Good Experience With HOA (real estate, foreclosed, condo)

[annie7]

WE have been here a little over 2 1/2 years, and I just want to say how I love where I live. We moved to Ahwatukee, great location, walking distance to everything, and a park across the street...livin' the dream. The only thing is that when we bought our home, we did so with the idea in mind that we would knock out the outside wall going to the back covered patio, and close it in, thus expanding our dining room.

We weren't so sure if we had to get permission from the Neighborhood Association because this was in the back of our home, and really, there are no other homes that look into our back yard. It's pretty private. We decided to be up front about all of it and proceeded with hope. When we first turned in the plan it was rejected because there wasn't enough information on how we would do it, or even what we were doing. We decided to go to the next board meeting, after sending in a more detailed version of our plan.

There were about four guys from the HOA board, and us. They went over the plans, asked us all sorts of questions, and then, pretty much said "sure". They were very appreciative that we went to the meeting and said "thank you" several times. They said something to the effect of, "It makes our job so much easier..thank you for coming."

So, I'm writing all that to say that we are grateful that the plans were accepted and HOA's..at least ours, looks out for property values . I was really concerned that it would be a major hassle and we would have to go through so many hoops. Not so! We even asked them about putting gates on our front courtyard...they are antique (really beautiful) iron gates. They were fine and approved that too. Work will begin soon and I'm one happy home owner.

[IC_deLight]

You are on a social forum touting that you had to ask "board members" of a private corporation for permission to make changes to your own house. Exactly why do you think this had anything to do with "looking out" for your "property value" as opposed to training you to grovel for permission?

The board offers nothing but an unwanted opinion and pulled you into an "approval" process regarding your own property. The HOA corporation served only to be an impediment to the changes you wanted to make to your own house.

[caryberry]

It is wonderful that you have had a good experience with your HOA Board.

You have had a rare and unusual experience. Enjoy it while it lasts.

[Bummer]

Sounds like great news to me, Annie7.

Far too often people buy into an HOA and NEVER read the CC&Rs . . . NOT ONE WORD . . . and then wonder why they are at odds with the Board of Directors once in violation.

Bottom line . . . the CC&Rs are in force to protect everyone's investment and one of the Board's primary function is to enforce them.

As I have posted many times before if anyone does not agree with their HOA . . . GET INVOLVED.

Good Luck and enjoy the enhancements to your home.

[Burning Madolf]

Originally Posted by annie7

WE have been here a little over 2 1/2 years, and I just want to say how I love where I live. We moved to Ahwatukee, great location, walking distance to everything, and a park across the street...livin' the dream. The only thing is that when we bought our home, we did so with the idea in mind that we would knock out the outside wall going to the back covered patio, and close it in, thus expanding our dining room.

We weren't so sure if we had to get permission from the Neighborhood Association because this was in the back of our home, and really, there are no other homes that look into our back yard. It's pretty private. We decided to be up front about all of it and proceeded with hope. When we first turned in the plan it was rejected because there wasn't enough information on how we would do it, or even what we were doing. We decided to go to the next board meeting, after sending in a more detailed version of our plan.

There were about four guys from the HOA board, and us. They went over the plans, asked us all sorts of questions, and then, pretty much said "sure". They were very appreciative that we went to the meeting and said "thank you" several times. They said something to the effect of, "It makes our job so much easier..thank you for coming."

So, I'm writing all that to say that we are grateful that the plans were accepted and HOA's..at least ours, looks out for property values . I was really concerned that it would be a major hassle and we would have to go through so many hoops. Not so! We even asked them about putting gates on our front courtyard...they are antique (really beautiful) iron gates. They were fine and approved that too. Work will begin soon and I'm one happy home owner.

So did you ever find out if you actually needed HOA approval?

[Jkgourmet]

I'm with Bummer. All four of the homes I've owned were in HOA communities. Some were better run than others, but ALL of the communities benefited from the HOA.

This was especially noticeable when real estate collapsed in 2007-8 and there were so many foreclosed homes in every community. At least ours didn't have homes that looked like they were overgrown, weed junkyards.

[IC_deLight]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

I'm with Bummer. All four of the homes I've owned were in HOA communities. Some were better run than others, but ALL of the communities benefited from the HOA.

This was especially noticeable when real estate collapsed in 2007-8 and there were so many foreclosed homes in every community. At least ours didn't have homes that looked like they were overgrown, weed junkyards.

In other words the HOA corporation did not "preserve property values" as claimed....

[cully]

I was going to leave this alone but the last made me rethink. We lived in about 12 hoas, poas, tight neighborhood associations. Small, medium, immense to the point of being an entire city. Condo, townhouse, single family. Golf course, lakes, city streets, super modern contemporaries, grand historic mansions. In every one...not a problem. Issues, sure, but they were always smoothly resolved with normal thinking minds prevailing.

Until the last one. Likely never again. It just takes one.

And about the real estate collapse in 2008. The treasurer who had a stock brokerage and had invested the community's reserves refused to take them out and put in them in cds. 2008 crept up. Lost a ton. After that the board president didn't want him to take any out because then what they did would be found out because it would look worse on paper. Finally came back to what it was but it could have been so much better had no money been invested in the stocks of that stock broker treasurer.

A lot of research is needed. Even then, sometimes you just cannot safeguard against those who operate in secret.

[Burning Madolf]

Originally Posted by cully

I was going to leave this alone but the last made me rethink. We lived in about 12 hoas, poas, tight neighborhood associations. Small, medium, immense to the point of being an entire city. Condo, townhouse, single family. Golf course, lakes, city streets, super modern contemporaries, grand historic mansions. In every one...not a problem. Issues, sure, but they were always smoothly resolved with normal thinking minds prevailing.

Until the last one. Likely never again. It just takes one.

And about the real estate collapse in 2008. The treasurer who had a stock brokerage and had invested the community's reserves refused to take them out and put in them in cds. 2008 crept up. Lost a ton. After that the board president didn't want him to take any out because then what they did would be found out because it would look worse on paper. Finally came back to what it was but it could have been so much better had no money been invested in the stocks of that stock broker treasurer.

A lot of research is needed. Even then, sometimes you just cannot safeguard against those who operate in secret.

What state did this happen (broker investing reserves in the market)?

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by Burning Madolf

What state did this happen (broker investing reserves in the market)?

Good question, BM . . .

Sounds like a huge No No (aka: Criminal Offense) here in Arizona and probably most states.