Homeowners Associations

[2cpuminimum]

HOA's are the devil. Once you join they own your soul, unless you can get someone else to give their soul in exchange.

 

[davew0670]

hoa are needed because some people dont realize their grass needs to be cut until they cant see their kids playing in the yard. I swore up and down I wouldnt buy a house with a hoa. Our realtor showed us 3 houses in no hoa neighborhoods. That was all I needed to see. If you like seeing cars broken down, busted up patchwork fences, above ground swimming pools with wildlife swimming in them, clothes lines and 18 foot satelite dishes then a neighborhood with no hoa is right down your alley.

 

[markgm]

I forgot to mention, in my HOA, they have limits on what you can be fined for not complying. Basically they can't fine you more than it costs to fix the problem. So if you park a truck out front, the most you can be fined is whatever it cost to have it towed.

It seems pretty reasonable, and with only 12 single family homes in the development, I have a feeling things can work pretty well if all the neighbors put any effort towards trying to know each other.

 

[FoBoT]

HOA boards have too much power
If you hadn?t already heard, homeowners associations are evolving into mini-governments with extraordinary powers that could land you out on the street. There have been cases of homeowners losing their homes over disputes as low as $100. There are also a number of states where homeowners associations can seize your home and foreclose on you. They then auction off your home, which wipes out all the equity you have. According to the L.A. Times, 40 percent of new homes in the state of California are in covenant communities. So, people need to be aware of the power HOA board members possess. A recent story of a Florida man who erected a large flagpole in his front yard is a prime example. Apparently, the man?s flagpole was taller than the height stated in the rules book of the community, and he is now fighting to keep his house. Community covenants should have the right to fine individuals that choose to live in rule-abiding communities. However, if this type of neighborhood isn?t for you, don?t move in.

 

[kranky]

I imagine that over time, each HOA migrates more and more towards fascism. The people who are highly motivated to serve on an HOA board are likely to be the ones who enjoy telling other people what to do. The people who are content to let some things slide if it's no big deal aren't the ones who try to get on the board.

To me, that's a big danger. The link I provided earlier explained how the board can change the rules without going to the entire HOA for a vote.

 

Seems like HOA seem to suck hardcore once they take a turn for the worst. I'll try looking for a place without one first.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: FallenHero
I never really much cared for homeowners associations in the first place, and I've been thinking...are they legally binding? Are they part of the contract you sign when you buy your home? Also, have they been challenged in court should a person that is moving in not wish to join them? I'll probably be looking to move into some place with my brother after I graduate, and more than likely its going to be in the plainfield area, which I know has many of these associations...just wondering about them.

If you want the roads plowed, you have to pay. The fees are there for a reason and in some cases, the roads are all private. So maintnenace on those roads is not done by the city. So think aobut what you just said.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: QueBert
They SUCK, they can impose sh!t whenever they wish *apparently* my GF lives in Condo's.

They claimed she left a bag of trash outside the dumpster and didn't put it in = $75 dollar fine. They had no proof other then a pic they took, but nobody saw her not put it in the trash.

She had to pay 1,000 to fix the roof, only thing is, it wasn't her roof. It was somebodies elses roof. Apparently everyone "chips in" when there's expensis like this. They didn't give her an option to pay or not, and they didn't tell her until last month. So, she had about a month notice. And this comes out of the fee's, so like the trash insident she'll be automatically charged.

They recently imposed a lew rule you can't have a truck over a certain length. So all the people who live there, and have bigger, Dullie(sp?) work trucks are screwed. Her neighbor got his truck towed, they left a warning notice on the truck one morning, and towed it 2 hours later *He never saw the notice*

I hate the idea of living somewhere that has it's own laws basically. And from watching my GF do it, fighting with them is a pain in the arse, yes you can get charges reversed and what not. But it requires a lot of time and effort.

The turck thing shouldn't be an issue due to rules with grandfather type clauses. I can't beleive they'd expect people to trade i ntheir trucks immediately.

As for the roof, anyhing exterior to a condo is paid for by the associaation,... painting, new roof, lawn, pool (if one exists), etc. So tell her to quit her bitching.

