Anyone not like HOA's? (Charlotte, Asheville: appliances, house, upkeep)

[poodlecamper]

Girl---I would also suggest you check with the police about noise ordinances. And report them. Jeez---the parents must be beauties to allow this. We had a similar Sunday afternoon episode of garage music---turned out the Mom wasn't home. That never happened again. I get on my husband if he's blaring the radio when he's working in the garage--inconsiderate to the neighbors. In the summer, there'll be the occaisional rowdy party, but no one gets upset, because it's not a "regular" thing. But if someone were constantly waking up my children, I don't think I'd be too nice about it.

[VaVet96]

We live under an HOA. On the positive side - The community has a lot of public areas, (lakes and parks and other "green" areas). They do take good care of those. And I have to side with them when they enforce parking restrictions. We have narrow streets, and any vehicle parked on the street creates a real problem, especially when school buses come through.
On the negative side, the "Nanny attitude": I had just moved in when they demanded I get the neighbors approval for a basketball goal that was here BEFORE I moved in. The previous owner had blown them off and they were making up time on my nickel. The neigbors just laughed and signed off fortunately. They even send you a note if you forget to close the gate on the side of your house for a few days. It's also hard to take when they demand you get their approval for any color change on the outside of your house. It's usually not a problem getting the approval, but it's annoying just the same.
So why did I move into a neighborhood with an HOA when I clearly don't care for them? The house was a repo that we got for a killer price. Made more in instant equity on this place in 1 month than I'd made on other homes in five years. For that, I can put up with the HOA.

[ALowe]

HOA aren't that bad if you have a board and a management company that don't take advantage of it. For insteants, I live in in a deveopement with HOA and the board and Mgt. Co. abuse the covenants and raise dues as they please! HOA has been in effect for a little over a year and they have already doubled our dues! According to article 5/section 3 of our covenants they are suppose to go by the CPI and if theywant to raise it more(special assessment) it has to be voted on by the owners but we didn't have any say so whatsoever and they doubled or dues! So to say, we are in a big uproar about it andthe board pretty much laughs in our face about it. Does anyone know if there is a set rate that they can raise dues by legally? I would appreciate any info and on paper if possible, TY ALowe

[MB2]

No HOA, thank you!
We had them in PA, when we lived up there. Get this, the "rule book" was/ still is, as thick as the yellow pages. You pay for your mortgage for 30 years, but they will tell you, what you can and can not do with your property and house. I one incident, they had the neighbor across the street take the christmas decorations down from the front yard (Frosty and Santa inflatables), because they were to "tacky" and big. (They had younger children, mind you!)
And, how "dare" those neighbors NOT to ask the board first, if they were ok to put up
Our guards at the gate were sleeping most of the time (for 7 to 8 dollars an hour, I would get that much needed sleep in too ), and best thing, we had a restaurant with a liquor license (public). So, technically, they had to allow everyone coming into the gates, because that restaurant was public, due to that license!!!
No clothes hanging, period. No pools allowed, period. No fence allowed period. Bushes, tress, shrubs and flowers had to be approved by the board. No painting of the house, unless approved by the board....and the list goes on and on and on. The only thing they didn't do was pay my mortgage, but telling me what to do with my house and property.
HOA.....NO THANK YOU!!!!!

[southernlady5464]

We looked at houses with and without them. Just happened to find one without them.

With that said, we currently live in a community with them. And there are some GOOD things about them. We live next to the *idiot* neighbors who would bring property values down if it weren't for them. Last item on the long laundry list of stupid things they have done was have a Rott mix that was attaching the kids in the neighborhood. Before that was stealing others trash cans, playing loud music at 3AM, selling drugs, etc. And our county does NOT have a noise ordinance but our community DOES so the police HAD to respond to the call about the music. The music was so loud, you could hear it thru TWO sets of closed windows. theirs AND ours.

In our soon to be new neighborhood, we will have to pay for trash pickup. In our current one, trash pickup and snow removal (WE NEED IT) is included.

Whichever poster said READ them was the smartest one. Sometimes they are in place and not very restrictive, some are and not worth living with. Liz

[cakeprincess]

Well, I have experienced living in a home without HOA in FL. We went through bad times there, from trashy neighborhood to noises. We've experienced seeing our neighbor created a huge soda cans landfill in his backyard and jet-skiing on the road after the hurricane. It was nuts. We had a hard time selling our home because the area around us wasn't too pleasant to see. Mostly eye-sore.

Now, we are living in HOA community here in Clayton. We like it, but there are some rules that anger my neighbors, like:

1. No wooden fences. Must use vinyl. Mean more $$$.
2. No pool allowed.
3. No yard sale without permission.
4. No business sign on/front of your house if you own a home business.

Those are few examples that we have here. Other than that, I'm pleased where we are living at right now. The place looks cleaner and quieter. Our house value has been going up, which is a good thing.

[silverwing]

Originally Posted by poodlecamper

Girl---I would also suggest you check with the police about noise ordinances.

Towns typically have noised ordinances, an unincorporated area - you might be up a creek, as I found recently. We live on a spread of acreage; our across-the-road-neighbors are probably 300 yards away; but they play music loud enough for us to hear in the bedroom with a fan and a window AC going. I checked into the ordinances and found that the town has one but the county does not - which is where we live. I called the police, who said they could come out but really expect the non-incorporated people to settle that sort of thing themselves. I've already asked them very nicely to turn it down once. That lasted one summer. This year they're back to cranking it up. I'll be asking them one more time ("people move out to the country for the peace and quiet") then I have my counter-arsenal ready: bagpipe music

[Asheville Native]

There was a bit in the paper where the snobs that move into the gated community of Biltimore lake (which has always been called Enka Lake, but I guess doesn't have enough snob appeal) pay $1400,00+ a year so some committee of snobs can rule your life.

It is amazing how easily fools will hand in their freedoms, and even to a HOA, who's boards are made of people with the secret desire to throw their weight around.

[smalltownusa]

I understand unattractive trucks or cars "parked" on lawns, pet enclosures, barking dogs, unattended garbage cans, and the like. But clotheslines? I've hung my clothes forever and it's not for the electrical savings. It's for the lovely smell and softness if it's a semi-windy day (actually, preparing to hang my duvets out today with some new towels)....I feel sorry for people who are so Stepford-like that clothes lines are considered a threat to their home value. Re-evaluate your priorities folks........

P.S. my HOA-like neighbor sheepishly asks a couple times a summer if she can hang some blankets/sheets on my line...I indulge her with my "told you so" smile firmly in place LOL

[CampingMom]

We've been looking into relocation in a few areas. We visited one HOA and it turned us right off. Where I am in Upstate NY, they are starting to sprout up. But we grew up here when it was mostly farm land. We decided that we'll look for a piece of property-at least 3 acres and not in HOA. I couldn't live with someone telling me what color my house has to be, how many cars(we've got a antique car and a camper), etc. It might work fine for some, but I keep my place neat and clean now, why do I need someone over my shoulder watching me? If I can't cut the grass one day because I have a errand that has to be done and I can't til the next day-no one will write me up for it.