HOA vs HOME MECHANIC

[ajchien]

And, I too am astounded by the number of people who buy homes in areas where a HOA is present and then refuse to abide by the rules. .

I just moved into a HOA area. No one was willing to let you have a copy of the HOA rules until you've closed on the house.

I dont like HOAs at all.

Seems like mine is semi-reasonable though. Except for the monthly fee of $165.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I just moved into a HOA area. No one was willing to let you have a copy of the HOA rules until you've closed on the house.

That seems pretty odd.

 

[outdoorspace]

Our Mail boxes on my street kept getting taken out by plow trucks and a lot of my friends work for the state and say they have challenges to see how many they can knock down. Luckily there is a telephone pole in my front yard and I was able to put the mail box up directly next to the pole so it never gets knocked over.

 

[SH7mi]

I live in SE Pa. And it would be extremely difficult to find a newer development without an HOA. My wife and I bought our property in a development with an HOA in 1992, we built the house in 1996. We read and understood the rules before we bought, we were ok with them, they seemed to be reasonable and not too extreme.
For Example:
No clothes lines visible from road
No figures of bent over people weeding
No boats, RVs, or non-running vehicles in driveway
No visible antennas
No oil drilling rigs (ha ha, this one made me laugh)
There are many others I can't recall but the problem... Some of the original owners were exempt from certain rules like antennas due to the fact cable was not yet available. The problem now is these owners still have these antennas erected, which I really don't care about but when the HOA has an issue with me I bring these other exemptions up.
I do think the HOA helps keep property value.

 

[rice rocket]

I live in SE Pa. And it would be extremely difficult to find a newer development without an HOA. My wife and I bought our property in a development with an HOA in 1992, we built the house in 1996.

Does it look like this?

Housing developments in general are not my style at all, cookie cutter homes make me feel like I'm in an insane asylum.

There's no reason to live in a development. Older home, older neighborhood with some character please.

 

[NorDel Garage]

The breakaway mailbox idea does not flush. Perhaps we should have " breakaway" trees,and drain culverts ,light posts,telephone poles,etc. We can install guard rails on every street in America, on the chance that someone leaves the road. I also live in a HOA neighborhood,but it is cool and we pay $80 a year for snow removal , so its livable.

It is a small neighborhood ( 50 homes) and everyone takes care of their property.

I finally got on a HOA thread, whats left? COO , HF vs. SO ,vs. Craftsman ,and of course

pvc air lines. Kenny

 

[EricP]

My home is in a covenant (aka HOA) neighborhood with reasonable rules but we will probably move to a bigger home in a neighborhood that is more restrictive, e.g., pickup trucks must be parked in the garage overnight, fences must have brick columns every 12', no boats/campers/trailers etc. parked in the yard. My boats, tractor, trailer, bush hog, etc. won't be allowed. So in order to keep my hobbies and the wife happy we bought a small lot in the county 10 minutes away where I'm building a workshop/garage.

This gives me the best of both worlds. That being a place to store my stuff along with a dedicated workshop closeby while living in a neighborhood whose value is protected by covenant restrictions. A 10 minute ride is all I need to go from house to shop and it removes many distractions I had in my two-car garage while being seven times larger. My homeowners policy fully covers the building and the contents as an "off premises structure". The cost of the small lot was far cheaper than buying a bigger lot in town. If you can find a resonably priced piece of land near your home I recommend looking into this option.

 

[Trey T]

That depends; I live next a development built in the 90s with craftsman style look. It's not high-end craftsman style like some other area in Houston costing 0.5-1mil$, but it's no cookie cutter. Again, it depends.

I don't know about new development but I like older homes with big trees.

Does it look like this?

...


Housing developments in general are not my style at all, cookie cutter homes make me feel like I'm in an insane asylum.

There's no reason to live in a development. Older home, older neighborhood with some character please.

 

[Hybridss]

I dont care for HOA's but I do actually live in one. However this particular HOA adopted regs that basically mirror the county regs. My HOA can not currently levy fines so they typically take care of bad neighbors by relaying persistent complaints to the county. One such incident was a nasty house that had its septic tank come up to be visible after some severe flooding. They didnt seem to mind and it took the county to enforce the repairs.

My HOA lacks any teeth. Our dues are about 120 a year and most of that pays for upkeep of one common area and the lakes. One good lawsuit would drain the HOA coffers and render it even more impotent. So they have to pick battles wisely.

So in this case I dont mind it at all. I would like to keep a boat in the yard though.

 

[SH7mi]

Does it look like this?

Housing developments in general are not my style at all, cookie cutter homes make me feel like I'm in an insane asylum.

There's no reason to live in a development. Older home, older neighborhood with some character please.

That pic is definitely Tim Burton ha ha. The nice feature of our development is it had multiple builders of houses, there may be three sets of two or three houses which are similar of the 45 total in our development. Our home is unique because we built it. The main requirements for the house were square footage minimum not much else.

