HOA horrors?

[rande]

The internet version of "The National Inquirer..."

" Man cuts off own head with chainsaw and lives- Story on page 4"

Luckily he was a doctor so he sewed it back on himself.

 

[Norcal]

The internet version of "The National Inquirer..."

" Man cuts off own head with chainsaw and lives- Story on page 4"

Sadly the National Inquirer is more truthful then then the regular media, have to be careful about all sources.

 

[The Metric System]

My experience living in an HOA was that they were very quick to jump on minor/technical violations and then useless when it came to real quality of life issues.

For example, the HOA had a rule that all motorcycles had to be "stored indoors" and I got a citation for leaving my bike parked outside for a couple of hours to dry after I washed it.

When the neighbor's dirtbag adult son moved in with them and would leave his Harley parked on their lawn surrounded by a halo of empty beer cans and cigarette butts the same wieners who were previously so gung-ho about enforcing the rules were nowhere to be found.

 

[logical]

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.

I don't think anyone particularly wants to pay just to be "told how to live". I also know that many HOAs exist solely to own, protect and maintain common areas like a park, private streets, pool or clubhouse. Many have almost no restrictions on individual homes. Some have only restrictions that many actually see as a positive such as basic guidelines on fences, livestock, setbacks, very large commercial vehicles. Those HOAs don't make interesting Reddit rants, so they just go on under the radar.

If people don't want to be constrained, Read the rules before you buy and live somewhere else. To cast off every single HOA because somewhere there was possibly true story about working inside your garage???? I don’t make decisions based on internet stories and emotions.

 

[PugetDude]

I don’t make decisions based on internet stories and emotions.

What are you, some kind of freak?

 

[ArcReactorKC]

I don't think anyone particularly wants to pay just to be "told how to live". I also know that many HOAs exist solely to own, protect and maintain common areas like a park, private streets, pool or clubhouse. Many have almost no restrictions on individual homes. Some have only restrictions that many actually see as a positive such as basic guidelines on fences, livestock, setbacks, very large commercial vehicles. Those HOAs don't make interesting Reddit rants, so they just go on under the radar.

If people don't want to be constrained, Read the rules before you buy and live somewhere else. To cast off every single HOA because somewhere there was possibly true story about working inside your garage???? I don’t make decisions based on internet stories and emotions.

There is a slim percentage of people that really do want to be told exactly what to do. The bulk of them don't want all of us to live that way and they know they are in the minority. A very thin slice of that already small minority thinks we are all crazy because we don't want authoritarian rule.

I would venture that it is less than 1% of the American population that feels that way though.

 

[logical]

There is a slim percentage of people that really do want to be told exactly what to do. The bulk of them don't want all of us to live that way and they know they are in the minority. A very thin slice of that already small minority thinks we are all crazy because we don't want authoritarian rule.

I would venture that it is less than 1% of the American population that feels that way though.

My point was that most HOAs don't approach inflicting the level of control that makes internet stories or the gossip grapevine. If I am building a $1.5M 100% stone exterior home with a landscaped and maintained yard, yes I want it to be in an area where the neighbor won't be a double wide on a gravel pad with 3 cars up on concrete blocks and a firepit made from a tractor rim.

 

[PugetDude]

If I am building a $1.5M 100% stone exterior home with a landscaped and maintained yard, yes I want it to be in an area where the neighbor won't be a double wide on a gravel pad with 3 cars up on concrete blocks and a fireplace made from a tractor rim.

BTDT.
Never again.

 

[Skellyii]

My point was that most HOAs don't approach inflicting the level of control that makes internet stories or the gossip grapevine. If I am building a $1.5M 100% stone exterior home with a landscaped and maintained yard, yes I want it to be in an area where the neighbor won't be a double wide on a gravel pad with 3 cars up on concrete blocks and a firepit made from a tractor rim.

There is a development of McMansions that I know of, I've been in a couple of the homes and they are REALLY nice.

However, across he street from this development is trailer park, and not one of the good ones.

Not to dump on trailer parks in general, I've seen a few where EVERY lawn was mowed to perfection and every trailer and lot was extremely well kept.

This one wasn't like that.

 

[mike93lx]

My point was that most HOAs don't approach inflicting the level of control that makes internet stories or the gossip grapevine. If I am building a $1.5M 100% stone exterior home with a landscaped and maintained yard, yes I want it to be in an area where the neighbor won't be a double wide on a gravel pad with 3 cars up on concrete blocks and a firepit made from a tractor rim.

For me, it's not about how much control they happen to inflict.

