ~ worst of all ~ disallowed from engaging in the most practical of environmentally-sound energy-saving techniques: hanging my laundry outside to dry. I absolutely, positively can't bear the ridiculous notion that air-drying laundry is unsightly.

[Shenan]

But, but, but....you would know the rules before you moved in.

 

Not if your HOA was (we moved 2 yrs ago) like our's and was constantly changing the 'rules'.....:glare: I'd be here all night if I went into ALL the details/changes...;)

[kokotg]

I would not choose to live in a place where I was expected to maintain a golf-course style lawn, select only muted colors for my home exterior, and/or ~ worst of all ~ disallowed from engaging in the most practical of environmentally-sound energy-saving techniques: hanging my laundry outside to dry. I absolutely, positively can't bear the ridiculous notion that air-drying laundry is unsightly.

 

:iagree:

 

I have a veggie garden in my front yard and chickens in my backyard, so I'm pretty sure an HOA and I wouldn't get along. I have very little patience with the kind of aesthetics over function rules that all the HOAs I've ever heard of seem so fond of.

[Shenan]

 

Short of taking him to court, there is nothing we can do. We have begged and pleaded and showed him in black and white what the rules are. We've hired a real estate lawyer specializing in HOAs to review our covenants. My dh is president of the HOA and it has been one big impossible situation. So now we are in the position of suing him or letting him do what he pleases. I feel so sorry for the two families that live on either side of him.

 

 

YIKES!!! There goes the $100 a year dues now..:D

 

My dh was president of our HOA for a couple of years too.. I'll never forget the year that we had a big building boom in our small neighborhood and a major snowfall that shut down the Fed. government for 2 days. Dh had the neighborhood plowed within 36 hours of the snowfall. Our roads were clear but the main roads weren't. So you could get out of the neighborhood but still couldn't drive anywhere.:001_huh: Long time residents called and complimented but he received 12 newbie complaints within an hour of plowing. Complaints ranged from not plowing soon enough to not plowing curb to curb. Prior to this snowfall, the HOA never plowed!!!! The newbies totally 'expected' the plowing service even though it was not written within the HOA guidelines/bylaws they had signed and agreed to..... Needless to say, he declined nominations for re-election to the board the following year.

[Danestress]

I've never had any problems, anyway. They are pretty casual, as far as I can tell. This is small, friendly neighborhood, and if there are actual rules, I don't know what they are. I do get emails that provide information and ask things of people ("please don't park on the street on Tuesday because....") They plan some social events and put out a neighborhood directory.

 

I don't know that the rules are, but I am in favor of rules if I have to live in a community. Part of me would love to NOT live in a neighborhood. But if I have to live here, I'm fine with some basic rules. But we can hang our laundry out, Colleen:) I don't know if we can paint our houses orange and purple. Maybe. Shall I try and let you know if they say anything?

[Tess in the Burbs]

Honestly? Mine doesn't bother me. The rules are basic and I appreciate them to keep the neighborhood looking nice. The home values here have more than doubled from when it was built 10 years ago so you have original owners whose payments are half of mine! So we have a variety of economic levels living here. And honestly? My neighbor is always on the list of problems. He mows b/c they tell him it's time. He finally did some painting. But he does it when they force him to. Otherwise he would never do anything. (the mullet hair might be a giveaway of what he thinks of authority, lol) But they also hassle others on our street whose home looks better than mine. It seems to be very uneven on who they target.

 

They also reword rules all year long and send new updated copies all the time. Somehow one of my neighbors got permission to build a deck village in their backyard. And now the guy on one side is about to build a new sunroom and went to the city to get a zoning variance. The HOA had nothing to do with it. So clearly if you go through the right channels you can avoid the HOA.

 

our dues are 43 a month and I think it's too high. there are several 'parks' but we don't use them. the ponds are always stinky b/c the things they put in don't work to keep it aerated. And the basketball area is full of kids from everywhere but our neighborhood.