 

[Danver]

Our Mail boxes on my street kept getting taken out by plow trucks and a lot of my friends work for the state and say they have challenges to see how many they can knock down. Luckily there is a telephone pole in my front yard and I was able to put the mail box up directly next to the pole so it never gets knocked over.

The county road commission here takes out quite a few mailboxes around here over the course of a winter. Their policy is that if the mailbox or post was directly hit with their equipment they will replace whatever is damaged. But if the damage was done just from the heavy snow hitting it as it was thrown to the side from the plows then they aren't responsible.

I used to listen to their radio traffic on the scanner after storms and the drivers were pretty good about it. If they thought they actually hit a box the would report it to the supervisor to come check it out.

 

[justin1795]

we moved into a hoa about a year ago. I don't have any complaints really. I asked them about my garage they had a few small concerns that were easy to correct and made it more appealing. our hoa is responsible for the water. the roads and the garbage. we pay 275.00 every 6 months. I feel its more that reasonable. we also have a rv lot we can park trailers ect... it really set good with me because the last thing I wanted in my driveway was a 26 foot trailer. almost every contractor that has come here has commented on how nice the neiborhood is. there are a few people who still refuse to pay there dues. I would like to tell them to drill there own well if they feel the cost is to much.

 

[4x4_G30_Sportvan]

Read this article today, and yhought of this thread.

Vandalism spree targets HOA board members

Not something I would do, but I understand why he would do it.

PS, I don't live in a HOA. I have Nat'l forest on 3 sides.

 

[Shoester]

Biggest gripe I have with our HOA is their setbacks that are far above and beyond those of the city ordinances.

 

[cstreu1026]

The moral of the story is read everything you are signing and if you can't get a copy of the rules and regulations before buying that should be a HUGE red flag. For those that say they don't like being told what you can can't do with your property, if you live in an area that has building codes, zoning regulations, etc. then you are already being told what you can and can't do with your property.

I guess we are fortunate to be able to buy a home in a neighborhood where there is an HOA, no two homes look a like, and the rules all seem reasonable. I read the restrictive covenants before making an offer on the house. I have no issue with the HOA as long as the rules are enforced evenly and fairly. Now the house are moving out of, there is little to no enforcement of the rules and as a result the neighborhood is on a slow but steady decline.

 

[jaye944]

This guy would have a HO

HOA? What's that?

 

[volleyball]

I wonder if you could not get a copy of the rules then how could you be forced to abide by them? Or go to a closing and refuse to sign?

 

[Stuart in MN]

I wonder if the HOA cares about people beating dead horses in their driveway?

 

[autolex]

For the giggles... (repost i'm sure)

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3880087-So-my-Audi-got-booted-and-this-is-what-I-m-going-to-do-about-it....discuss

 

[lynnbilodeau]

I just moved into a HOA area. No one was willing to let you have a copy of the HOA rules until you've closed on the house.

I dont like HOAs at all.

Seems like mine is semi-reasonable though. Except for the monthly fee of $165.

For anyone considering moving into a neighborhood with an HOA, you don't have to wait for someone to give you the CC&R's. They are on file at, usually with the county clerk or the court house (varies from one state to another). Before you closed on the house, you had an inspector check it out right? Why not get a copy of the rules and check them out?

Sorry, but this is your own fault.
Not defending every HOA. Sure, there are some that are unreasonable with a Gestapo mentality. However, no one put a gun to your head and made you buy into that particular neighborhood.

HOA's can serve a valid purpose. Most folks don't want to live next door to bubba and family who park 3 cars in the yard and have a couch sitting in the yard. Sure, if you are on 40 acres and you can't see bubba's house, you might not care. But not everyone can afford 40 acres.

Many small bedroom municipalities have codes and ordinances which are just as restrictive (sometimes more) than an HOA would be. Again, do your homework and check out the HOA or city ordinances BEFORE you buy into the neighborhood.

 

[DekeT]

For anyone considering moving into a neighborhood with an HOA, you don't have to wait for someone to give you the CC&R's. They are on file at, usually with the county clerk or the court house (varies from one state to another). Before you closed on the house, you had an inspector check it out right? Why not get a copy of the rules and check them out?

Sorry, but this is your own fault.
Not defending every HOA. Sure, there are some that are unreasonable with a Gestapo mentality. However, no one put a gun to your head and made you buy into that particular neighborhood.

HOA's can serve a valid purpose. Most folks don't want to live next door to bubba and family who park 3 cars in the yard and have a couch sitting in the yard. Sure, if you are on 40 acres and you can't see bubba's house, you might not care. But not everyone can afford 40 acres.

Many small bedroom municipalities have codes and ordinances which are just as restrictive (sometimes more) than an HOA would be. Again, do your homework and check out the HOA or city ordinances BEFORE you buy into the neighborhood.