It's about having the ability to inflict any control.

I would love my neighbors to not have a ****** yard, but I feel it isn't my place to control what their yard looks like.

Your analogy is absurd... You won't be building an expensive home like that in an area that has trailers and cars on blocks unless you are a fool. Part of buying a home is buying the neighborhood

 

[logical]

For me, it's not about how much control they happen to inflict.

It's about having the ability to inflict any control.

I would love my neighbors to not have a ****** yard, but I feel it isn't my place to control what their yard looks like.

Your analogy is absurd... You won't be building an expensive home like that in an area that has trailers and cars on blocks unless you are a fool. Part of buying a home is buying the neighborhood

Think again...if it's a row of empty lots, I care very much what the guy who buys next to me does. I have no desire to change your mind, but there is no way I would have bought several properties that I've built on or invested in without knowing what I might see next door. It impacts my home value. It doesn't mean cookie cutter developments, I wouldn't live in one of those regardless of HOA rules, but an empty lot among empty lots, a developer will attach at least basic restrictions if they want the best price.

 

[mike93lx]

Think again...if it's a row of empty lots, I care very much what the guy who buys next to me does. I have no desire to change your mind, but there is no way I would have bought several properties that I've built on or invested in without knowing what I might see next door. It impacts my home value. It doesn't mean cookie cutter developments, I wouldn't live in one of those regardless of HOA rules, but an empty lot among empty lots, a developer will attach at least basic restrictions if they want the best price.

Then I am very happy for you that you can live in an HOA

 

[logical]

Then I am very happy for you that you can live in an HOA

In a HOA? It's a neighborhood that has a few basic building restrictions, a private road, and an agreement defining those things.

 

[mike93lx]

In a HOA? It's a neighborhood that has a few basic building restrictions and a private road.

Call it whatever you want. Sounds like its the right fit for your needs.

 

[duneslider]

You don't have to live in an HOA to have protections for building and maintaining yards. Where I am the city handles that stuff. They approve plans and have fairly "strict" guidelines for building. We had to submit our plans to the architectural design committee (which I think was just one dude that makes sure the "look" is okay). There are posted city guidelines for yards and upkeep and if something becomes a problem the city does step in but I just don't see a lot of issues in the city. Guidelines do change in different parts of the city, but we don't get hassled if we forget to put our garbage cans away immediately, or don't get the lawn mowed on time.

 

[PugetDude]

You don't have to live in an HOA to have protections for building and maintaining yards. Where I am the city handles that stuff. They approve plans and have fairly "strict" guidelines for building. We had to submit our plans to the architectural design committee (which I think was just one dude that makes sure the "look" is okay). There are posted city guidelines for yards and upkeep and if something becomes a problem the city does step in but I just don't see a lot of issues in the city. Guidelines do change in different parts of the city, but we don't get hassled if we forget to put our garbage cans away immediately, or don't get the lawn mowed on time.

I'll take an HOA Board of neighborhood volunteers serving 2-year terms over an entrenched bureaucracy of career civil servants. If there is a power trip control issue, the former is an easy fix, the latter not so much...
As always, YMMV.

 

[duneslider]

I'll take an HOA Board of neighborhood volunteers serving 2-year terms over an entrenched bureaucracy of career civil servants. If there is a power trip control issue, the former is an easy fix, the latter not so much...
As always, YMMV.

And yet there seems to be a lot more posts about overbearing HOA's compared to cities? HOAs are still in cities and still have to follow city guidelines as well. There are also HOA's in my city and I hear complaints about those all the time yet not nearly as many complaints about overbearing city. Again, I am sure some cities aren't great but HOA's in general do not have a good rapsheet. I guess technically my neighborhood is a PUD and has CC&R's that we agreed to abide by when we purchased the lot, so the rules are all stated and enforceable but its not like they are changing them, or we are paying dues, or anyone is driving around handing out fines.

All I am saying is there are other ways than HOA's to keep neighborhoods looking good and giving protections to homeowners.

 

[Bunsen Honeydew]

My point was that most HOAs don't approach inflicting the level of control that makes internet stories or the gossip grapevine. If I am building a $1.5M 100% stone exterior home with a landscaped and maintained yard, yes I want it to be in an area where the neighbor won't be a double wide on a gravel pad with 3 cars up on concrete blocks and a firepit made from a tractor rim.

So, I'm thinking that you would be opposed to the place I saw the other day. The yard was fenced with half-buried upright tires, painted white.