 

So I see pros/cons to HOA. heck, my dad is trying to start one to force a neighbor in his state to stop burning the property behind his own every weekend sending everyone inside/shutting windows. oh and get rid of the chickens :lol:

 

so yes, they do help keep the grass cut and the fences uniform, lol, but ours have no active people...it's only the board running the show. and as long as they leave me alone I am ok with them.

[Ashleen]

I would absolutely never live in a neighborhood that had one. Period. (Though my mom had a problem once with a neighbor who built a horrible shed behind his house to live in with his wife and several children so they wouldn't "mess up" the house...what a disaster).

[mommaduck]

Against them. I'm of the old adage that your property is your property. Look around you before you move somewhere, if you can't tolerate something, then don't move there. I would not buy a house in an HOA restricted area. I have the need to hang wash, have a garden, place my goats, let my kids be kids and play or manage their own "gardens". Yep, country life suits me fine.

[Brenda in FL]

Not to mention the horror stories I have heard from our HVAC/mechanical service job oriented friends. They won't let them park their work trucks in their OWN drivers!!!

 

Well that's not exclusive to HOAs, many cities have ordinances prohibiting overnight parking of commercial vehicles. Yes - it is a pain, but I guess that's what garages are for. But I remember as a child, we lived in a duplex without a garage and my dad had to park his work vehicle across town with the rest of the family following to drive him back home!

[DIY-DY]

I don't feel the need to pay someone to tell me what to do w/ my property. And I'm not one to tell someone else what to do with theirs, either.

 

I remember looking to buy a home, years ago. I noticed there was a charge for "HOA", which I'd never heard of before. I asked the realtor what that was all about, and she said it was for mowing the lawns, landscaping, and exterior maintenance, citing the green/white awnings that hung over the windows of the home. I said, "Oh. Well, I'm perfectly capable of mowing my own lawn, and I don't care for those flowers by the sidewalk, and they can just take the awnings off. Those are horrible." She laughed and said I couldn't get rid of the flowers or do my own maintenance, and the awnings were part of the HOA agreement (which she then handed me to read). I passed on that house, and as the years have gone by, I've made the intentional decision never to buy a home that's encumbered w/ an HOA.

 

We did live in a rental w/ an HOA for 18 mos, and it confirmed for me that that's just now how I'd like to live.

[snickelfritz]

In our old house, the neighbors would frequently let the weeds get waist high in their house. My SIL bought our house and has been trying to sell it. It is a frequent occurance for a potential buyer to say they don't want to consider it because of the shape of the neighbors yard.

 

We say that while we live in a neighborhood with close neighbors, we like it. We eventually want to move to a neighborhood with larger properties. 1 acre or so and then we DON'T want one.

[LN in WI]

:)

[Michelle in OK]

Ours is horrible. It is controlled by one man and his wife. Until 90% of the property in our association sells he remains in control. His last name is Chan and our neighborhood is known throughout our small city as Chanada or Chanland. You have to be ignorant of his ways before you buy in this neighborhood our none of the houses would sell.

[Jann in TX]

We have lived in 3 neighborhoods that have had HOAs.

 

All of the 'rules' have been reasonable and I think that ALL homeowners profited from them.

 

We currently live in the boonies out on 12 acres and have a SMALL HOA. The main purpose is to maintain the dirt road in the neighborhood--it is definately NOT worth turning them into public roads ($10,000 start up fee per family is one reason). They do a great job. The only rule that we would like to see changed is the NO Poultry rule. It is there because some unwise family purchased several peacocks...needless to say their neighbors were NOT impressed at 5am each morning! I think we have enought interest to do what several other rural HOAs in our area have done--place a reasonable limit on owning a certain number of chickens (especially roosters).

 

We do have a live stock limit (3 per 10 acres)--but our area is 90% trees so that really is a realistic limit--you can petition for more if your land allows (and this has been granted). No swine (to keep our well water clean).

