FVCKING Hate the Homeowners Association

[alkemyst]

I can understand the desire to have a neighborhood gel, as in approved colors and such after seeing the people across the street from my parents move in and have their kid paint all of the house trim gold flake and another family on a different block doing monkeyass red one weekend.

most of these problems happen in 0 lot line and under acreage developments though.

in acre + neighborhoods most HOA's allow a little insanity as long as it's 'buffered'.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: vood0g

Originally posted by: BentValve
Knock his ass out next time he comes over. Not only do I have 4 flying flags outside my house , I also have a No Tresspassing and a "We Don't Dial 911" sign in my front window.

LOL :thumbsup:

is it a singa or douba wide though 😉

 

[ShotgunSteven]

HOAs sound perfect for gutless sheep and elitist pricks.

 

[tnitsuj]

Originally posted by: Ornery

Don't have much of a choice around here. All the convenient nice places are either way way to expensive, or have HOA's.

What a hoot! Do you have any idea why that "inexpensive" place appears to be "nice"? Might that HOA you're bitching about, have something to do with that?

Inexpensive around here was just under 500k. If I wanted someplace without a HOA, I would be talking an older house in the really upscale neighborhoods that start at 800k.

 

[alent1234]

In NYC all the buildings are co-ops and condos and so all have HOA's. It's worth the hassle for some sanity. The co-op boards have requirements about renovations to keep up the quality of life for everyone as well as common sense house rules. It only takes a minority to hire their cousin's brother's best friend who doesn't have a license but knows everything to destroy the plumbing or electrical system for the rest of the building and wants to work and make noise in late night hours. Then of course there are the people that like to keep junk everywhere and ruin the view for everyone.

 

[alent1234]

Originally posted by: MetalMat

Originally posted by: dman

Originally posted by: DrPizza

And, if you have kids and live in an HOA neighborhood, how restricted are they? Can they draw on the sidewalk with chalk? Can they play kickball in the street with their friends? etc.

1) Yes
2) Yes
They can do pretty much what kids in other neighborhoods can do, within reason... for example:

Can they ride their noisy motor vehicles around all hours of the day and night? Nope, against the rules. That was a big issue for the longest time... and it' snot even a HOA rule it's more of a state motorvehicle thing, but, we passed a rule allowing fines if caught and the problem has gone away.

Seriously, those of you who don't live in HOA, it's not that bad. There are some bad examples above, the one about approval of a project and then later rejection seems bad. The trash thing,well, that's a rule here too, can't leave trash out except the night before pickup and has to be in by the following night. Granted, if you forget or something (it happens) getting a letter sucks but the people walking around have to send the letters to everyone--not just the folks that are always abusing it by leaving the trash out for days, etc.

Theres a house down the street from me that has a pumpkin in the front yard still, all rotted and such, been there since halloween. I imagine they'll be getting a letter or fine soon enough about cleaning up their holiday decorations or something... really it should be common sense to clean up but some people just don't have any.

Fvck the HOA, people should be allowed to keep there house like they want. If you dont like that pumpkin go pick it up and toss it at there house and tell them to clean there crap up and that halloween is over instead of sending some wimpy ass letter whining that they are gonna get a "fine" if they dont pick there $hit up. Americans need to grow some balls and stop being a bunch of pVssies

if you do that then they wil do something to you and then someone is going to get their ass kicked or killed

murder is not good for property values

 

[SupaDupaPan]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
that is exactly the reason I will NEVER live in a place that has a HOA, they are run by self ritgheous, arrogant pricks that meddle in everyones business.

Don't have much of a choice around here. All the convenient nice places are either way way to expensive, or have HOA's.

Sounds like where I live (Irvine, CA). All the homes in this city have a HOA ...

 

[Stark]

[devils advocate] do you illuminate the flag at night and take it down in inclement weather? [/devils advocate]

maybe the HOA guy is just sick of people breaking the rules of flag display. probably not, but it bugs me when people think they're being patriotic while they disrespect the flag by not having a clue about the traditions surrounding it.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Homeowners associations should be 100% outlawed. I see no benefit of them, they're fascist organizations. If you're STUPID enough to move in somewhere that allows them, well, not much for it I guess but to bend over. In truth, I wouldn't really listen to them anyway, and would be very likely willing to break the law in EXTREME ways in order to devastate a$$holes that belong to them and try to make life difficult. I don't think I'd have any moral dilemnas with burning down the houses of every association member while they were out. Then I'd come over while they were balling on the streets and tell them, "Hey I'm sorry, but your home is no longer asthetically pleasing, I'll have to ask you to move." Then I'd walk away laughing hysterically about his pain. I'm normally a pretty compassionate guy, but theese organizations make me want to puke.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Zebo

DOn't like the way it looks, BOO FVCKING HOO, cry me a river and grow some tolerance.

