Why you should never live in an association or community
- Thread starter GoPackGo
- Start date
These are exactly the reasons I won't move to one of these gated communities with houses that all look the same, filled with the same dull white people. Most homeowners associations are lead by fat soccer moms who have nothing better to do than to try and mess with people they don't like in the neighborhood.
Ryan
Lifer
- Oct 31, 2000
- 27,519
- 2
- 81
Exactly - I'm in a situation right now relating to Home Owners Associations:
When I bought my townhouse, I was the first buyer in a lot of 6 houses. We bought the house, and the land - and were specific with the sellers that we did not want to live in a community with an association. A few months later, the second buyer was in the process of purchasing, and discovered that the land was illegally divided. This makes our townhouse a non-conforming structure - which from my perspective, now makes the house worthless. The builders have asked us to join the association, to bring the lot back into conformity - at that point, they will be able to continue selling the remainder of the houses and finish construction (the city forced the builders to stop construction after they discovered the illegal division).
We've told the builders that we will not join the association. We're now offering a buyback option to the builders, because we refuse to join.
When I bought my townhouse, I was the first buyer in a lot of 6 houses. We bought the house, and the land - and were specific with the sellers that we did not want to live in a community with an association. A few months later, the second buyer was in the process of purchasing, and discovered that the land was illegally divided. This makes our townhouse a non-conforming structure - which from my perspective, now makes the house worthless. The builders have asked us to join the association, to bring the lot back into conformity - at that point, they will be able to continue selling the remainder of the houses and finish construction (the city forced the builders to stop construction after they discovered the illegal division).
We've told the builders that we will not join the association. We're now offering a buyback option to the builders, because we refuse to join.
Arkaign
Lifer
- Oct 27, 2006
- 20,736
- 1,379
- 126
Homeowners groups = Teh Nazis!
My brother has an outstanding home in Frisco, and they won't allow any home improvements or maintenance without approval. He couldn't even get a carport that perfectly matched the wood trim on his house and fence. No carport, no exception. What BS! I say, if you own the property, you should have some freedom to do what you want, as long as it doesn't endanger anyone, and meets federal and state law.
Scumbags
My brother has an outstanding home in Frisco, and they won't allow any home improvements or maintenance without approval. He couldn't even get a carport that perfectly matched the wood trim on his house and fence. No carport, no exception. What BS! I say, if you own the property, you should have some freedom to do what you want, as long as it doesn't endanger anyone, and meets federal and state law.
Scumbags
Reason why I never buy into these closed or planned communities. The other is when the developer sells you the home 99% of the time they are subsidizing the dues in order to make them look ok. Once they sell enough homes they either give it to a 3rd party to run or let the homeowners have at it. Then you get to see the true costs of the community and it can suck total arse.
Plus you have to deal with aholes like this person, or people who like to spend the dues on stupid things and drive up the costs.
Plus you have to deal with aholes like this person, or people who like to spend the dues on stupid things and drive up the costs.
shira
Diamond Member
- Jan 12, 2005
- 9,500
- 6
- 81
I can't really speak about "planned communities." But in defense of HOAs:
When you are considering the purchase a home that is part of an HOA, you can (and should) view the CCRs (Codes, Covenants, and Restrictions) that apply to the community. CCRs typically spell out the types of changes and improvements that require approval of the Association. If prospective purchasers are uncomfortable with the restrictions in that community, they are free NOT to buy.
Consider this issue from the viewpoint of someone who wants to live in a community in which neighbors will not make changes that could significantly decrease property values or otherwise reduce the attractiveness of the area. For example, suppose your next-door neighbor wanted to erect at 100-foot ham-radio tower or a three-story greenhouse (and let's assume these structures are not otherwise barred by local zoning laws). Changes like those can SEVERELY reduce the value of nearby properties.
I live in a community governed by an HOA, and I know of no cases in which a property owner wanting to make a reasonable change has been denied permission by the association. It's when you have a "neighbor from hell" that you're awfully glad you have an HOA what will protect your interests.
When you are considering the purchase a home that is part of an HOA, you can (and should) view the CCRs (Codes, Covenants, and Restrictions) that apply to the community. CCRs typically spell out the types of changes and improvements that require approval of the Association. If prospective purchasers are uncomfortable with the restrictions in that community, they are free NOT to buy.
Consider this issue from the viewpoint of someone who wants to live in a community in which neighbors will not make changes that could significantly decrease property values or otherwise reduce the attractiveness of the area. For example, suppose your next-door neighbor wanted to erect at 100-foot ham-radio tower or a three-story greenhouse (and let's assume these structures are not otherwise barred by local zoning laws). Changes like those can SEVERELY reduce the value of nearby properties.