[Scarlett]

I passed on that house, and as the years have gone by, I've made the intentional decision never to buy a home that's encumbered w/ an HOA.

 

We did live in a rental w/ an HOA for 18 mos, and it confirmed for me that that's just now how I'd like to live.

 

I think realtors do a terrible job of advising potential buyers of HOAs and the details of each one. I don't blame anyone who doesn't want to live with such restrictions....but I do believe if you buy a home with an HOA, you (collective You) shouldn't try to skirt the rules and/or complain about the them.

[Mama Lynx]

Hate. Them.

[TravelingChris]

I hate what usually passes for a HOA. I did have a lovely house in a covenant restriction community and that was fine. The difference is that the rules cannot be changed willy nilly, the covenants are clearly spelled out, the community organization was voluntary. You didn't have to pay or join but we did since it was about 25 a year and we got informative newsletters and a nice social network. OUr covenants had to do with all buildings and structures had to be up to code and with proper city approvals, no livestock, no commercial vehicles over a certain size, and that was about it. I will never live in a community (if I have a choice) where things like decorating, landscaping, and those type of things are mandated. I love 6 ft. fences and hate areas that have no fences.

 

I currently live in a non HOA, non covenant restricted community. We do have city rules. But there is one house about a quarter mile frim my house that has a so called natural looking front yard but really is an ill-kempt. I like my city but sure wouldn't like to live near that house.

[Scarlett]

OUr covenants had to do with all buildings and structures had to be up to code and with proper city approvals, no livestock, no commercial vehicles over a certain size, and that was about it. .

 

This is like ours. Privacy fences are allowed for back yards, but need approval first ONLY to ensure there are no misunderstandings. And there is a restriction on how close to the road a fence can be built.

 

I will never live in a community (if I have a choice) where things like decorating, landscaping, and those type of things are mandated. I love 6 ft. fences and hate areas that have no fences.

 

 

I wouldn't like that either. Further reason for people to carefully read the covenants before purchasing a home. I find most people don't. Including us. We were not given our covenants until the day of closing. I will never forget my dh saying, 'What kind of Naziville is this!!' However, we did see the value in protecting everyone's property value and we've tried very hard to comply. We find it is one big joke though---because one person can ruin it for the rest of us. If one person is allowed to ignore the restrictions, we can't even begin to enforce the covenants for everyone else. The best we can all hope for is gentle reminders and a willing spirit.

[Dinsfamily]

We've lived in several house with HOAs in the past 10 years and we haven't had any problems. I do think they can be overly strict with lot improvements, but we'll see what happens when we want to build a roof over our patio in a couple of years. If they say no, I might have something to complain about.

 

In particular, we've enjoyed the nicer look of the neighborhood, external maintenance (when we lived in a townhouse), snowplowing, and now have a really nice pool to enjoy with no upkeep. We just show up.

 

I think that living in an HOA neighborhood depends on the person and the HOA. My parents could NEVER handle it. I like that there're so many options when it comes to where we live.

[Mom2GirlsTX]

Our neighborhood, built from late 40 thru mid 50 has no homeowner association...LOL For years it has stayed a neat, pretty, well maintained neighborhood until the original owners have died and either their kids have moved inor renters. The neighborhood is going down hill and it is sad to see yards that were always tidy now have broken cars in the driveway and broken washers in the backyard. The City does some enforcement, but not much. I am actually wishing for a HOA at this point!

Sorry you are having trouble with the "one bad egg" in your group.

[Happy]

But, but, but....you would know the rules before you moved in.

 

Not necessarily in the case of a new development. We signed covenants, yes. But three years later when the developer sold the last of his lots, an HOA was (narrowly) voted in and changes started immediately.

 

What lies and propaganda was told!!!!!!!!! Horror stories. The *least* of which is one of my neighbors being told that she and her horse were not welcome...the quote at a meeting by the president of the HOA was 'we ran off the last people who lived in your house (and had a horse) and we will run you off, too.