Gotta live someplace, might as well enjoy your domocile instead of being under the gun. I had over 100 people a my fourth of july party raising all sorts of hell shot off over $4000 in fireworks (the big ones) and not one complaint. Try that in your little POS crackerbox HOA neighborhood.

Golden. Sigged. 😀

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: dderidex
LOL - wow, we've got some SERIOUS hicks posting in this thread.

Burning your own trash!?

That's kinda....shocking. Hell, we have *recycling* pickup for almost everything.

And they have internet access in towns like that?

Originally posted by: Zebo
I lived in a HOA once. After paying about $900 in fines I moved.

Mine had rules like no cars parked in driveway after 10PM.. no cars parked in street...Could only paint your house one of four color. Could not display flags too... must mow grass past 4"...and I paid $100 a month for this sh1t?

Sad part is, you'll find, even the city and counties have stupid ass laws. Now, I live zoned Re1 which horses and stuff allowed, no HOA, behind a 8 ft block wall on 2.5 acres and they tell me to cut trees, mow my grass, stop burning trash etc..paid about $350 in fines here..

No, you paid $100 a month for the effective guarantee that your property value wouldn't go down.

Seriously, how many people here think it'd be a good idea to buy a property, say, for $200,000 - spend 20 years pouring money into it, then have one neighbor set up a junkyard in their yard, and the other set up a mini-trailer park in THEIR yard and charge minimum-wage workers to live in it? Suddenly, the $100,000 you invested in the property vanishes as your property value plumets from $200,000 to $60,000.

And it's not like that doesn't happen - I grew up in a city without zoning laws and saw that happen to SEVERAL people's property investments.

I'll take an HOA any day in a county without *strict* zoning laws. And even then - an HOA is a boon to any responsible homeowner.

If you want the 'freedom' to let you grass grow to 4 ft deep or the 'freedom' to set your card on cinder blocks in the yard or the 'freedom' to have a small car show in your parking lot every night....then, by all means, get offended at the HOA fines and LEAVE the neighborhood, I DON'T WANT YOU HERE!

I'm happy that you live every breath for capitalism, but many of us don't. A home is not an investment, it's a HOME. It's more sacred that any holy text you can produce. It's private, it's personal, it belongs 100% to the person that owns it. It's theirs. Your land is yours, it's like your own little nation. You are lord of your manor. King of your castle. You are absolute within your borders.

While I know that's not the 'legal' definition, or even the popular one, it's how I view it and how I will live it. Don't like it, put on some gloves and try to force me to change...I defend my beliefs to the bitter end.

 

[TheGameIs21]

Just my .02

My wife and I were looking at homes 2 years ago and we came upon this WONDERFUL home off of a golf course. The Realor explinaed what could and couldn't be in the back yard. We were OK with it. We understood that our back yard was an extension of the course.

At the signing table, the bring up the full disclosure of the HOA. Here are just a few of the reasons we stood up and walked away.

1. If your hose is not reeled up and secured in a hidden or wall mounted device when not being used it is a fine. If you turn the water off and run inside real quick to take care of something, it is a fine. etc...

2. You can only open your garage door to remove vehicles and riding lawnmowers. All other items must be transported through the side garage door. If you are pulling out of your drive way and drive away before the door has completely closed, you are fined.

3. You are required to apply fresh paint to the curb infront of your property as you see it fade. If the HOA pres see's fading and you have not repaired it within 24 hours, you get fined.

4. Couldn't attach a basket ball goal to your home or to a pole off of your driveway unless you fenced it off. If the Goal was visible, the net and paint had to be in repaired state.

5. Couldn't park your car on the driveway. Had to be in the garage.

6. Oil spots on the driveway left by visitors must be repaired within 24 hours of notice.

7. No UHauls to pick up or deliver anything. Must use a professional service to pickup and/or deliver.

All of this for only $430 a month... $5K+ a year!!!!

