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As a side note, I'm sick of people treating houses like a stock market investment. I'll paint my mailbox dayglow orange if I please.
So you wrote a cash check for your home and didn't borrow anything to get in?
Or do you really mean "I'll paint the bank's mailbox (for the next 15-20 years) dayglow orange if I please"?
I would prefer that the covenants be gone, too but I would consider that after reading the documents and determining if the covenants are reasonable in my opinion. No junk cars or chain link fence in the front yard I could deal with. Getting permission to plant flowers in my front yard, etc. - no.
I cannot recall ever living anywhere that someone tried to tell me not to plant flowers in my front yard. What sort of crazy people did you live near before?
I have always lived in HOA neighborhoods, with a couple of brief exceptions, and nobody ever cared what flowers we planted. They might care if we suddenly decided to plant an invasive species in the back yard (bamboo, anyone?), but really, that's just common sense.
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This is good info, I'm looking at buying my first house (as a single person) in about a year, and like OP I want nothing to do with an HOA. Going to build a shop building, a fire pit, a big deck, a big garden, and probably buy a fixer-upper and do a lot of work myself. (I should add that it will all be permitted work, my dad was a homebuilder and remodeler for many years, so I learned from the best).
As a side note, I'm sick of people treating houses like a stock market investment. I'll paint my mailbox dayglow orange if I please.
And... funny enough, I've seen homes in HOA neighborhoods with ALL the things you describe.
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I cannot recall ever living anywhere that someone tried to tell me not to plant flowers in my front yard. What sort of crazy people did you live near before?
I have always lived in HOA neighborhoods, with a couple of brief exceptions, and nobody ever cared what flowers we planted. They might care if we suddenly decided to plant an invasive species in the back yard (bamboo, anyone?), but really, that's just common sense.
Actually, in the Phoenix and Tucson areas, restrictions on flowers are not a rare provision in the HOA rules. The reason is specific: The community is entirely landscaped with desert landscaping, and planting pansies would certainly look out of place. In those communities, if you want flowers, you plant a flowering cactus.
Other than those really specific, particular areas, I've not seen that many restrictions in HOA documents either. And I've lived in four of them, and openly admit that I would not be likely to buy a house that is NOT in an HOA.
FYI, some older neighborhoods have voluntary HOAs whose intentions are social and political (e.g. influencing the city on rezoning and transportation issues). I live in such a neighborhood. Dues are only $20 per year, and the only consequence for not joining is no admission to certain events. There are restrictive covenants in this neighborhood, but the HOA is not the enforcer.
I cannot recall ever living anywhere that someone tried to tell me not to plant flowers in my front yard. What sort of crazy people did you live near before?
I have always lived in HOA neighborhoods, with a couple of brief exceptions, and nobody ever cared what flowers we planted. They might care if we suddenly decided to plant an invasive species in the back yard (bamboo, anyone?), but really, that's just common sense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jkgourmet
Actually, in the Phoenix and Tucson areas, that's not a rare provision in the HOA rules. The reason is specific: The community is entirely landscaped with desert landscaping, and planting pansies would certainly look out of place. In those communities, if you want flowers, you plant a flowering cactus.
Other than those really specific, particular areas, I've not seen that many restrictions in HOA documents either. And I've lived in four of them, and openly admit that I would not be likely to buy a house that is NOT in an HOA.
I overheard from a superintendent in Bella Casa that they made a couple of people remove banana palms from the front yard.
Flowers, not so much, but trees are sometimes strictly regulated.
I overheard from a superintendent in Bella Casa that they made a couple of people remove banana palms from the front yard.
Flowers, not so much, but trees are sometimes strictly regulated.
Agreed - especially when garden maintenance is included in the HOA fee (like we have here at Regency in BCCC, and what exists at Del Webb properties). For example, we are not allowed to plant weeping willows.
Seriously, I'm expected to hand over half a million dollars for a house and I can't have the mailbox I want. Or a fence. Or have my kids or elderly parents live with us because they have cars? No thanks. I am a reasonable person and plan to have a well maintained, tasteful house. But it will be my idea of tasteful.
I cannot recall ever living anywhere that someone tried to tell me not to plant flowers in my front yard. What sort of crazy people did you live near before?
I have always lived in HOA neighborhoods, with a couple of brief exceptions, and nobody ever cared what flowers we planted. They might care if we suddenly decided to plant an invasive species in the back yard (bamboo, anyone?), but really, that's just common sense.
I have read probably close to a hundred HOA documents in the past few months and I have read the requirement for "permission to plant flowers, flower boxes or trees" numerous times. Of to remove a tree, even it was diseased and in danger of falling without permission. I have read that you are not allowed to back your car into the driveway. But my favorite may the the one that had to approve your patio or deck furniture even if you backed to the woods and no neighbors could see said furniture. And if you don't comply, $50 - $100 a day fine which if you don't pay, a lien will be placed on your home.
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