 

[spacejamz]

Just wondering if the people who against HOA's have actual experiences with their HOA or if they basing their stance from what they have read or heard 3rd hand...

I have read alot of bad experiences with HOA's, but do not know anyone personally where something majorly wrong has happened...

 

[Toasthead]

personally I like the fact that it makes people mow their lawns and keep up thier homes...I cant believe how lazy some people are... MOW YER FVCKING LAWN GODDAMMIT!!

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: Linflas

Originally posted by: spacejamz

Originally posted by: DeadByDawn
I'd never move into one of those myself. I guess some people must like them, otherwise they wouldn't exist.

They do serve a purpose (keeping junked out cars on cinderblocks out of the neighborhood, making sure your next door neighbor doesn't paint their house pink, deal with neigbors who don't mow their lawns, etc)...there is flipside to this as some limit what kind of shingles you put on your roof, what color you can paint your siding, grass taller than 'nn' of inches, etc...

don't get me wrong, there some HOA's that abuse their power and can be @sses, but if the rules are spelled out, it is your choice to agree with them or find another place to live..

also, selling your house for unpaid HOA fees is ridiculous as well (but I am sure each HOA has their own policy on collecting unpaid fees though)...

Junked cars - local ordinances can deal with this problem
Unmowed lawns - again local ordinances can deal with this
Painting house pink - As distasteful as I find that prospect I don't pay my neighbors mortgage so it is really his business what color to paint his house.

The problem I have with them is as I mentioned in a previous post it is virtually impossible to find a house where I live not covered by one of them.

Enjoy spending twice as much time trying to sell your hame and expct to get 10% less than what you'd get if your neighbors paint job wasn't moronic.

I was pissed to see the neihgbors "garage door company" sign in his front yard as that' what he does. That's the last thing I want in my neighborhood as it's a "good neighborhood" and things liek that will deter some potential home buyers, thus reducing your home's value.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

Originally posted by: davew0670
hoa are needed because some people dont realize their grass needs to be cut until they cant see their kids playing in the yard. I swore up and down I wouldnt buy a house with a hoa. Our realtor showed us 3 houses in no hoa neighborhoods. That was all I needed to see. If you like seeing cars broken down, busted up patchwork fences, above ground swimming pools with wildlife swimming in them, clothes lines and 18 foot satelite dishes then a neighborhood with no hoa is right down your alley.

Hey, lay off, I still have an 18' satellite dish (actually it's only 8', but still!)

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: davew0670
hoa are needed because some people dont realize their grass needs to be cut until they cant see their kids playing in the yard. I swore up and down I wouldnt buy a house with a hoa. Our realtor showed us 3 houses in no hoa neighborhoods. That was all I needed to see. If you like seeing cars broken down, busted up patchwork fences, above ground swimming pools with wildlife swimming in them, clothes lines and 18 foot satelite dishes then a neighborhood with no hoa is right down your alley.

Funny, my neighborhood has no HOA and it is clean and neat. Maybe you just live in a sh!tty part of the world where people won't clean up after themselves except at gunpoint. In my neighborhood, when the streets needed improvement a couple of years ago, we just had a couple of meetings to go over the details, asked the homeowners for the funds, and received more than enough voluntarily to pay for the job.

As it is, my desire to control other people is far LESS than my desire to make sure other people don't control me. Thus, I would absolutely never pay for the "privilege" of living in an HOA, where my nosy fascists neighbors could sue me for hanging the wrong color drapes or for putting up Christmas lights in December.

HOA's are worse than the devil. They are, in all reality and actuality, like buying a home and keeping your old apartment manager.

 

[markgm]

I've heard that some towns are starting to form something like a governement based HOA, and the question is whether or not they are constitutional. Everyone likes them as long as they don't restrict anything *I* want to do.

 

[DragonMasterAlex]

Originally posted by: Linflas

Originally posted by: DeadByDawn
I'd never move into one of those myself. I guess some people must like them, otherwise they wouldn't exist.

It is nearly impossible to find a development here that does not have one. About the only way to do it is find a house built prior to roughly 1975.

Not true. In many *many* new developments, they actually use the lack of a HOA as a *selling* feature. You may have seen the signs that say "No Mello Roos!", for example.