There is a big difference between keeping the home values up but there is also something to be said about being able to live and have fun. This was just a small blurb of many rules that were outrageous. Some were good like no parking on the street (I hate people that have 3 cars on the street but none in the garage or on the driveway.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Stark
[devils advocate] do you illuminate the flag at night and take it down in inclement weather? [/devils advocate]

maybe the HOA guy is just sick of people breaking the rules of flag display. probably not, but it bugs me when people think they're being patriotic while they disrespect the flag by not having a clue about the traditions surrounding it.

I agree with you. As much as I love to see a US Flag flying proudly from a flagpole or to the left of the front door, I hate seeing them all old and torn...or worse, hung backwards. 🙁

 

not all HOAs are bad people, jeesh

do you also think all black people are theives?
all mexicans are lazy?
all white people are fat and trashy?
all polocks are idiots?
all jewish people are tightwads?
all <insert infinite number of stereotypes here>

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: troytime
not all HOAs are bad people, jeesh

do you also think all black people are theives?
all mexicans are lazy?
all white people are fat and trashy?
all polocks are idiots?
all jewish people are tightwads?
all <insert infinite number of stereotypes here>

Whoa, way to try and derail the thread w/flamebait! :roll:

SOME rules in HOAs are good: I.E. "There will be no cars on cinderblocks, period." Others are ridiculous, like TheGameis21 posted right above you.

 

[PrinceofWands]

double post

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: Ornery

Don't have much of a choice around here. All the convenient nice places are either way way to expensive, or have HOA's.

What a hoot! Do you have any idea why that "inexpensive" place appears to be "nice"? Might that HOA you're bitching about, have something to do with that?

Inexpensive around here was just under 500k. If I wanted someplace without a HOA, I would be talking an older house in the really upscale neighborhoods that start at 800k.

Then move. A 3000sq' newer house on acreage around here is about 125k. Crappy little houses start around 40k. If you choose to live in an inflated area it's your albatross.

 

[MetalMat]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: Ornery

Don't have much of a choice around here. All the convenient nice places are either way way to expensive, or have HOA's.

What a hoot! Do you have any idea why that "inexpensive" place appears to be "nice"? Might that HOA you're bitching about, have something to do with that?

Inexpensive around here was just under 500k. If I wanted someplace without a HOA, I would be talking an older house in the really upscale neighborhoods that start at 800k.

Then move. a 3000sq' place on acreage around here is about 125k. Cheap houses start at 40k. If you choose to live in an inflated area, that's your problem.

I agree with PrineofWands

 

[alent1234]

Originally posted by: TheGameIs21
Just my .02

My wife and I were looking at homes 2 years ago and we came upon this WONDERFUL home off of a golf course. The Realor explinaed what could and couldn't be in the back yard. We were OK with it. We understood that our back yard was an extension of the course.

At the signing table, the bring up the full disclosure of the HOA. Here are just a few of the reasons we stood up and walked away.

1. If your hose is not reeled up and secured in a hidden or wall mounted device when not being used it is a fine. If you turn the water off and run inside real quick to take care of something, it is a fine. etc...

2. You can only open your garage door to remove vehicles and riding lawnmowers. All other items must be transported through the side garage door. If you are pulling out of your drive way and drive away before the door has completely closed, you are fined.

3. You are required to apply fresh paint to the curb infront of your property as you see it fade. If the HOA pres see's fading and you have not repaired it within 24 hours, you get fined.

4. Couldn't attach a basket ball goal to your home or to a pole off of your driveway unless you fenced it off. If the Goal was visible, the net and paint had to be in repaired state.

5. Couldn't park your car on the driveway. Had to be in the garage.

6. Oil spots on the driveway left by visitors must be repaired within 24 hours of notice.

7. No UHauls to pick up or deliver anything. Must use a professional service to pickup and/or deliver.

All of this for only $430 a month... $5K+ a year!!!!

There is a big difference between keeping the home values up but there is also something to be said about being able to live and have fun. This was just a small blurb of many rules that were outrageous. Some were good like no parking on the street (I hate people that have 3 cars on the street but none in the garage or on the driveway.

unfortunately it takes nazi rules to make sure a neighborhood looks nice.

and you should have read the bylaws before signing the sales contract is it was probably stated in the contract.

 

[imported_cello]

Defeat them with their own bylaws. The complainer may have been in violation of the bylaws if he wasen't authorized by the board to knock on your door. If he says your in violation..make him quote the exact page and line of the bylaws that support his position..many times they can't.