 

Since horses are clearly okay according to the covenants, this was a very rude statement. A vocal contingent did push through a couple of changes, but finally a few homeowners pushed back. A long drawnout lawsuit resulted which was only settled a few months ago. The effect of the lawsuit was immediate though, the HOA board quit throwing their collective, but minority, weight around. It's been a much more peaceful neighborhood since.

[cin]

We had a condo with a HOA. We got a letter because our mop was drying on the deck. It was there for less than 24 hours. It was ridiculous. The only good thing was that we didn't have to do any exterior maintenance. Of course when they trimmed AND killed our neighbor's lilac bush, that was a little over the top. We were allowed to do a front flower garden and a small veggie garden in the back area. With approval.

 

My friend currently lives in a BIG neighborhood that has a huge HOA. It plays with my eyes when I drive down her street. the lots are small and the mailboxes are all the same. It's like driving past a picket fence with every other picket missing. She can't hang laundry in her back yard. And so on....

 

I'm of the belief that MY yard is just that, MINE. Of course, I am a decent person who takes relatively good care of my property. I know that the kids' toys would be a problem in a HOA place, but I feel that the home is theirs too, and they have a right to play in their front yard. I have a small plastic pool, slip n slide, and a plastic cube with slide in the front yard. The slide goes into the pool. And they run from one to another.

[PiCO]

Both! Because of the HOA, we were able to stop our neighbors from building a second floor deck only 3' from our previously very secluded second floor rooms. They could have easily looked inside our house and overheard any private conversations.

 

OTOH, they can be a real pain when they decide to get nit-picky.

 

This can be solved by city ordinance also. In my city, you can't build within 10' of your property line.

 

As for HOAs, I don't think I would want to live with one. In my city, there is a country club where you will get in trouble with the HOA if you have a clothes drying rack visible (even if it's in your garage.) No clothes lines allowed, of course. Wouldn't want to save energy I guess.

[PiCO]

I would not choose to live in a place where I was expected to maintain a golf-course style lawn, select only muted colors for my home exterior, and/or ~ worst of all ~ disallowed from engaging in the most practical of environmentally-sound energy-saving techniques: hanging my laundry outside to dry. I absolutely, positively can't bear the ridiculous notion that air-drying laundry is unsightly.

 

I hate the band-aid colored houses.

[Ellie]

We refused to buy a home in a HOA neighborhood.

 

I do *not* want anyone telling me how many cars I can park in front of my house (or even in my driveway, for goodness' sake), when I need to cut my grass, or what color I can paint my house. I don't want to get anyone's permission to build a shed or children's swing in my own backyard just because the top of it can be seen over my privacy fence.

 

No, no HOA for us.

 

I know that some HOAs are more lax than others, but how can you tell that ahead of time? And what if some new people come into "power" and decide to enforce all those picky rules?

 

No. Bleah.

[kristavws]

Hate them - and will never live in an area with an HOA again!

 

If you are an X-file fan, there is an X-file about a neighborhood that has an HOA. If you violate any of the rules, this dirt-like beast comes out of the ground and kills you. My husband and I use to crack jokes about it all the time. "Oh honey, you didn't roll the hose up - the beast is going to get you! Oh honey the grass is 1/2 inch too tall, the beast is going to get you!"

 

Krista

[Kathy in MD]

This can be solved by city ordinance also. In my city, you can't build within 10' of your property line.

 

As for HOAs, I don't think I would want to live with one. In my city, there is a country club where you will get in trouble with the HOA if you have a clothes drying rack visible (even if it's in your garage.) No clothes lines allowed, of course. Wouldn't want to save energy I guess.

 

If my community had those restrictions, our decks would be limited to being 5' wide and 15' long. :0 And it would be less attractive for both my next door neighbor and me than what they built. You see, my backyard and my neighbor's backyard is only 25'x25'. That's the price for living in extremely crowded, expensive areas.