Please don't bring this level headed, logical, succinct, and to the point post to the GJ. It spoils all the fun for the chest beaters.

 

[clkimmel]

In Virginia if you are selling a home in a HOA development, you have to provide a copy of the rules etc. to the buyer. Years ago we sold a "single family condo' and had to pay the property management company something like $90 for a copy fee so they could give us a binder full of crappy photo copy pages to give to the buyer. We couldn't just give them our copy. What a joke.

The house we just bought doesn't have a HOA, but a civic league. We didn't even know it existed, but I had borrowed a freinds trailer to use when moving in and I had it out beside the direveway for a couple of weeks. The civic league sent us a letter letting us know that we couldn't have a trailer out front. What pissed us off so much was that they knew we were just moving in and not once did anyone knock on the door and say something in person. When we talked to someone in person and explained, everything was fine.

 

[Trey T]

lol ... he's a grown man with a brain; gotta give him that!

Please don't bring this level headed, logical, succinct, and to the point post to the GJ. It spoils all the fun for the chest beaters.

 

[volleyball]

If only there was a HOA with rules to say that you have to give up your self important uppity **** and live like a normal human being. Maybe worry about your stuff as much as you do others.

I don't get maintaining housing value thing. If you have to spend $10k a year to make your house worth $2k more, how is that value?

 

[Wuaname]

In Virginia if you are selling a home in a HOA development, you have to provide a copy of the rules etc. to the buyer. Years ago we sold a "single family condo' and had to pay the property management company something like $90 for a copy fee so they could give us a binder full of crappy photo copy pages to give to the buyer. We couldn't just give them our copy. What a joke.

The house we just bought doesn't have a HOA, but a civic league. We didn't even know it existed, but I had borrowed a freinds trailer to use when moving in and I had it out beside the direveway for a couple of weeks. The civic league sent us a letter letting us know that we couldn't have a trailer out front. What pissed us off so much was that they knew we were just moving in and not once did anyone knock on the door and say something in person. When we talked to someone in person and explained, everything was fine.

Trailer sitting out front for a couple of weeks? I too would've complained. It only take a day to unload the trailer. I think that would b reasonable.

 

[rice rocket]

The house we just bought doesn't have a HOA, but a civic league. We didn't even know it existed, but I had borrowed a freinds trailer to use when moving in and I had it out beside the direveway for a couple of weeks. The civic league sent us a letter letting us know that we couldn't have a trailer out front. What pissed us off so much was that they knew we were just moving in and not once did anyone knock on the door and say something in person. When we talked to someone in person and explained, everything was fine.

The point of these organizations is to be passive aggressive.

 

[OutLore]

Honest question....

If you're not given a copy of the regs/HOA rules/whatever before closing, how can you be bound by them? I would assume that you can only be bound by a contract that you've signed and therefore you can only sign if you have it in front of you?

 

[Zippercat]

The restrictions usually "run with the land" meaning that if you bought the land, you bought it subject to those restrictions. If you got title insurance you should have received a document called a Commitment, which will list all of those items that are exceptions to clear title, such as utility easements, HOA restrictions, etc.

 

[Jvvmusme]

Ignore the HOA
Dont pay attention

 

[Fishplate]

Ignore the HOA
Dont pay attention

Yeah, sure. Then try to sell your house with a lien on it. That'll work...

 

[TheOtherChris]

Unfortunately I see this a lot. People buy property all the time without making sure it will serve their needs/wants. They "assume" they know what they're getting.Th3y don't read the title report (or don't get one at all) they don't read the terms of their loan, they don't check with P & Z to see if they can build their dream shop or house addition, they just buy the shiny house/land and THEN find out about the gotchas they voluntarily agreed to. When you buy in the development, you agree to let the HOA run a portion of your life. It doesn't matter if you didn't know that every structure has to be approved by the busy body committee or that they now deem your hobby to be an "objectionable activity.

I will never give my neighbors that much control over my life.

 

[Nophix]

My first house was purchased in an area that became an HOA a few years later. Basically, we were the only house aside from the farm house next door. Farmer died, kids sold the land all around us to a developer. We had 5 acres that were originally part of the farm, but sold off and built on by the family years prior, then sold to me.

I built a nice shop, 60*80. Everything was paved well, no projects sat outside.

HOA tried to get me to sign an agreement and pay HOA dues. Got a lawyer, told them to pound sand or buy the house.

I had fun messing with the yuppies the next couple years. Don't get me wrong, I kept my place very nice. But, my roommate had a z71 on a HUGE lift. Show truck, lots of chrome, but huge. HOA rule said all pickup trucks had to be in the garage, they were considered eye sores. It didn't fit.

I cut my grass exactly 1/2" taller than required. Hey, I like a soft lawn.

