Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Let me preface by saying we LOVE our dogs, and make tons of decisions based on their needs. Our house is on the market, we got an offer, countered with a provision that we find suitable housing within a certain time period, and they agreed We are gobsmacked that they agreed!
The problem is, we can't find a house that's good enough for us , with a yard that's good enough for our dogs! Some of the neighborhoods only allow invisible fencing, so that's out. I trust our dogs not to leave the yard, but I don't trust them not to attack other animals or even a child who could come into our yard and bother them.
I like the whole HOA thing because it prevents junky cars, kids out at night, parking on the street, etc, but I am also concerned it could bite us in the butt if someone complained about our dogs barking. These are some seriously strict HOAs!
We thought about building but the only neighborhood where we'd be interested in building limits # of pets to 2! We only have 2 dogs now, but I would be open to having 6 dogs in the future And if they ever invent a medicine to mitigate my allergy to cats without making me sleep all day, we'd probably have more pets!
Oh, and we're also looking for ranches or first floor masters because our dogs are getting older. On the other hand, the dogs aren't going to pay the mortgage!
For the pet lovers - how did you strike a balance? Are we the only crazies who are considering pets (present and future) when buying a house?!
We are the same exact way! We haven't put our house on the market yet because we are having difficulty finding what we like. And our new house needs are truly based upon our dogs. We won't live in a neighborhood with invisible fences. We too only want a ranch style home. In the area we want to live and the acreage we want most of the home are two stories. We don't like dog limits either since we help out with fosters here and there and are up to 3 personal dogs. We want a yard with plenty of trees and a mostly private lot...seriously we think we are going to have to build to get what we want. All this being said, you are not alone!
I have to tell you, we lived in two previous neighborhoods with HOAs with zero issues but in our current neighborhood, the president is a little Napolean --
It is HELL.
The neighbors are nice but it is so bad that I actually send the board a letter saying NOT to send me nastygrams about a caregiver for my handicapped mother parking in the street because every single member of the board is in blatant violation of the architectural covenants (its ok for the 'special' people and architechtural violations are much more long standing than someone helping out with a sick 80 year old lady) and by everyone's standard we have improved, not depreciated our property. (FWIW, I discussed the situation with my neighbors and they are fine - they are just so delighted we have grass and trimmed shrubber as the previous owner left the yard a shambles)
We thought things were going to be ok because the neighborhood "looked great" when we bought but the covenenants were NOT being enforced to the "t' - There is no way we would have bought our house had we known about the change in board direction.
I live rural on 10 acres and I don't think I could ever live in a SD with HOA. Yah I have some neighbors down the road who use kitchen and bathroom appliances for yard art and have way too many cars. But I'd prefer that and my freedom to do what I want when I want on my property.
HOA's are designed to maintain property values of many people living close together. This requires a certain level of conformity among homeowners.
Those wanting to transcend the requirements dealing with animals or business have two options: 1) fight city hall, 2) go to an area zoned to accept the activities you desire.
Most neighbors would no more accept a yard of six dogs than they would 1 cow, 2 goats 1 dog and 2 chickens. It does not conform to the standards established prior to the subdivision completion.
I'm all for "non-conformity" as I think people need to return to backyard gardens/chickens and keeping farmland as green spaces rather than building more golf courses. When one cannot find such areas in suburbia it is time to move out of the HOA. Remember that you do have to be able to tolerate and accept your neighbors non-conformity in non-HOA areas.
Good luck, and I'd say if you want 6 dogs stop wasting time looking in suburbia and be willing to move out of town for the lifestyle you want. With foreclosure and low interest rates this is the best time to fund/purchase small acreage.
We're in contract on a house with a first-floor master and a somewhat private yard with a patch of woods. Our dogs will like it. The house also has things the DH and I wanted! It is in a neighborhood with an HOA, but we can live with the restrictions.
I think the majority of HOA board members are the geeks who got picked on in high school, and now they want to feel powerful. I am sort of like GrannyNancy in that if the HOA president or board members try to say anything to us about anything, I will give it right back to them.
I would probably take it a step further than she would, since I will be at their house with my ruler to determine if their grass exceeds four inches, and I will send them certified letters about any violations they have, including a tent sent up overnight so their kids can "camp" in their backyard, if necessary.
I will follow the rules and mind my own business and I really don't expect anything to happen. In neighborhoods without HOAs you can still have PITA neighbors. At least the HOA will keep the neighborhood looking nice.
Just wanted to say that my DH and I were the same way. We were moving from a one bed room and we really wanted to provide a nice big yard for our furbaby. We ended up in an older neighborhood, w/o HOA, and it's wonderful. We searched several places before deciding, and this is the only house we felt was good enough for Mic. It has an acre and a half!! I think Mic and any other fubabies that come along will be happy here for a long time.
Good luck with your house!!
Congratualtions dogmomof2 for finding the home your 2 legged and 4 legged family members all will enjoy! Hope the timing in the sell/buy transactions all work out well for you.
I read your thread too late.
My answer... MOVE TO THE COUNTRY.
That's what we did. WE LOVE IT !!!
You sound just like Hubby & I. Our kids come first. Kids as in DOGS. We wouldn't & never had the 2 legged kind of kids. We are strictly & only dog parents. Thank you... but I am spayed. LOL... and Very proud of it.
Living in the country... is peaceful, quiet, beautiful & the dogs just LOVE it . We wouldn't live anywhere else. Never-ever a subdivision again. Nobody will ever tell us anything negative about our so-called bad dogs (Rotts).
The last 14 years of living in the country is pure heaven.
Nearest neighbors are1/4 mile away.
PLUS country people are true & friendly & when we moved in every neighbor from a mile away, welcomed us. Brought not just a pie or a cake or a casserole, but when we moved in that day, they all showed up at the same time with a full feast. We all sat around & ate & got to know each other.
It was so sweet... we will never forget it.
Plus... they all like the dogs.
I hope your home you found is everything you & your pups want. & need.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are gobsmacked that they agreed! 
, with a yard that's good enough for our dogs! 
Some of the neighborhoods only allow invisible fencing, so that's out. I trust our dogs not to leave the yard, but I don't trust them not to attack other animals or even a child who could come into our yard and bother them.
And if they ever invent a medicine to mitigate my allergy to cats without making me sleep all day, we'd probably have more pets! 