 

And the county I live in doesn't want the hassle of dealing with neighbor squabbles where there is no "standard" lot size or building style. The county is requiring larger developments to establish HOA's to deal with neighbors' squabbles and provide services the county doesn't want to worry about. But a county board (tax supported) has been set up for squabbles between homeowners and HOA's to prevent some of the excesses mentioned in some posts. The county finds that a cheaper route to go.

 

I just tried to imagine a county architectural zoning board trying to deal with a million +/- residents asking for variances or squabbling over minor things in addition to dealing with major zoning questions and developers trying to get project approval while organized residents fight it. It boggles the mind. Sometimes HOA's make a lot of sense.

[LizzyBee]

I often wish we lived in a neighborhood that had rules - at least one that enforces lawns to be neat and tidy.

 

I think they're okay if the rules are reasonable and not too restrictive. Reasonable standards will help a neighborhood maintain its value.

[GSMP]

I don't like HOA's and my husband is even more against them. Too many in this part of Northern VA become nightmares.

 

We do understand the reasoning behind them as long as you don't get an idiot who wants to run the HOA like his own private fifedom.

 

We don't need one in our neighborhood.....:lol:

 

I just found out yesterday, that one of my friends and good neighbors, went riding through the neighborhood and wrote down all the violations.

 

She turned it into the county along with a list of illegal immigrants. Before anyone says anything about the illegal immigrant thing....she is from Honduras and came here the legal way.

 

We thought it was our other wonky neighbor and his realtor...I was very surprised.

 

My neighbor didn't like my beautiful butterfly bushes we have. They were in fool bloom and covered in butterflies and an occasional humming bird. He was afraid people wouldn't like them so he cut them down. They were in front of my front window and next to my porch.....he is now persona non grata to us.

 

 

Our neighborhood, built from late 40 thru mid 50 has no homeowner association...LOL For years it has stayed a neat, pretty, well maintained neighborhood until the original owners have died and either their kids have moved inor renters. The neighborhood is going down hill and it is sad to see yards that were always tidy now have broken cars in the driveway and broken washers in the backyard. The City does some enforcement, but not much. I am actually wishing for a HOA at this point!

Sorry you are having trouble with the "one bad egg" in your group.

 

Notify your county....it can be done anonymously...our neighbor did it....:lol:

 

County sent an official out and every house that she wrote up was served with notice to clean up their yard. Yes....they did come back and check. The penalty for not complying was pretty stiff.

[Caroline]

Our HOA isn't about rules. It is to maintain the common properties like the entrance and culs de sac. They also replaced our street lights. When a bunch of us needed our mailboxes replaced, our HOA worked a bulk deal for us. We also successfully sued a builder who was building too close to our property lines. Since we sued as a group, it cost a lot less than if we did it individually. But we don't have rules about what we can do with our property. The city has laws.

[Kathy in MD]

In my first post I mentioned that our HOA was sometimes nit-picky. Then I read some posts that sound much worse.

 

But when you live in tight quarters, especially with individuals from different cultures and expectations, clear rules make make for better neighbors. Growing up in the country, my family could do all sorts of things without impacting our neighbors adversely. But when your in tight quarters, just playing music loudly in your home can make it impossible for toddlers to nap next door! To enjoy your home, you need to have rules and restritions on the rights of your neighbors. And they in turn need restrictions on your rights.

 

But I must admit, when I first read our restrictions, I was tempted to go out and do things I would never normally do just because the covenants said I wasn't allowed to. :0

It takes time to learn the value of most of the covenants. And sometimes they don't make sense until you have a neighbor griping because someone else isn't following common curtesey. (and that individual is complaining because their "rights" are being infringed on.)

