67carl
Well-known member
Are you in Leisure World?
HOA horrors?
- Thread starter andyvh1959
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Are you in Leisure World?
reader2580
Well-known member
It is common across most of the Minneapolis metro area unless you build new on an infill lot.
Mike65
Well-known member
Never ever again. We lived in an HOA community in southern NJ for 10 years before we moved to our little 1-acre patch of heaven in SW VA. Anything & everything you wanted to do to the house you needed HOA approval for, what a PITA. We do not like a cookie-cutter house so after 8 years of having to deal with the HOA we started looking for our "retirement home" outside of a HOA & NJ.
driftpin
Well-known member
One of the issues that condos are having here is that after the catastrophic collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside FL, and new legislation about periodic inspections, people in them are sometimes facing special assessments in the six figures, and are forced to move because they cannot pay it. The 'milestone inspections' are now required, see the links below.
I have a neighbor who is a G.C. and he has a lucrative business doing repairs to buildings where the balconies need repairs, sometimes removal/replacement. One of the things which contributed to deterioration of the balconies was applying astroturf or similar (including tile, even-if the tile was an originally-applied finish, its replacement after balcony concrete restoration/replacement is not allowed) to the balcony floors. https://berylprojectengineering.com...e-hidden-risks-of-condo-balconies-in-florida/
flengineeringllc.com
This law firm giving information is possibly the largest condo law firm in FL. There were two brothers and the father doing condo law, the father is now deceased. He was a founding member of Becker and Poliakoff.
I have a neighbor who is a G.C. and he has a lucrative business doing repairs to buildings where the balconies need repairs, sometimes removal/replacement. One of the things which contributed to deterioration of the balconies was applying astroturf or similar (including tile, even-if the tile was an originally-applied finish, its replacement after balcony concrete restoration/replacement is not allowed) to the balcony floors. https://berylprojectengineering.com...e-hidden-risks-of-condo-balconies-in-florida/
The Importance of Balcony Inspections in Ensuring Structural Safety (2025 Guide)
Ensure balcony safety with comprehensive inspections covering structural integrity, code compliance, and SB 4-D regulations in Florida (2025).
flengineeringllc.com
This law firm giving information is possibly the largest condo law firm in FL. There were two brothers and the father doing condo law, the father is now deceased. He was a founding member of Becker and Poliakoff.
When condo board moves to ditch tiled balconies in favor of concrete, do owners get vote?
Expert weighs in on condo move to remove tile on balconies without owners voting. Is it an aesthetic change or one made for maintenance, safety?
www.palmbeachpost.com
dcg9381
Well-known member
This is why HOA "financial disclosure" should be mandated in as part of any sale. I know it's not mandated in my state.
Realtors are incentivized to finish the sale.. Inherently they are not fiduciaries (must have their clients best interest). I don't trust 'em.
The "special assessment" can be life-changing.
driftpin
Well-known member
Good luck with banning HOA's in the state of FL. The law firms doing residential real estate law are not going to kill their golden goose. Besides, how do you propose to cover the expenses of maintaining common areas, and funding the reserves for replacement, if you abolish HOA's for homes? What about insurance for common areas like golf courses, clubhouses, swimming pools, sidewalks and other amenities commonly being accused of the source of personal injuries? How will insurance be paid-for, for those? The state legislator gets publicity for proposing it, but practically-speaking, it's got as-much chance of being done away-with, as ________________________ (insert favorite impossibility here).
Yep, I have to agree.
Doesn't FL have more HOA's per capita than any other state?
It would be nice if there was a reasonable way to curb the abuses though. Of course, if it's run by people, petty shite is more than likely to occur.
jar944
Well-known member
Attachments
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Yeah, thanks I will take a hard pass on both those options.Ban suburban housing developments
Make this
Or this
the only options
YMMV
OP
andyvh1959
Well-known member
I can understand some of the goals of HOAs: maintained homes and neighborhoods, services like outdoor lawn/yard care, even features like pools/golf course/comminity buildings (though I don't give a rip for those). But the thing that most bothers me is how the HOA can place a lien on personal property, incur all kinds of legal burden on people living in thier own homes, just the whole impact of other people involved in/forcing choices on my personal living.
