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This may sound harsh, but in my opinion HOA are just plain 'ol un-American. The last thing I want to do is pay a fee so my neighbors can decide what color I can paint my house, or what size fence/shed/swing-set/trees I can have. I once lived in a development that had one, what a scam. The kids movie "Over the Hedge" does a great parody of them.
I think it's great to be involved in your community, however imposing your collective desires onto anyone is contrary to "Life, Liberty and the persuit of Happiness".
my .02
This may sound harsh, but in my opinion HOA are just plain 'ol un-American. The last thing I want to do is pay a fee so my neighbors can decide what color I can paint my house, or what size fence/shed/swing-set/trees I can have. I once lived in a development that had one, what a scam. The kids movie "Over the Hedge" does a great parody of them.
I think it's great to be involved in your community, however imposing your collective desires onto anyone is contrary to "Life, Liberty and the persuit of Happiness".
my .02
ROFL ^5 hinton reminds me when I went to look at a condo 1 br townhome called blue ridge in medford ny.
I saw the weekly newsletter berrating a laundry list of complaints about residents. No plants may extend beyond your balcony rail, no pinwheels in potted plants on your balcony, no american flags can be displayed near your door, you must move your vehicle from your assigned parking space every five days or it will be towed, and anyone late paying their bridge tournament fee will be expunged from all functions of the clubhouse. Those were the complaints from management, the residents had their own list of complaints. All this for the priviledge of $200k sticker and $500 month maintenence!
I didnt walk, I ran! hahahaa
I'll bet this thread poster isn't dealing with that level of ICK, but once that over do it legislation trend starts, it never quits. That's the thing to worry about. If folks are responsible for themselves, and respectful of one another, thats when HOA works best.
Ahhhh, Harborlady! A girl after my own heart! You've hit the proverbial nail on the head- IF FOLKS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEMSELVES! As a society we've ceded our "responsibility" to government. HOA's are the same thing on a smaller scale.
We moved from a community with a HOA and I too am in Falling Waters with a HOA. HOA's are only as good as the people running them. I myself like the idea of my neighbors not being able to put their cars up on blocks in the front yard. Some are stricter than others. The main purpose is to keep the community looking nice and uniform, with that said I don't think that all the houses should look the same. The HOA that we came from the board picked on who they wanted, stupid things were complained about some but others were allowed to do as they wished. I don't think our association here is really up and running yet even though they already had the rules. We looked over them before purchasing and there didn't seem to be anything that we couldn't deal with.
HOA's are only as good as the people running them.
That's exactly right, and not just HOA's, but anytime you have an organization. UN, PTA's, church counsels, neighborhood watch... it doesn't matter what the org is, when peeps lose sight of the purpose of the org, things turn rotten in a hurry. I make no exception for our government.
I think whomever winds up leading, whatever org it is, its a full time job keeping folks on point. It's as if meetings become a vent for every psychological issue folks have from childhood. Watch the UN in session on CSPAN, and I swear, I'd love to put bubble captions above their heads, because grown men suffering from sibling rivalry on an international scale is just too absurd!
Folks abuse orgs by vying for power, competing with one another for esteem when they need to be cooperating with the mission at hand, spending more time judging others than minding their own yard, and generally look for trouble by enforcing the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law.
You see a car on blocks, I see someone who lost their ability to get around trying to figure out how to fix it. Someone else sees an impecablly manicured yard, I see a slave to appearances. My grandmother has an area rug in her house that I hate- I look at it and I'm convinced she'll trip on it and break her hip. It's her house, her life, I spoke my peace, the rest is on her. She's been paying her own bills for 86 yrs and has no use for me bossing her. Much love, just the same.
Folks who want HOA's, bless them if they're truly happy, because I wish everyone were happy. It's just when they use it to abuse others who are different from them, that's when my dander kicks up.
I know myself enough to say I certainly don't belong in an HOA. But thats me. I love my freedom too much to sacrafice it in deference to the whims or values of the Jones's. I'll blame it on grandma
We are building a gated community in the center of Shinnston, WV.
When it is finished it will comprise 100 homes. Those home prices begin at 300k and will end at 700k.
It is located on level land and we are leaving all the trees that can stand.
We gated the property because it is an extension of the city main street. We were finding the local teens hot rodding their cars on our private streets and the city police refusing to cite them because of the land being private property.
When we gated the one side of the property, we noticed a stark reduction in soda bottles and beer cans and other debris.
In talking to the homeowners already there, they expressed their desires for their community and we wrote them down and made those covenants a part of the sales contract. It has been a positive thing for everyone.
The rules do not seem overdone.
It's like a meeting of the minds of an issue and the best ideas were implemented...the decision about the streets...they wanted them private...without direct public access...
and that's what they have.
Hello everyone,
I am on the BOD for my HOA located in Falling Waters and I wanted to shared ideas lessons learned etc.. with the community .
Lesson #1 DON'T JOIN AN HOA!!!
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different drummer