 

[mwtgg]

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
If the stars and stripes chap his hide, perhaps you should run up the jolly roger. 😀

Negative ol' buddy. I prefer this one. 😀

Originally posted by: alent1234
unfortunately it takes nazi rules to make sure a neighborhood looks nice.

Also a negative. I live in an area with no HOA, and does my neighborhood look nice? Sure. Did our house value plummet? Nope, it went up by around ~100k. Does it take dumbass rules to make a neighborhood look nice? Only if you're an anal retentive tool with nothing better to do than ruin everyone else's lives.

Also, to these people stating "Oh my God, without an HOA everyone will raise chickens in their front lawn and they'll have their car on cinderblocks. Well, around here, guess how many people have chickens in their front lawn and their car on cinderblocks? I'll give you a hint, it's a number between zero and well... zero. That's right, there is no such thing going on in my neighborhood.

Live it up guys, you may like your HOA now, but when you get bent over and screwed with no lube by them, I think you'll change your tune.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
ok, they can fine you, but can they really do anything about it? Not like they can evict you from your home that you or a bank you are paying for owns, if you don't pay their stupid fines.

They can file a lein on the house.

That makes them the winner.

 

[Sysbuilder05]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj
So I just moved into my townhouse and like all places I live, I put a US flag and the flag of the commonwealth on the sides of my front door. That was a week ago. Today, a guy from the Homeowers association stops by gives me a welcome to the neighborhood packet and tells me that my flags do not match the overall asthetic of the neighborhood and should be removed.

We have a homeowners association and I'm damn glad we do. Our laws are pretty simple but no ass moving in next door can paint his house hot pink or purple and drive down the value of my house. They have to take care of the lawn,no 70 ft CB/shortwave radio tower allowed,you can't park boats,campers,5th wheels etc. in the drive.

The association is over 20 years old and still works well. A real estate agent has to give any potential buyer a copy of our bi-laws. If they think they are to restrictive then find a house somewhere else.

On the flip side a person on the board can't just change laws out of the blue because he doesn't like something--like flags attached to the house. It has to get voted on to be changed.

 

[NogginBoink]

Folks, not all HOA's are the evil nazi's that have been mentioned here. Most of the posts about evil HOA's in this thread are extreme. The HOA in my neighborhood allows parking in the driveway and in the street and I don't get fined for a hose not coiled up. The HOA maintains the common areas in the neighborhood (community soccer fields, swimming pool), and maintains the lawns on the divided street that goes into the neighborhood.

If you want total freedom to do anything in your house, you can do that by buying in a neighborhood outside an HOA.

 

[Sysbuilder05]

Originally posted by: alent1234

Originally posted by: TheGameIs21
Just my .02

My wife and I were looking at homes 2 years ago and we came upon this WONDERFUL home off of a golf course. The Realor explinaed what could and couldn't be in the back yard. We were OK with it. We understood that our back yard was an extension of the course.

At the signing table, the bring up the full disclosure of the HOA. Here are just a few of the reasons we stood up and walked away.

1. If your hose is not reeled up and secured in a hidden or wall mounted device when not being used it is a fine. If you turn the water off and run inside real quick to take care of something, it is a fine. etc...

2. You can only open your garage door to remove vehicles and riding lawnmowers. All other items must be transported through the side garage door. If you are pulling out of your drive way and drive away before the door has completely closed, you are fined.

3. You are required to apply fresh paint to the curb infront of your property as you see it fade. If the HOA pres see's fading and you have not repaired it within 24 hours, you get fined.

4. Couldn't attach a basket ball goal to your home or to a pole off of your driveway unless you fenced it off. If the Goal was visible, the net and paint had to be in repaired state.

5. Couldn't park your car on the driveway. Had to be in the garage.

6. Oil spots on the driveway left by visitors must be repaired within 24 hours of notice.

7. No UHauls to pick up or deliver anything. Must use a professional service to pickup and/or deliver.

All of this for only $430 a month... $5K+ a year!!!!

There is a big difference between keeping the home values up but there is also something to be said about being able to live and have fun. This was just a small blurb of many rules that were outrageous. Some were good like no parking on the street (I hate people that have 3 cars on the street but none in the garage or on the driveway.

unfortunately it takes nazi rules to make sure a neighborhood looks nice.

and you should have read the bylaws before signing the sales contract is it was probably stated in the contract.

Well...if its an area that requires $430.00 per month in dues then its a VERY exclusive area. What is the price range of the houses--$600K to a Million?? Those are some of the most restrictive I ever heard of....