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PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
You make that choice up front. It's not forced internment.
Lien right varies by states. Some states they can only lien for failing to pay dues... covenant violation may not be lienable.
nadogail
Well-known member
IMHO, the HOA would rather not want to Lien you, it usually is more productive to agree to Arbitration.
jar944
Well-known member
As soon as there is common property that has actual costs associated it becomes a necessity tool for non payments.
Covenant penalties are something different.
On our case, the 9 homes had one chronically late payer (years late) and frankly liens don't help pay the costs when bills are due, it's the other residents. That is the reason we decided to (whenever it happens) let the state levy a special assessment when our storm water pond needs dredged. I'm not paying a extra 10k to cover the deadbeat neighbor. He can just not pay his taxes if he chooses
, we all know how that plays out.RalphInCA
Well-known member
And… contrary to the sensationalized/anecdotal reports we all hear, MOST HOA boards want to keep peace in the neighborhood and come up with solutions that work well for all residents.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Just the thought of neighbors living in harmony in an HOA community with volunteer Board member governance isn't sensational enough.
It's not a story unless they drive in those wedges, sow hate and discontent, and create an atmosphere of us vs, them. Pretty indicative of where we have devolved as a society as a whole.
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We bought in a community with an HOA 21 years ago. Knowing I wanted to add a larger garage connected to the house via a new mudroom, a few years after moving in I volunteered to chair the HOA architectural review committee. We have added a front porch roof, a detached 12x16 shed in the back (exactly matching the house siding and roof) and a 28x32 attached garage via a new 10x 20 mudroom. Really no hassles at all, LOL. Now, everything was done tastefully, matching the house.
The only real issue with the HOA is one neighbor (out of the roughly 35 houses) hasn't paid the dues for probably 10 years. We've tried to get it but the best answer is that we'll get it all back whenever they sell.
On the plus side, we have a berm that provides privacy from the street. At the top of the berm I've got a row of 35 blue princess holly for extra privacy. The side of the berm facing the street has grass growing on it. It's a hassle to cut this grass, but the HOA pays for the common area grass team to trim this grass.
So there are plusses and minuses. Our dues are $550 annually. That's a minus but well worth it just for the berm grass trimming!
The only real issue with the HOA is one neighbor (out of the roughly 35 houses) hasn't paid the dues for probably 10 years. We've tried to get it but the best answer is that we'll get it all back whenever they sell.
On the plus side, we have a berm that provides privacy from the street. At the top of the berm I've got a row of 35 blue princess holly for extra privacy. The side of the berm facing the street has grass growing on it. It's a hassle to cut this grass, but the HOA pays for the common area grass team to trim this grass.
So there are plusses and minuses. Our dues are $550 annually. That's a minus but well worth it just for the berm grass trimming!
wantedabiggergarage
Member Emeritus
I'm not an HOA guy. Seen both good and bad, as my siblings first house, most of the houses in the neighborhood were in the HOA. Their immediate neighbor was not (choose not to join when formed).
First day in the house and the garage door remote, didn't cause the garage door to close after pressing it. Sibling was awakened by police in their bedroom, while asleep in their underwear, because the HOA thought someone was breaking in since the garage door was opened longer then allowed.
Then you go the other extreme. A friend was living in a very well to do neighborhood, and went to go repaint the house. The color on the house was no longer available, but there was one just a shade off (I believe this was when stain/paint went from powder pigments to liquid).