I live in a community governed by an HOA, and I know of no cases in which a property owner wanting to make a reasonable change has been denied permission by the association. It's when you have a "neighbor from hell" that you're awfully glad you have an HOA what will protect your interests.
Associations are not that bad (at least the ones I've lived with/under). As long as you read the contract and don't have any issues ....
Where I live now, there was a neighbor (and his guests) that parked "illegally" (private property, so no cops, but against the covenent/contract) and blocked my garage such that I couldn't get out easily. I asked him on several occasions, personally and by mail, and left (courteous) leaflets under his guest's windshield wipers asking them to park at the curb or in Guest parking.
They still did it.
I got some pictures and license plate numbers, faxed them to the association. Over time, they notified him by phone (he /his friends still did it), mail (he/his friends still did it), then a personal visit (he/his guests still did it).
Finally, they started charging him $50 per car for the first occurrance, and $100 for each subsequent occurrance (that I documented). His attitude was basically " let 'em charge me, I ain't paying.' He and his friends did stop, so I was OK with it.
Well, time came to where he wanted to sell the place. At closing, he found out that the charges were "assesments" and there was a lien on his place (so they couldn't complete the closing paperwork until he cleared the debt, plus interest).
So far, there's nothing I've wanted to do to the place (satellite dish, planters, etc) that haven't been approved b the association.
So far, so good, no complaints.
If you don't want to live under an association's rules, then (like most of the posters so far) don't move into a place governed by an association. The rules are spelled out pretty well, you just have to read the contract.
All that being said, the news story about the Peace Wreath Person Event had some other, less-than-honest/ethical stuff going on in the background ... something like the full board actually voted to allow the wreath, but the board president somehow overruled the vote ... I wasn't paying that much attention when I heard it.
I suppose it's like anything else, there's good ones and bad ones. I imagine this will end up in court with the Peace Wreath Person suing the association .... same ol' same ol'
Whatever.
Where I live now, there was a neighbor (and his guests) that parked "illegally" (private property, so no cops, but against the covenent/contract) and blocked my garage such that I couldn't get out easily. I asked him on several occasions, personally and by mail, and left (courteous) leaflets under his guest's windshield wipers asking them to park at the curb or in Guest parking.
They still did it.
I got some pictures and license plate numbers, faxed them to the association. Over time, they notified him by phone (he /his friends still did it), mail (he/his friends still did it), then a personal visit (he/his guests still did it).
Finally, they started charging him $50 per car for the first occurrance, and $100 for each subsequent occurrance (that I documented). His attitude was basically " let 'em charge me, I ain't paying.' He and his friends did stop, so I was OK with it.
Well, time came to where he wanted to sell the place. At closing, he found out that the charges were "assesments" and there was a lien on his place (so they couldn't complete the closing paperwork until he cleared the debt, plus interest).
So far, there's nothing I've wanted to do to the place (satellite dish, planters, etc) that haven't been approved b the association.
So far, so good, no complaints.
If you don't want to live under an association's rules, then (like most of the posters so far) don't move into a place governed by an association. The rules are spelled out pretty well, you just have to read the contract.
All that being said, the news story about the Peace Wreath Person Event had some other, less-than-honest/ethical stuff going on in the background ... something like the full board actually voted to allow the wreath, but the board president somehow overruled the vote ... I wasn't paying that much attention when I heard it.
I suppose it's like anything else, there's good ones and bad ones. I imagine this will end up in court with the Peace Wreath Person suing the association .... same ol' same ol'
Whatever.
I suppose, you guys do bring up some positives about HOA's. In fact wouldnt mind if I had a little more power over my dumpy neighbors who decide to park their shatty cars all over the place and leak oil all over the street. Then of course the two dimwits down the street who never heard of a lawn mower or cleaning.
/shrug
/shrug
Zoning laws are restriction enough. My family had enough trouble with the city trying to get a fence built around our house; we don't need irrelevant and arbitrary rules to protect "property values". I have to wonder what kind of people judge houses based on the houses immediately around them. Anyway, when I buy a house it will be on private land outside of the city, and I'll do with it what I damn well please. The whitebred goose-steppers can keep their moronic bylaws.
When you buy a house you look strictly at the property and not the surrounding area? You may be the only one.
Starbuck1975
Lifer
- Jan 6, 2005
- 14,698
- 1,909
- 126
These cookie cutter communities blow my mind...I moved to California from the east coast, and the Stepford wives mentality that drives these communities is so foreign to me. I really have no desire to live in a gated community or association controlled condo building...but real estate being what it is in SoCal, it is nearly impossible to break into the market without going into one of these communities.
