Don't good fences make good neighbors? (Dayton, Xenia: real estate, house, neighborhood)

[MilMom6]

So I've been stalking real estate listings for the Dayton area and I noticed many (?most) listings don't seem to have fences. This seems very odd to me because everywhere else I have lived fences are pretty much a given, even with low end properties.

What gives? Is this a cultural thing and fences are seen as low class? (I mean, fences in front yards here are considered low class and the HOA's ban them so maybe you guys have just generalized that sentiment to all fences?)

Do HOAs there commonly ban fences--would I be prevented from installing one?

Is it that the lots are so much larger around there that fencing isn't economically feasible? Is it all that snow somehow makes fences impractical? (I've never lived anyplace it snowed so I don't really know.)

How can you keep a dog without a fenced yard? I have enough problems with people letting their dogs poo in my front yard. I'm kinda horrified about the neighborhood dogs having unfettered access to my back yard, too. Yuck!

Thoughts??

Thanks!

[joe from dayton]

I've been living in this area off and on since '75 and fences are relatively uncommon. We put one up in our back yard to keep our dogs in. You'd be surprised at the people who apparently just put their dogs out to crap in whatever yard they want to before they head back home. Actually, I lived a in greater Cinci for a number of years and fences were uncommon there as well. I never really thought about it.

[SWOH]

Agreed that fences are not common. Then again, I also see few wandering dogs.

I can't think of a reason why other than expense. It costs upwards of a couple thousand dollars to fence a back yard.

The only other reason I could think of would be if you move to a newer community - many of the 2000 or later build communities have smaller yards, and fences may be prohibited simply because building one would make it hard for your neighbor to walk around the side of their house to their back yard. Also more recently places like Carriage Trails are going for the open neighborhood vibe, so less to no emphasis on private yards, and instead a small yard is provided in a community with a lot of open shared space.

But MilMom6, if you're going for a fence and a property does not have one I can't imagine it would be a bad idea to require the seller to buy and put in a fence according to your specifications before you move in as part of the terms of sale.

Good luck!

[IDtheftV]

I grew up in the Midwest and think of fences as a western thing and possibly a southern thing.

When I moved to Albuquerque, I felt the same way in reverse.

I think you better figure on a fenceless yard in your future.

[dxdtdemon]

I think that you are overestimating the proportion of people who have dogs, and probably don't realize the concept of the invisible fence. There are also some people who have part of their back yard fenced in a way that you can't really see well from the front.

[MilMom6]

You are partly correct, dxdtdemon, in that although I have heard of invisible fences I have zero experience with them because we always had real fences.

IDTheftV, that sounds about on target! (When in Rome...). I grew up in the South and now live in the West so I suppose that explains it.

I guess I will chalk it up to cultural differences. Maybe I can plant some rapidly growing trees and make something of a living fence.

[dxdtdemon]

As long as you don't live in Xenia, Oakwood, or some historic district, zoning people will usually allow you to build one, and even in those three places, they'll allow some kinds of fences.

[RDriesenUD]

Originally Posted by MilMom6

So I've been stalking real estate listings for the Dayton area and I noticed many (?most) listings don't seem to have fences. This seems very odd to me because everywhere else I have lived fences are pretty much a given, even with low end properties.

What gives? Is this a cultural thing and fences are seen as low class? (I mean, fences in front yards here are considered low class and the HOA's ban them so maybe you guys have just generalized that sentiment to all fences?)

Do HOAs there commonly ban fences--would I be prevented from installing one?

Is it that the lots are so much larger around there that fencing isn't economically feasible? Is it all that snow somehow makes fences impractical? (I've never lived anyplace it snowed so I don't really know.)

How can you keep a dog without a fenced yard? I have enough problems with people letting their dogs poo in my front yard. I'm kinda horrified about the neighborhood dogs having unfettered access to my back yard, too. Yuck!

Thoughts??

Thanks!

We have very few fences in my neighbordhood and I have never seen dogs in someone elses yard, unless they have gotten loose. People have invisible fenses or walk their dogs (most). Funny you ask this, because I had someone visiting from California and they loved that we didn't have fences. Thought it looked better and made people seem more inviting.

[IDtheftV]

Worst fence:
-------------
Those pre-fab vinyl slabs in bright colors. They look cheap and detract from the neighborhood from anyplace they can be seen. People living in the countryside seem to really love these since they can fence along 100's of feet of fence line relatively cheaply. After completion, they have a hideously ugly fence that can be seen and detested for miles away.

Here is an example . The picture doesn't do justice for how obscenely bright it is.

I think it's the color choice that is the biggest nastiness. Yup, an 8' tall brilliant white vinyl fence delimiting a yard in the middle of an area with no fences. It's just nasty.

In Oakwood ( mentioned above ) lots of people use hedges as property line markers. They can really be nice with a mix of a tree, flowering shrubs, leaves that change color, etc.

[Wilson513]

Most Ohio cities has zoning prohibitions on front yard fences. Either setback requirements, or materials. There is nothing that says lousy neighborhood better than a chain link fence along the front yard property line. Should be banned everywhere.