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I am sorry. That is on you. You agreed to join a group and follow their rules and didn't bother to find out those rules until after you joined? Then you go around and call them Nazis (which is a horribly disrespectful thing to do).
No matter how you look at this issue Xanathos, you bear responsibility.
Did I ever state that it wasn't? Did I one time state that? No, of course not. Ultimately, I ended up selling the house, because following 620 pages of someone else's idea of utopia was ludicrous and amounted to me not owning my own property. No piece of white trash who sold their 2 bedroom trailer in California for 3 million dollars, decided to move somewhere where the houses are cheaper, and then wanted to play it off like they've always been refined is going to tell me what I can and can't do with my land.
MY POINT IS that there really should be homestead limitations on just what an HOA can force on landowners as opposed to leaving the door open for some Nazi (yes, it's an appropriate term) who's going to be on my lawn at 5:20 in the morning with a ruler to determine if my lawn is at the requisite 1/2" height or if it's at 5/8" (acknowledgment to "Over the Hedge" for the pop culture reference).
As to me? Now I just refuse to purchase any house with deed restrictions. My property, my money, my kingdom. One of the biggest selling points to the house I recently purchased was that it was grandfathered from the HOA that formed up around it. First time they approached me about signing on (not 12 hours after I moved in), I politely said no. Second time they approached me (with the rest of their little HOA board to provide some intimidation, and not 3 days after I moved in) I told them if they came to me a 3rd time that I was going to create lawn art of a wide-scale battle with lawn gnomes on one side and stone frogs on the other, complete with trebuchets, catapults, a moat, and various other atrocities. Haven't heard from them since. Just like it should be.
I don't need some "association" to mow my lawn for me. I'm perfectly capable of pulling up dexonline on my own and hiring Hose A and Hose B to mow my lawn, plant my flowers, pick up my dog's crap etc. . I don't need access to some clubhouse - I've got enough square footage in my house to where 15 people could live comfortably, and only myself and my girlfriend live here. If I want an exercise room, I'll convert one of the many empty rooms. I don't give a rat's ass about a playground, because I don't have kids. If I want to put up a 15 foot tall privacy fence so I don't have to put up with the nosy lady next door trying to spy on me, that's my business. If I want to put in a basketball hoop over the garage, that's my right. If I want to paint my house a tasteful color which has the unfortunate result of not matching the 7 colors every other house in the neighborhood is painted, well, that's why I bought the land. All an HOA represents to me is an extra bill I've gotta pay every month and another person trying to tell me what I can and can't do in my own home, and if I ultimately decide I don't like it, I can't even get out of it. That's an even worse deal than those cell phone/cable companies that try to lock you into 2 year contracts and then charge you termination fees if you decide you don't want to do business with them anymore. Screw that bag.
Last edited by Xanathos; 01-09-2011 at 05:04 AM..
Reason: grammar cleanup
How far should the homeowners association be able to go if you're a member and legitimately lose the ability to pay your fees because of job loss?
HOA agreements are legal contracts and can be enforced like any other contract. If you can't pay, don't move there.
On the other hand, it would make sense for the HOA to talk with the delinquent members and work out a delayed payment plan. That might be a win win solution.
All an HOA represents to me is an extra bill I've gotta pay every month and another person trying to tell me what I can and can't do in my own home, and if I ultimately decide I don't like it, I can't even get out of it. That's an even worse deal than those cell phone/cable companies that try to lock you into 2 year contracts and then charge you termination fees if you decide you don't want to do business with them anymore. Screw that bag.
Obviously, you should avoid HOA neighborhoods. And maybe all long term contracts.
Have you ever wondered why the phone and cable companies have you sign a 2 year contract??????? I'll give you a hint. It's because they gave you a free (or almost free) phone and have to recover their investment.
Obviously, you should avoid HOA neighborhoods. And maybe all long term contracts.
Have you ever wondered why the phone and cable companies have you sign a 2 year contract??????? I'll give you a hint. It's because they gave you a free (or almost free) phone and have to recover their investment.
Yes, and I instead pay 500 dollars for the phone and take the cheaper month-to-month term which doesn't force me to stay with them for 2 years (and end up paying over $1200 for the phone once you factor in cost differential). Cable companies have no reason for the 2 year commitments, btw.
It is less than reasonable the remarks I have read written by intelligent people concerning this subject.
It makes sense to me that 1-HOA's were established to aid property owners with maintaining the property values by enforcing common sense rules and regulations. Obviously if we require a association to accomplish what common sense and consideration would do, it doesn't speak very well for our society in general.
I'll take the association with all their warts before I will allow a wrong minded rambo to depreciate the neighborhood. We already have considerable property depreciation brought on by rambos of another stripe, if you know who I am referring to.
2-Some HOA's don't do a very good job enforcing regulations--in some cases on all volunteer staffed HOA's this is deliberate because some in power actually resent the restrictions themselves. Those who moved there because they desired the restrictions are left in an unjust situation by these Benedict Arnolds who also should not have moved there in the first place, let alone hold office on the HOA board.
There is much to discuss on this subject--that it will remain controversial is a given, IMO.
Well, me too, but that seems to be a general conception of many.
That's your misguided perception. (or a silly dig) It doesn't make it true.
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