Newly appointed HOA president, did the whole power trip deal (watch who you elect people, things can change). Sent a bill and threats of legal action. My friend put seven figures aside and consulted his attorney, just to screw with them. The language in the HOA said the loser paid the winners legal expenses, so he said screw them. They got the list of approved colors, found what was current, and paid professional painters to paint their house, striped in all those colors. HOA filed suit, and at around $300k, lost. The HOA had to pay their own legal expenses, and he paid his own, in exchange for the HOA painting the house in the shade off color that started this whole mess, and signed off on his painting of the house in the future, in exchange for not having to pay his legal expenses. I believe there was a lot more to it then that (I don't know all the stuff they signed off on), as later, after his passing, that house and his private dock (no one was supposed to have a private dock), became the clubhouse for the new subdivision, with the acreage he bought next door, that was then developed into a different subdivision.
First day in the house and the garage door remote, didn't cause the garage door to close after pressing it. Sibling was awakened by police in their bedroom, while asleep in their underwear, because the HOA thought someone was breaking in since the garage door was opened longer then allowed.
Then you go the other extreme. A friend was living in a very well to do neighborhood, and went to go repaint the house. The color on the house was no longer available, but there was one just a shade off (I believe this was when stain/paint went from powder pigments to liquid).
Newly appointed HOA president, did the whole power trip deal (watch who you elect people, things can change). Sent a bill and threats of legal action. My friend put seven figures aside and consulted his attorney, just to screw with them. The language in the HOA said the loser paid the winners legal expenses, so he said screw them. They got the list of approved colors, found what was current, and paid professional painters to paint their house, striped in all those colors. HOA filed suit, and at around $300k, lost. The HOA had to pay their own legal expenses, and he paid his own, in exchange for the HOA painting the house in the shade off color that started this whole mess, and signed off on his painting of the house in the future, in exchange for not having to pay his legal expenses. I believe there was a lot more to it then that (I don't know all the stuff they signed off on), as later, after his passing, that house and his private dock (no one was supposed to have a private dock), became the clubhouse for the new subdivision, with the acreage he bought next door, that was then developed into a different subdivision.
PhantomEB
Well-known member
Did a condo once, watched the condo fees triple just cause they ‘wanted’ to replace all windows and external doors due to the condo board presidents wife didn’t like the look of her front door.
then got told I couldn’t fix the broken board on the little porch out back which led to the best looking porch in the complex as I painted it too.
final straw was when they fined me for painting it…I let my very well trained pitty cross out to do her business while I had my morning shower. I could let her out, go shower and she would just go down and around the corner of the unit to **** and piss. Yeah they didn’t like seeing the turds that i couldnt dig up through out the winter. Waited til spring and watered the hell out of the grass there and put up a for sale sign
condo board presidents wife came over, oh you selling? Yeah I did the condo **** once I will never do it again…you people are f**ked!
then got told I couldn’t fix the broken board on the little porch out back which led to the best looking porch in the complex as I painted it too.
final straw was when they fined me for painting it…I let my very well trained pitty cross out to do her business while I had my morning shower. I could let her out, go shower and she would just go down and around the corner of the unit to **** and piss. Yeah they didn’t like seeing the turds that i couldnt dig up through out the winter. Waited til spring and watered the hell out of the grass there and put up a for sale sign
condo board presidents wife came over, oh you selling? Yeah I did the condo **** once I will never do it again…you people are f**ked!
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
We owned a townhouse in a development with an HOA when we were first married. I would never live in one again. You can wind up with old lady busy bodies on the board who try to turn the place into tier version of Utopia, with you footing the bill and putting up with their ********! The icing on the cake was when the water company sent every resident a shutoff notice because the board was two years behind on the water bill. The resultant board meeting was a curcus and the board’s biggest complaint was that the water company notified the residents. When we listed the place for sale the Realtor said half of the units were for sale and they were only listing about a dozen units at a time or the price would go down. Ours was one of the first sold, it literally sold in one day to the first person who looked at it and the HOA fee was doubled the month after we left.