 

A good HOA actually is a lot more than restrictions. Ours provides parks, tennis courts, picnic grounds, playing fields and playgrounds for children. We have free summer concerts and 4th of July celebrations. It contracted for garbage service, getting reduced rates AFTER the residents commented on it and voted on it. It's snow removal service is better for our community than the county's. It goes as a unit to argue with county officials for better county services for us or to block county ideas we feel would hurt our community. It's done a variety of things to help stabalize or increase property values. And because it's oriented towards only the 40,000+ residents of our community, our individual voices are more likely to be heard than in the county gov't. Not all HOA's are large enough to provide all the services our's does, but they aren't all bad.

 

But there have been a couple of times in the 20+ years I've lived here that I get irked by the HOA.

[Jen500]

I think they're okay if the rules are reasonable and not too restrictive. Reasonable standards will help a neighborhood maintain its value.

:iagree:

This is how our HOA operates. And now that we're having more houses rented out I really appreciate and see the need. We also have a Neighborhood Crime Watch.

[PiCO]

We live in a small neighborhood with a HOA. The dues are only $100 a year and the restrictions are not horrible. Ask for approval before fences, decks, pools, detached garages...things like that. No portable buildings. Keep your grass mowed. 23 of the 24 lots comply with no problem. It is a lovely street. However, we have ONE member who thinks rules were not meant for him. He has a portable building now that he refuses to get rid of. He mows his grass whenever. He built a pool and put all the pool equipment...pump and all that OUTSIDE his privacy fence. His garage windows have no blinds and you can see his junk stacked to the ceiling.

 

Short of taking him to court, there is nothing we can do.

 

If the HOA is not willing to follow through (take the guy to court), what is the point of having a HOA? Now that everyone knows the HOA will not do anything but whine if they're not following the rules, I think you can expect to see more people breaking the rules.

[Scarlett]

If the HOA is not willing to follow through (take the guy to court), what is the point of having a HOA? Now that everyone knows the HOA will not do anything but whine if they're not following the rules, I think you can expect to see more people breaking the rules.

 

I think we keep it to give some guidance to those who DO want to follow the rules. If someone wants to break the rules at this point, we have no legal standing. Also, the $100 a year per house pays for the upkeep of our front entrance.

 

We are outside the city limits. We hope to be annexed soon, because several things he does 1)parks on his grass, 2)won't mow his lawn could be addressed by our local city's laws. The storage building is a real point of contention though. It looks so out of place---especially the way he placed it on his lot. We have 1 acrea lots and he could have placed it in the middle of his back lot and although it would have still been a violation, it wouldn't look quite so ridiculous.

[OnTheBrink]

But, but, but....you would know the rules before you moved in.

 

Not when no one tells you the subdivision HAS an HOA, as what happened with us.

 

I hate HOA's. They turn subdivisions into mini-Stepfords. At least, the ones I've had experience with do.

[gardenschooler]

:iagree:

 

I have a veggie garden in my front yard and chickens in my backyard, so I'm pretty sure an HOA and I wouldn't get along. I have very little patience with the kind of aesthetics over function rules that all the HOAs I've ever heard of seem so fond of.

 

I could never agree to any rules that told me where to plant, what to plant, etc. If I want tomatoes in my front yard, that's where they go! A few of my neighbors have chickens (although they're really not supposed to in the city), but I like the fact that we can all be quirky.

 

I have never and will never live in a community with an HOA, but most people I know who do aren't all that happy with it.

[gardenschooler]

We do have a neighborhood association, but it is very different from an HOA. There are no rules other than city codes, but we have activities and planting days and the like. Membership is optional.

 

There are codes and forms to submit for approval for renovations and additions because we're in an historical conservation zone. A lot of people gripe about that (?), but I don't think it's nearly as restrictive as HOAs are.

[mommaduck]

I've also seen some really stupid city codes.

[Unicorn.]

:thumbdown: Hate them with a purple passion!

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree: :iagree:

[JFSinIL]

Not needed. We have zoning laws, etc. in our city that can take care of the worse stuff. We lived in a place once that had a HOA....no one told us until we moved in that we were not allowed to park in front of our own front door. Sigh.