 

[RalphInCA]

Your analogy is absurd... You won't be building an expensive home like that in an area that has trailers and cars on blocks unless you are a fool. Part of buying a home is buying the neighborhood

Not absurd.

There have been many many instances of people doing proper research, and building very nice homes only to have the neighborhood ruined by a single person.

 

[liliysdad]

My city doesn’t have an actual code enforcement department. When I built my shop, I submitted hand drawn plans proving I was within the setback limits, a lot restake, and a check. Never heard another thing. Never spoke to anyone, never had an inspection…just built a shop.

That’s about all the oversight I can tolerate, and even that is a bit much in my opinion.

 

[mike93lx]

Not absurd.

There have been many many instances of people doing proper research, and building very nice homes only to have the neighborhood ruined by a single person.

If that is a problem for you, make sure you are getting an association then. Seems easy enough to me

 

[PugetDude]

Not absurd.

There have been many many instances of people doing proper research, and building very nice homes only to have the neighborhood ruined by a single person.

Late 1990's, Spokane Washington. Living on 6+acres, had just finished a 4000ft2 custom home. 7+years of weekends, did a lot of the work myself.
Neighbor decided to put in an ADU for his Mother in law, the state had just passed over-arching regulations around ADU.'s. Of course he chose a F'n used double wide mobile home...and put it as far away from his house (he had 10 acres to work with) as possible, right outside my kitchen windows. She died a year later but the double wide is still there. Cost me over 100K on resale of my home, took over a year to sell in a good market..
No way I will ever take that chance again. No HOA is ever going to be as bad as that AHole.
Rant over.

 

[logical]

So, I'm thinking that you would be opposed to the place I saw the other day. The yard was fenced with half-buried upright tires, painted white.

It sounds lovely. I'm flattered that it made you think of me.

 

[liliysdad]

Late 1990's, Spokane Washington. Living on 6+acres, had just finished a 4000ft2 custom home. 7+years of weekends, did a lot of the work myself.
Neighbor decided to put in an ADU for his Mother in law, the state had just passed over-arching regulations around ADU.'s. Of course he chose a F'n used double wide mobile home...and put it as far away from his house (he had 10 acres to work with) as possible, right outside my kitchen windows. She died a year later but the double wide is still there. Cost me over 100K on resale of my home, took over a year to sell in a good market..
No way I will ever take that chance again. No HOA is ever going to be as bad as that AHole.
Rant over.

So there’s the root of the issue…


God forbid someone do what they want on the property they own and pay for. I bet he was just a perturbed at you for raising his property taxes.

I have a feeling I’d prefer him as neighbor. I dig some malicious compliance.

 

[PugetDude]

So there’s the root of the issue…


God forbid someone do what they want on the property they own and pay for. I bet he was just a perturbed at you for raising his property taxes.

I have a feeling I’d prefer him as neighbor. I dig some malicious compliance.

After reading a few of your posts, I am certain I would prefer him as a neighbor, too.

 

[InsanePyro]

If I can't take a leak off my porch I don't wanna live there

 

[LeonardY]

 

[Debcrow]

If I can't take a leak off my porch I don't wanna live there

If you had a better roof on your porch it probably would not leak?

 

[Skellyii]

So, I'm thinking that you would be opposed to the place I saw the other day. The yard was fenced with half-buried upright tires, painted white.

Wow!

I haven't seen that type of fence since the 60s!

Is it coming back in style??

 

[Bunsen Honeydew]

Wow!

I haven't seen that type of fence since the 60s!

Is it coming back in style??

Apparently. One would think different colors would be more trendy, however.
One of my neighbors has the ever popular raised tractor tire flower bed.
Other side of town, there's someone with both a pink and a blue toilet planter.
I lack such artistic flair. Mine uses boring land scape timbers.
I did suggest using our old toilets for porch furniture, but my wife shot that down.

 

[PugetDude]

I did suggest using our old toilets for porch furniture, but my wife shot that down.

Did she say "Urine idiot?"

 

[engineer2]

Our HOA does not control private property but there are some people proposing changes to the bylaws that would allow them to do so because some homes are starting to look run-down. This will cause turmoil. Some people take good care of their property and some do ZERO exterior maintenance. We have homes that have weeds instead of lawns, moldy siding, rotting trim that hasn't been painted in 20+ years, missing shingles, crumbling driveways, etc. In the last few years the village has done little code enforcement.

I suspect some people are unaware of home maintenance or are unable to do so for various reasons. Our neighbors are nice folks but I think they don't have the knowledge or extra money. Another shoddy home a block over is an old guy who is likely in no condition financially or physically to maintain his house. I also think some people keep their home looking shoddy in an attempt to keep their property taxes low. Our county has the highest property taxes in the USA.