NEVER AGAIN!
NEVER AGAIN!
OP
andyvh1959
Well-known member
Had another discussion about HOAs with my wife last night as we passed a new housing development south of Green Bay. The development will have a community center, a central "lake" and walking trails, so I assume it will be an HOA. My wife said it looks interesting, but to me if it is a HOA community I said "no way will I put up with an HOA no matter how desireable the community looks."
Then on another post on the forums here is a comment about HOAs even requiring your garage doors must remain closed, or have limited open time. So if I'd have my garage/shop OH door open while working in there I'd get written up on another issue. So the only way to work in the shop is to plan for air conditioning? No way.
Then on another post on the forums here is a comment about HOAs even requiring your garage doors must remain closed, or have limited open time. So if I'd have my garage/shop OH door open while working in there I'd get written up on another issue. So the only way to work in the shop is to plan for air conditioning? No way.
astrohip
Well-known member
We live in a condo, first time ever in an HOA of any kind. Are they perfect? No. Are they necessary? Yes.
Anything that requires more than a modest dues increase requires a vote. Any significant change requires a vote. Our fees couldn't triple unless we VOTED for it.
Example: After several power outages in the last few years, there's a group that wants to buy a huge backup generator for the entire bldg. It's going to cost a fortune, and I lean towards no. But a committee was formed, they've been doing research, and have given us some options. It will still have to pass a vote of 51%. No small group can override this. That's how an HOA should work (and yes, I acknowledge not all do).
I read the by-laws thoroughly before we purchased. I made sure there were safeguards in place. Do your homework!!
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
If this actually happened, there would be no need for an HOA Horrors Thread.
Problem is people buy into an HOA community with legally binding agreements around X,Y, and Z, then say "**** it, I'm doing Q instead." ..and then piss and moan to anyone and everyone who will listen about how oppressed they are...
They are all different. Some HOAs are ridiculous with restrictions, some are relaxed and the rules basically have you keep the place clean and tidy, no junk laying around, perhaps house style and color and that keeps the neighbor from rolling in a trailer house. I wouldn't bust all of them by what you hear. If you are looking for a new place, go look, but ask for the HOA rules before putting any money down.
My buddy lives in an HOA that is very relaxed. But he needs to keep the grass mowed, no trailers outside, no junk cars. He even has planters with flowers on the front steps! He actually joined the board just to make certain they keep it relaxed. In all reality, his HOA is pretty much like my own neighborhood to operate. Just keep the neat place tidy.
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Wrench97
Well-known member
Define "junk" car.....
We have lived in an HOA for decades. Once they sent me a letter telling me that my siding was moldy. I looked and it was moldy, so I pressure washed it.
Did we fill out an application before building our pool, building our outside kitchen or replacing our front door? Yes, all three were approved without any issues. The HOA maintains the landscaping in common areas, more the medians, maintains the parks, pools, sidewalks that are not in front of homes. They do an OK job.
Edit to add: We have 5 cars on the property and only a 3 car garage. There is no issue because the HOA bylaws are silent on the issue of parking cars in your driveway. No matter how much some busybody may not like it, there is no basis to "write anyone up" because it isn't against the rules. I am however forbidden to refine oil, so I guess I won't be building a crude unit in my backyard.
Did we fill out an application before building our pool, building our outside kitchen or replacing our front door? Yes, all three were approved without any issues. The HOA maintains the landscaping in common areas, more the medians, maintains the parks, pools, sidewalks that are not in front of homes. They do an OK job.
Edit to add: We have 5 cars on the property and only a 3 car garage. There is no issue because the HOA bylaws are silent on the issue of parking cars in your driveway. No matter how much some busybody may not like it, there is no basis to "write anyone up" because it isn't against the rules. I am however forbidden to refine oil, so I guess I won't be building a crude unit in my backyard.