As for these people who want to keep OTHER PEOPLE from using THEIR OWN PROPERTY they way THEY want to, I say go to hell. You sons of bitches need to move to the middle of nowhere and leave the rest of civilization alone. I don't give a flying fvck whether you get pissy because I need to work on MY car in MY driveway at MY house that *I* paid for. It is MINE, MINE, MINE, and you can go straight to HELL if you don't like it.

Jason

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
Enjoy spending twice as much time trying to sell your hame and expct to get 10% less than what you'd get if your neighbors paint job wasn't moronic.

I was pissed to see the neihgbors "garage door company" sign in his front yard as that' what he does. That's the last thing I want in my neighborhood as it's a "good neighborhood" and things liek that will deter some potential home buyers, thus reducing your home's value.

As a highly experienced mortgage broker, I only have one word to use to respond to this post: Bullsh!t.

 

[Squisher]

I'm moving into a house that has an hoa for the first time. We'll see how it turns out. Looks like the rules are pretty liberal as far as house designs and expansions. Cars can be parked in driveways and such.

 

[robphelan]

our POS HOA is trying to get rid of the home daycares in the neighborhood. stating that NO home businesses are allowed.

a quick google search shows ~50 home businesses in our subdivsion, but they're picking on the daycares(which are regulated by the gov't - And peopel can use their flexible spending account to reimburse dependent daycare expenses from them)

i live right across from one and have zero problem with it. As a matter of fact, I wish they had a spot available for my 2 year old - instead, we have to drive her through many VERY busy intersections to get to her school.

a few of the home daycares are pre-emptively suing the HOA to allow them to operate.

sorry bastiches

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: davew0670
hoa are needed because some people dont realize their grass needs to be cut until they cant see their kids playing in the yard. I swore up and down I wouldnt buy a house with a hoa. Our realtor showed us 3 houses in no hoa neighborhoods. That was all I needed to see. If you like seeing cars broken down, busted up patchwork fences, above ground swimming pools with wildlife swimming in them, clothes lines and 18 foot satelite dishes then a neighborhood with no hoa is right down your alley.

Hm... I looked at at least 10 houses, none of which were in HOA areas. None of them were anything like what you describe. I'd rather live somewhere where the people keep up their house and land because they want to, not because they'll get slapped with a fine if they don't.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: davew0670
hoa are needed because some people dont realize their grass needs to be cut until they cant see their kids playing in the yard. I swore up and down I wouldnt buy a house with a hoa. Our realtor showed us 3 houses in no hoa neighborhoods. That was all I needed to see. If you like seeing cars broken down, busted up patchwork fences, above ground swimming pools with wildlife swimming in them, clothes lines and 18 foot satelite dishes then a neighborhood with no hoa is right down your alley.

Hm... I looked at at least 10 houses, none of which were in HOA areas. None of them were anything like what you describe. I'd rather live somewhere where the people keep up their house and land because they want to, not because they'll get slapped with a fine if they don't.

Precisely. Apparently davew0670's realtor thought it would be funny to take him to the ghetto.

 

[wondersteve]

Originally posted by: kranky
My parents moved to a place with an HOA and ended up spending $50,000 in legal fees to save their house. The final ruling was in their favor, but the cost was astronomical.

So I'd say yes, they are legally binding, but you can take the HOA to court if they screw with you.

Read this.

Holy crap ... I would have to kill someone.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: JoLLyRoGer
Um... yes and if you don't pay, don't sweep your sidewalk, don't keep you grass under 1 1/2", edge your driveway, park you car IN the garage, paint your house the right colors (the same as everyone else), and get rid of that RV they can sell your house right out from under you.

It's goddamn sanctioned extortion!

Homeowners assocations SUCK!

On a positive note they do keep your neighborhood from turning into rural Arkansas. No cars on the lawn up on blocks. A lawn that is actually the color of living plants. Nobody can paint their house purple or green or black. All the common areas are kept painted and landscaped. Nice tot lots throughout the neighborhood. I think this is a good thing personally.

Mine is $64/month.

<--Happy HOA homeowner.