 

[Debcrow]

I did suggest using our old toilets for porch furniture, but my wife shot that down.

How tacky!!!!!
however a old bidet would make a good lawn fountain. Just a suggestion.

 

[mike93lx]

How tacky!!!!!
however a old bidet would make a good lawn fountain. Just a suggestion.

 

[Bunsen Honeydew]

^^^ Now we're getting somewhere! I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Cairo94507]

I am not interested in spending my retirement time on an HOA Board. I did however recruit a new home owner for a vacant seat and he was "seated" earlier this month. That's me stepping up to help out the HOA.

 

[hoyt]

Read the minutes of the last few HOA meetings. That should clue you in to who the asshats are, if any.

 

[67carl]

California State Law states that it is “unlawful for any person to park a vehicle in the front yard area of any residentially used lot or parcel of land, except in a paved driveway”

You can rag all over California if you want, but I have no problem with that restriction. I occasionally see a car parked on a lawn if someone is washing it or has a lot of visitors. No problem with that, just don't want someone with a 2-car garage driveway and the garage is full of **** so they park 2 on the lawn and 2 in the driveway.

Parking is getting worse since they're encouraging ADU's to ease housing problems. Garages, if they were ever used before, are now disappearing.

Some friends purchased a new motorhome but kept their old one. Both are meticulously kept as is their house and yard. They recently got a visit from code enforcement and informed they were limited to only one in the driveway per residence.

While I'm loathe to give the mouth breathing nutters in other states ammunition to toss at California with their lame, halfwit unimaginative slogans, I remembered this story and thought it would be funny to show here. Not HOA, but a small city ordinance. All you Don't Tread On Me or ALL CAPS FRACK THE GUBBMINT folks, go wild!

 

[ArcReactorKC]

So we don't live in an HOA, or anywhere near one, we don't even live in the city limits.

Yet today I had a person from the county pull up to my front gate and then hit the call button asking to talk to the person responsible for the property. I assumed this was an assessor from the county but it would be a weird time to see them.

Oh no, worse than that, this was county code enforcement. They had received an anonymous tip that not only was I running a used car lot but it was an eye sore!
I opened the gate and let them up the driveway to the house. I showed them the back lot with the trucks and trailers parked all in a row. They couldn't cite exactly what ordinance or anything I was breaking and told me all they could say was that they suggest I "reduce the number of vehicles on the property" I politely told them to not return unless they had a legal reason to be here.


What is most infuriating is we keep everything in neat order there aren't vehicles haphazardly parked or trucks up on blocks. These things move on the daily. The only way to even see them is just as you drive by going westbound you could see the tops of the trucks over the crest of the hill midway back up the yard.

So somebody saw multiple trucks in my back lot that you cannot fully see from the road and called the damn county to complain about it. It can't be neighbors, it's wooded between us on three sides except for the street and the guy across the road is a cattle rancher who has more stuff on his property than I do.
I have to assume it was someone that recently purchased a home in the neighborhood that has just started to sell the houses.

Ridiculous that this even took time out of my day.

 

[Wrench97]

So we don't live in an HOA, or anywhere near one, we don't even live in the city limits.

Yet today I had a person from the county pull up to my front gate and then hit the call button asking to talk to the person responsible for the property. I assumed this was an assessor from the county but it would be a weird time to see them.

Oh no, worse than that, this was county code enforcement. They had received an anonymous tip that not only was I running a used car lot but it was an eye sore!
I opened the gate and let them up the driveway to the house. I showed them the back lot with the trucks and trailers parked all in a row. They couldn't cite exactly what ordinance or anything I was breaking and told me all they could say was that they suggest I "reduce the number of vehicles on the property" I politely told them to not return unless they had a legal reason to be here.


What is most infuriating is we keep everything in neat order there aren't vehicles haphazardly parked or trucks up on blocks. These things move on the daily. The only way to even see them is just as you drive by going westbound you could see the tops of the trucks over the crest of the hill midway back up the yard.

So somebody saw multiple trucks in my back lot that you cannot fully see from the road and called the damn county to complain about it. It can't be neighbors, it's wooded between us on three sides except for the street and the guy across the road is a cattle rancher who has more stuff on his property than I do.
I have to assume it was someone that recently purchased a home in the neighborhood that has just started to sell the houses.

Ridiculous that this even took time out of my day.

Or they had a drone.....