Problem with Homeowners Association (mortgage, house, buyer) - Arizona (AZ) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

sablebaby · 05-31-2007, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatbowtie

I have an issue with an HOA telling me to remove a Barb B Que that I have on my patio. My question is, is there anyway out of removing the Bar B Que? What happens if I ignore the notices? When it comes down to it, what type of "Actual" penalties could I get besides a fine?

Thanks for your help

Yeah, they can take your house from you. Or something like that. I forget what they call it, but it's part of your house. When you bought your house you agreed to the CC&R's (the HOA rules). It basically says that you have to keep to the rules or you can't live there. It can get serious.

cedarhills · 05-31-2007, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkonert

My HOA is charging me "Violation Fee" as they say there are weeds on my property. If there are any weeds I remove all promptly. It all started back in November when they send me violation notice and direct me to remove all weeds. When I tried calling HOA to find out what weeds they have in mind I could only leave a message after message. In the meantime I received second and third notice to pay the fine of $25.00. I gave up. I just paid that along with quarterly HOA fees. In February I received notice of violation and it was marked as "Second Notice" and demand to pay $50.00. My wife called and left message as I was in Europe. A Manager called her back and inform my wife that she will not be discussing any details with her as her name is not listed on the statement. After I returned to US I called HOA myself. Again I had to leave a message and couple of days later that same Manager called me only to say that she will check into it to see if I truly paid that violation already. 2 weeks later I received "Third Notice" and demand to pay $50.00. Today I received statement for new quarter charges plus $50.00 twice. I don't know where to look for help. I was told that HOA can charge all they want and you have no rights as there is no governmental agency to look up for you. Does anybody know anything about that?

Renee

I'd get busy talking with neighbors and see if they have similar problems. If so then get together and vote out the current board. Then you can hire the management company that will return phone calls and listen to the customer. This is only way to defeat overzealous HOA boards.

Magnum Mike · 05-31-2007, 09:32 PM

If you have rocks in your yard, spray the weeds with vegetation killer like Ground Clear. With all the money you paid for fines, you could have gotten a landscaper and they would have taken care of the weeds before they became a problem.

I don't care for HOAs they are a waste of money.

azloafer · 06-01-2007, 10:15 AM

It was against our HOA CC&R's (for the past 21 years that we have lived here in Green Valley) to have a "for sale" sign visable on our property, except during an open house. The Governor just signed into law a statute that allows a "for sale" sign to be on the property anytime and even in HOA areas. This is a shock to many in our area because they think that it makes a neighborhood look bad if too many houses are "for sale" within a couple of blocks. I can see both sides of the issue, but I accept the law as it is. This is a BIG change for Green Valley with its 35 home owner associations!

AZ91 · 06-01-2007, 07:06 PM

HOA's are completely unnecessary. It's the city's way of passing services, that they should be responsible for, to the tax payer. It's a double whammy. You pay taxes to the city, and you pay HOAs dues to perform the same services that the city is suppose to perform.

cedarhills · 06-02-2007, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ91

HOA's are completely unnecessary. It's the city's way of passing services, that they should be responsible for, to the tax payer. It's a double whammy. You pay taxes to the city, and you pay HOAs dues to perform the same services that the city is suppose to perform.

Some HOA homeowners have nothing better to do with their time than to play "I spy" on their neighbors and turn them in for minute things like measuring their car bumper to see if it was a few inches over the sidewalk when parked in the driveway as a "handicapped" person (none who lived in area by the way) would have to go around it. Sound ridiculous. Actually happened a lot of times in a subdivision I used to live in. Some make sure the yard decorations are not the wrong color. Some measure height of your grass and shrubs. Some turn you in for not shutting your garage door or not having it down no more than 18" from the floor. And on and on. Read your CC&Rs before you buy and put in your purchase contract you can cancel the contract if you disapprove of the CC&Rs within 5 days after receipt or something like that.

azloafer · 06-02-2007, 08:49 AM

I have lived in HOA areas for 21 years and have never heard of the crazy things that are mentioned here. I suspect some people just do not like any rules and make up a lot of silly stuff to make HOA's sound bad. These same people would have you believe that they bought a house and didn't know the area was governed by a HOA! The law says that you have to be informed of the CC&R's before you buy. If you don't like to live in an area governed by CC&R's then go elsewhere! Why buy there and then complain???

cedarhills · 06-02-2007, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azloafer

I have lived in HOA areas for 21 years and have never heard of the crazy things that are mentioned here. I suspect some people just do not like any rules and make up a lot of silly stuff to make HOA's sound bad. These same people would have you believe that they bought a house and didn't know the area was governed by a HOA! The law says that you have to be informed of the CC&R's before you buy. If you don't like to live in an area governed by CC&R's then go elsewhere! Why buy there and then complain???

Yes...they sound crazy...and the people policing their neighbors must be also. Apparently you haven't lived in a few of the HOA subdivisions I personally know about as these things really really really happened and yes, they knew about the rules and did everything to keep them. Just can't deal with one or two very nosy and picky neighbors who feel they are the local police. And yes, they moved because of the constant harrassment and not because they didin't like HOAs. Who gets out of their car to measure the car bumper because the driveways were cut so short by the developer, not even a Camry could fit without just a few inches extending out to the sidewalk. Forget it totally if you had a standard pickup. I know of one person who bought a beautiful flower pot but because it was plastic and not clay, a nosy neighbor turned them in for a violation. You could not tell it was plastic unless you walked up into their yard and examined it closely. It looked like clay from street and was filled with plants. That really happened too. Another neighbor was away and their shrub grew a few inches higher that the allowed height--guess what happened? Another legally parked their vehicle by curb as it was a pickup that extended a foot over the sidewalk because of the short driveway and it was one of those sloping curves where it was easy to be up on the edge of it a little and not know it....that's a violation and they got a warning ticket about "parking on the curb". It's one thing to be informed of the HOA and another thing to deal with a neighbor who is constantly watching everything you do, even though you have no intention of violating any rules. When you buy they give you CC&Rs 2 inches thick to read and you're supposed to remember everything in it???? Now I realize you're not in one like that but they do exist. And you don't know it's like that until you buy and move in as no one tells you about the nosy neighbor who is making their life miserable which is probably why they were selling. You can read the CC&Rs all you want to, but you can't read human nature....I can name the subdivision and street if you'd like to live in a place like that.

azloafer · 06-02-2007, 03:13 PM

Maybe I am just lucky that I have not had any problems that you have had. That's too bad that you have neighbors like that.

Jason_Els · 06-02-2007, 03:41 PM

I abhor the idea of HOAs. To me they're simply an excuse for everyone to feel good about themselves because all their neighbors are just like they are. It's like that Twilight Zone episode, "Number 12 Looks Just Like You."

What can, and does happen, is that if you offend a neighbor or your neighbor takes a dislike to you for your color, religion, kids, your car, a perceived slight, or anything else, then you essentially have someone who is going to make your life a costly living Hell. It's legalized harrassment.