They actually told me I would have to remove the shop, as no non-connected garages were allowed. Nope, sorry, I'm grandfathered out.

My favorite was the fence. I put up a very nice wood fence, like you would see around a horse pasture. 6" back from all lot lines. This way there was no question where their authority ended.

Made them real happy when they figured out I was still zoned AG, and they couldn't do a thing about it.

I made money on that house when I sold it, and it was still grandfathered.

 

[Steve in Louisiana]

I am thinking of starting an HOA, with one rule:
EDGE YOUR ******* LAWNS!! All of my neighbors let their damn grass grow all over the sidewalk, don't kill weeds in their driveways, or in the sidewalk cracks, and generally have yards that LOOK LIKE ****!!
None of them apparently have any pride at all in their homes.

What if you actually like the grass over the edges, gives it a country look. Looks great on a curved driveway. I agree with the no grass in the cracks . . . Although I did put those reflectors like on the highway along both sides, so now I have to trim so I can see them at night. Looks great, yellow driving in and red going out.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Honest question....

If you're not given a copy of the regs/HOA rules/whatever before closing, how can you be bound by them? I would assume that you can only be bound by a contract that you've signed and therefore you can only sign if you have it in front of you?

Perfectly valid question. In most jurisdictions the seller is not required to give you a copy of the cc&r's (personally, I believe it should be REQUIRED to furnish an UP TO DATE copy of what is on file at the county). However, they ARE required to disclose the existence of the HOA, and in most cases, indicate the amount of yearly dues.

That is the key. Part of the legal description of the property will state: "subject to easements and restrictions of record." That (of record) is legalese which means it is recorded with the land clerk (county clerk most places, but court clerk in some). Either way, it is public record and it is up to the purchaser to get a copy and read them.

 

[6768rogues]

I don't like HOAs and I don't like neighbors, so I have neither.

 

[memphisnate]

Can we add a "Complain about my HOA" sticky in one of the forums?

 

[dsp1]

I don't like HOAs and I don't like neighbors, so I have neither.

Amen to that!

I meant to go lurking around the tool forum as usual and made the mistake of clicking on this thread and getting sucked in. For those of you who willingly live in developments, neighborhoods, etc, do you really enjoy having people living on all sides of you, or do you feel like you have to live there because you didn't have any other option? I only ask because ever since I was a little kid I can't stand being around groups of people for more than a couple hours and am genuinely curious. I currently live on an 80 acre farm in PA and have as many old cars/trucks/tractors/boats on the property as I deem necessary. Gunshots are regularly heard throughout the day(target shooting) and sometimes the night(elimination of pesky critters) and are considered normal. You can build whatever you want, cut whatever you want(on your own property) and if I want to let the front yard grow into a two foot tall pasture, so be it. With the size of the yard and the cost of gas, I cut the grass short enough in the summer so that it browns out and use commercial grass killer in the ditches, around fence posts, wood piles and equipment. I would much rather spend what little free time I have doing things I greatly enjoy than f*cking with the damned grass. I am sure there are those of you who have no problem spending thousands on zero turn mowers and thousands more on lawn fertilizers, watering and chemicals. For those of you, I think it's safe to say I'll never understand you and you'll probably never understand me and that's fine. It's your property, do what you want with it(except for those of you who have a HOA). I don't care that the farmer down the road has a big pile of scrap and spare parts in his yard, it's HIS yard, not mine. I just greatly prefer personal freedom over trying to maintain high resale value. For those of you who don't, I say the following with the utmost sincerity: Please do not ever move out into the country and start telling the people there how they should live.

 

[Danver]

Trailer sitting out front for a couple of weeks? I too would've complained. It only take a day to unload the trailer. I think that would b reasonable.

Maybe I am misinterpreting what "next to the driveway" meant, but I was picturing on the property, parallel to the driveway. I can't imagine why I would ever even notice this with one of my neighbors, let alone feel that it should be any of my business at all.

Now if there was a trailer parked in the street not attached to a tow vehicle I might grumble a little bit if it blocked my visibility getting out of my own driveway.

 

[Gerald O]

You know.. HOAs are actually a racket pushed by realtors and house flippers who only see every neighborhood as their potential cash cow. The thing that matters to them is raising and maintaining market value with sales-brochure perfect neighborhoods. They don't plan to live there and raise generations of family, they intend to sell for a profit and move on to the next property.

Real life is a bit gritty--enjoy it.

 

[skippy24]

For those of you who don't know the rules of the HOAs before you purchase the property, my advise to you would be to get better real estate agents. I live in an HOA and I knew exactly what I was getting in to before I even made an offer on the house. I had a copy of CC&Rs, understanding of the amount of dues, etc. once we had an interest in the house. At signing we had to initial each page of the CC&Rs in front of a witness at the title company. there is no excuse for not knowing the rules when you buy a property.