I miss free standing affordable family homes that actually have a buffer of land around them such that you can't reach out your kitchen window and wash your neighbor's back for him while he is in his shower.
I suppose there are some benefits to these communities...unfortunately, I suspect the people living in them would drive me postal.
I miss free standing affordable family homes that actually have a buffer of land around them such that you can't reach out your kitchen window and wash your neighbor's back for him while he is in his shower.
I suppose there are some benefits to these communities...unfortunately, I suspect the people living in them would drive me postal.
shira
Diamond Member
- Jan 12, 2005
- 9,500
- 6
- 81
You may be overstating the Stepford aspect a bit. I live in a townhouse community (not "planned," but governed by an HOA), and the residents are anything but clones of one another. None of my neighbors wants to be so restricted they can't make reasonable improvements (and no one HAS been so restricted), but when the occasional a$$aholic neighbors move in, it's the HOA that deals with them.
I had one neighbor who periodically drove his full-size pickup truck through the common area between two rows of townhouses (so that he could drive around to the back of his place to load up the truck with stuff he wanted to transport). Once he even drove OVER a small tree that had been planted in that space (specifically to prevent just such misuse of the common area). Since no one every saw him specifically do it (all we saw were the tracks of crushed (soon to be dead) grass that stopped at the back of his place), the community had to pay to have the dead grass re-seeded - the neighbor refused.
That jerk didn't give a fvck about anyone but himself. He left garbage scattered in front and in back of this place. He had a large dog he would let sh!t on neighboring lots and he refused to clean up after it. If no CCRs had been in place, I'm sure that jerk would have been much more destructive. We had the HOA go after him again and again, and finally he and his wife moved out. We were all SOOO happy.
Most of us in the neighborhood are "individuals," with our own personalities and interests. We don't want to make anyone "conform" to some narrow range of appearance. But we also don't want some a-hole making the neighborhood a mess. You wouldn't either.
Starbuck1975
Lifer
- Jan 6, 2005
- 14,698
- 1,909
- 126
Like I said...there are some benefits to living in a community, as you pointed out...however, the flip side is also true, particularly if the community is populated and controlled by aholes...I have heard some horror stories of preplanned community bliss that certainly make me skeptical...would much rather have my own lot of land, a house sitting on it, and no community fees, association fees, and every other additional cost that seems to go with living in these cookie cutter communities.
...and I think you also said you want to live in the country, which is a good thing, since many / most towns & cities also have some "community standard" laws were the can force you to paint / fix your house, mow your yard, shovel your walk (snow, if you get it in your area), put up a fence, what kind of fence, what color of fence ...
Failure to comply results in a fine, and the cost for the city to hire someone to do it.
It may or may not suck, depending on which side of the fence you're on, but it's reality in many places.
FWIW
Failure to comply results in a fine, and the cost for the city to hire someone to do it.
It may or may not suck, depending on which side of the fence you're on, but it's reality in many places.
FWIW
Or you could have grown a pair, put up a no parking sign violators will be towed, and had the cars towed. Oh I guess you would have to own some land to be able to do that.
IronWing
No Lifer
- Jul 20, 2001
- 72,481
- 33,103
- 136
The way the game works here is that the developers build substandard roads, drainage, and utilities and then pass on the long term maintanence costs to the HOAs. My sense is that the buyers have no clue that the city hasn't accepted the streets into the public system and that the HOA members are on their own. The developers operate under LLCs and LLPs that fold as soon as the last lot sells leaving no recourse. If they organize under the laws of certain states the partners don't even have to reveal their identities.
Hey, they said it was a symbol of Satan, well Satan is just as protected as Jesus.
If it has to come down anything with Jesus has to come down.
...or, let the association do it (at no charge to me) and at the same time, let the a$$hole run up a $500.00 lien, screw up his closing, and shoot himself in his own foot. Much more satisfying than a mere tow and less likely to start a fight. Plus everything is documented with the association in the event of future legal action.
BTW: You can't just have a car towed, unless you own it. It has to be ordered by a cop or other relevent authority (which the association is not). None of the lots are posted.
"Have a nice day "
I use to have a couple friends who lived in a gated community. The first friend was given a ticket by the HOA (home owners association) for having an expired reg on his car, his mother was also given a ticket for not having plate on her 1 month old car. The other friend was ticketed for working on his car in his driveway. The list just goes on. Gated communities are bullshit.
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