Why I want to live in HOA/restricted land is good (lake, houses)
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I always wanted to avoid HOAs and land with covenants and restrictions.
To avoid those nosy types that want to tell you how your shed should look like your house, aesthetic guidelines and other regulations.
I've looked for unrestricted land, which gets harder and harder to find these days and is more valuable. But now I think my next house should be in HOA and land should have covenants/deed restrictions (my neighbors land too). Not the micromanaging type of HOA/subdivision which regulates every aspect of your property but something rural, with few and reasonable restrictions.
Why should I agree to have restrictions on my land?
1) The nutty people let their dogs run all over other people's properties a lot in unrestricted areas and feel like they're entitled to this. This can create problems for any of your own animals and get them killed. This can chase game off your property. I also don't want to be harassed by dogs on my property, woken up by a dog barking by my window nightly, etc. Not to even mention any liability that might arise if their dog bites a guest or worker on your land.
I might have to shoot their dog in pursuit of my animals and then I possibly have to deal with revengeful nutjob owner and bringing cops upon them. Or I have to deal with animal control and haul the dog off to the pound.
I want to have HOA to deal with these unsavory types who don't respect other's properties.
Or, at least, to have subdivision deed restrictions to give me legal instrument to protect from dogs at large, since only few states have this written into law.
2) I don't want people dumping unsightly piles of junk, trash, construction materials from their business and whatever, in common sight, or ruining my view, and burn these toxic junk piles. This is normally banned through covenants.
3) I don't want dilapidated, collapsing abandoned mobile homes next to me, especially if they're looking like meth lab explosion aftermath. This is not allowed by covenants, usually. These things look like a horror movie.
4) Don't want to have noisy business next to me. If it's a discreet business, like someone working online, that's fine, but something like a welding, carpentry, auto shop, junk yard, a lumber mill, furniture business, pig farm, etc, no thanks. HOA covenants usually prohibit business activity. If someone runs discreet (no parties) short term rental with 1 guesthouse, it's fine, but if they want to run a campground or party houses...that's a no. Quiet enjoyment of one's property is what covenants usually protect.
5) Setbacks for construction should be met to avoid blocking view and unsightly situations, thanks to covenants, if parcels aren't large or you might find yourself staring into 4000sq ft metal shop wall one day.
6) HOA often provides common services like water coop, road clearing, common lake/pond, that's nice to have.
Overall, as much as I wanted unrestricted land before I think I'm now a big fan of HOAs.
I'm also a woman living alone, and being from Europe I got foreign accent even though I moved decades ago (and people often don't like "outsiders") - thus I have extra safety concerns in case of dispute with a disrespectful neighbor who's violating my peaceful enjoyment and don't want to worry about them damaging my house, property, shooting me, etc - I like the idea of HOA as a legal entity being on my side, or at least the law being on my side due to covenants.
With unrestricted land you can do almost whatever you want...but your neighbors can do the same, and not all are going to be respectful of everyone's right to peace, quiet and safety on their own property.
HOA do have their problems...but got to say they do more good than bad overall, to think of it.
HOAs seem to get very bad rap...but yet there're so many of them and most new land on the market has covenants and restrictions. This is good and helps to preserve the nice character of the area.
Castlelake, I totally agree and get what you’re saying. HOA’s are looked at with suspicion but in the right circumstances, can save you from all the headaches you mentioned.
I’ve been amazed at the equine communities with sensible restrictions, yet allowing residents to have a good amount of freedom. It’s down to reading the covenants and liking them or not. An HOA that forbids everything you brought up, while allowing you to keep chickens, is a win win.
Ain’t it great that, here in the U.S. at least, we can live wherever we feel comfortable
There is no way this side of Hades and back that I would ever live in an HOA environment. Yeah some of the neighbor dogs occasionally escape home and may or may not end up staying with me until their humans get home.
Dogs don’t get shot on this road — we try to find their owners or call Animal control at the least.
Just think, there are city dwellers in small apartments who are perfectly content with their lifestyle and think you’re the crazy one for living in a place in suburbia where you’re told your mailbox must be a replica of your house
Ain’t it great that, here in the U.S. at least, we can live wherever we feel comfortable
There is no way this side of Hades and back that I would ever live in an HOA environment. Yeah some of the neighbor dogs occasionally escape home and may or may not end up staying with me until their humans get home.
Dogs don’t get shot on this road — we try to find their owners or call Animal control at the least.
Just think, there are city dwellers in small apartments who are perfectly content with their lifestyle and think you’re the crazy one for living in a place in suburbia where you’re told your mailbox must be a replica of your house
Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
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When my spouse was in college we had a condo in a large, well run HOA community. The mgr. and Board walked the property weekly. Monthly meetings open to all. Everything was kept A-1.
After that we had two non HOA homes. Constant issues in both places. Dogs, crime, low life's, noise, parties. Last house had a meth head move in across the street and he CUT DOWN a 100' high Eucalyptus tree with a SAWZALL! Then used it to cut up cars in his driveway! Seriously. Took 3 years to finally get them arrested and removed.
After that we moved into an upscale HOA that on the surface appeared really well run. Then we found out how badly mismanaged it was. The Mgr failed to collect over $50,000 in arrearages, and destroyed most of the records when they got fired. The new company is slightly better.