HOA reserve studies are typical to ensure that any assets will be replaced based on expected life span. Make sure the HOA is is good financial shape. If you want to do anything and everything on your property then it might not be for you. But that also means that your neighbor could do the same. An old Mustang under a blue tarp in the front of the house that will be restored in the next 2 decades might be ok for some. For others, it won’t. If you talk to people in the neighborhood about home values and safety, they should be able to let you know what the HOA is like.
engineer2
Well-known member
Our HOA only presides over the maintenance of the entrance signs and the perimeter fence. They deeded the trails and ponds to the village park district years ago. The maintenance of your property is dictated by village code. Their biggest issue is some people refuse to pay the $100/yr HOA fee. They just put a lien on those and get paid when it sells.
It also helps to have the HOA president over for a beer now and then, but I have to be careful to not to shoot off my mouth and run for the board.
It also helps to have the HOA president over for a beer now and then, but I have to be careful to not to shoot off my mouth and run for the board.
No plates or registration.
Wrench97
Well-known member
logical
Well-known member
So your concern about HOAs is that there is a person out there that has a track-only GT40 who trailers it home and wants to unload it to sit in the driveway of his condo?So this GT40r is "junk" car since it can't be tagged in most states...
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
You had that ready for this response, eh?So this GT40r is "junk" car since it can't be tagged in most states...
Looks like junk to me....So this GT40r is "junk" car since it can't be tagged in most states...
Damn bumper doesn't even match
So this GT40r is "junk" car since it can't be tagged in most states...
Yup! They won't let you park your GT40 under the tree in the back yard and leave it there!
This has got to be the most silly response ever!
Yes you can have your GT40, but just park it in your shop and don't leave it parked out abandoned in the yard.
Wrench97
Well-known member
Just an example of how HOA's can go off the rails, to some parking that in the driveway while you swept out the garage would get you fined since it's not tagged and inspected, while others would call this junk even though your still driving it....Yup! They won't let you park your GT40 under the tree in the back yard and leave it there!
This has got to be the most silly response ever!
Yes you can have your GT40, but just park it in your shop and don't leave it parked out abandoned in the yard.
Like I said earlier, they are all different. Some might no allow the GT40 racer, even parked in your garage. Someone would have a fit because you hauled it in on a trailer. No trailers allowed.Just an example of how HOA's can go off the rails, to some parking that in the driveway while you swept out the garage would get you fined since it's not tagged and inspected, while others would call this junk even though your still driving it....
My buddy lives in an rural HOA. One evening he and a neighbor were out chasing down a few skunks he saw wander through. He had a 12 gauge and his neighbor had his AR15. They found them and killed them, just after dark. So two guys running around through other people's yards, heavily armed with powerful flashlights. The only questions they got were on the line of, "What are you shooting at?" When they answered skunks, the guys asking the question would ask, "Did you get them? And then, "Good!"
GaryM909
Well-known member
My nephew lived in a townhouse that was controlled by a HOA. He had a single front drive garage which he parked his personal vehicle and a driveway long enough for a second vehicle.
He came home late one night after working out of town for a week. His company truck was covered in mud and
it rained overnight. He got written up for his truck dripping mud on his driveway.
He sold less than a year later.
He came home late one night after working out of town for a week. His company truck was covered in mud and
it rained overnight. He got written up for his truck dripping mud on his driveway.
He sold less than a year later.
86turbodsl
Well-known member
The horror stories in here are why i will NEVER buy a home in an HOA. There is no way i will ever pay fees yearly to be told how to live.
The one i couldn't believe i read about years ago was on the pirate4x4 forums, about a fella who was not allowed to work on his vehicle IN HIS GARAGE WITH THE DOOR CLOSED. Oakland CA. EFF EM ALL.
The one i couldn't believe i read about years ago was on the pirate4x4 forums, about a fella who was not allowed to work on his vehicle IN HIS GARAGE WITH THE DOOR CLOSED. Oakland CA. EFF EM ALL.
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