In AZ the HOA laws have been decimated to the point they are nearly unenforceable anymore. They can't foreclose, we have properties that owe the HOA $30,000 EACH and no way to collect until they die or sell. It's just a mess.
It seems most people moving into HOA's want everything perfect, but they don't want to obey any rules. Makes you wonder why they bought there in the first place. HOA's are for people willing to follow simple rules. And for people who have CONSIDERATION for others.
My advice - REALLY investigate every aspect of an HOA and anywhere rural you want to live. As we've discussed here before there are two kinds of people living in rural areas. Those who want peace and quiet and are wonderful neighbors, and the folks who cannot live around polite society.
Thinking back I was happiest living on my yacht. If we didn't like something we could pull up the anchor, hoist sail and go someplace else. But even there - one time we were anchored clear out on the Bahama Banks, 50 miles from nowhere, with a small island about a 1/4 mile away. Paradise. Right at dusk this gigantic motor yacht with lights strung like a cruise ship powered up and anchored like 200 feet away!
They had the entire freaking ocean to anchor in. But they had to go right next to the only other boat from horizon to horizon. We raised anchor and moved about a mile away. Place was lit like a Christmas Tree all night. At about 5 am we got up and motored past them about 50 yards away and I lit off our FOG HORN and held the button down until the air tank ran out!
I always wanted to avoid HOAs and land with covenants and restrictions.
To avoid those nosy types that want to tell you how your shed should look like your house, aesthetic guidelines and other regulations.
I've looked for unrestricted land, which gets harder and harder to find these days and is more valuable. But now I think my next house should be in HOA and land should have covenants/deed restrictions (my neighbors land too). Not the micromanaging type of HOA/subdivision which regulates every aspect of your property but something rural, with few and reasonable restrictions.
Why should I agree to have restrictions on my land?
1) The nutty people let their dogs run all over other people's properties a lot in unrestricted areas and feel like they're entitled to this. This can create problems for any of your own animals and get them killed. This can chase game off your property. I also don't want to be harassed by dogs on my property, woken up by a dog barking by my window nightly, etc. Not to even mention any liability that might arise if their dog bites a guest or worker on your land.
I might have to shoot their dog in pursuit of my animals and then I possibly have to deal with revengeful nutjob owner and bringing cops upon them. Or I have to deal with animal control and haul the dog off to the pound.
I want to have HOA to deal with these unsavory types who don't respect other's properties.
Or, at least, to have subdivision deed restrictions to give me legal instrument to protect from dogs at large, since only few states have this written into law.
2) I don't want people dumping unsightly piles of junk, trash, construction materials from their business and whatever, in common sight, or ruining my view, and burn these toxic junk piles. This is normally banned through covenants.
3) I don't want dilapidated, collapsing abandoned mobile homes next to me, especially if they're looking like meth lab explosion aftermath. This is not allowed by covenants, usually. These things look like a horror movie.
4) Don't want to have noisy business next to me. If it's a discreet business, like someone working online, that's fine, but something like a welding, carpentry, auto shop, junk yard, a lumber mill, furniture business, pig farm, etc, no thanks. HOA covenants usually prohibit business activity. If someone runs discreet (no parties) short term rental with 1 guesthouse, it's fine, but if they want to run a campground or party houses...that's a no. Quiet enjoyment of one's property is what covenants usually protect.
5) Setbacks for construction should be met to avoid blocking view and unsightly situations, thanks to covenants, if parcels aren't large or you might find yourself staring into 4000sq ft metal shop wall one day.
6) HOA often provides common services like water coop, road clearing, common lake/pond, that's nice to have.
Overall, as much as I wanted unrestricted land before I think I'm now a big fan of HOAs.
I'm also a woman living alone, and being from Europe I got foreign accent even though I moved decades ago (and people often don't like "outsiders") - thus I have extra safety concerns in case of dispute with a disrespectful neighbor who's violating my peaceful enjoyment and don't want to worry about them damaging my house, property, shooting me, etc - I like the idea of HOA as a legal entity being on my side, or at least the law being on my side due to covenants.
With unrestricted land you can do almost whatever you want...but your neighbors can do the same, and not all are going to be respectful of everyone's right to peace, quiet and safety on their own property.
HOA do have their problems...but got to say they do more good than bad overall, to think of it.
HOAs seem to get very bad rap...but yet there're so many of them and most new land on the market has covenants and restrictions. This is good and helps to preserve the nice character of the area.
I'd never live in a subdivision. County ordinances are far less intrusive. My nearest neighbors is a half mile away. They're very -pleasant people. Subdivisions, with multiple rules, restrictions, and other interfering behavior are for those who can't afford better properties.
y
Virtually everyone here has one or more dogs as well as other pets. Rescues are common. You'd hate it here. I'd hate being your neighbor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Normashirley
Ain’t it great that, here in the U.S. at least, we can live wherever we feel comfortable
There is no way this side of Hades and back that I would ever live in an HOA environment. Yeah some of the neighbor dogs occasionally escape home and may or may not end up staying with me until their humans get home.
Dogs don’t get shot on this road — we try to find their owners or call Animal control at the least.
Just think, there are city dwellers in small apartments who are perfectly content with their lifestyle and think you’re the crazy one for living in a place in suburbia where you’re told your mailbox must be a replica of your house
I've had numerous neighbor dogs as guests, some on a regular basis. They're always welcome.
All very good reasons to want to be in an HOA. They aren't all bad. Furthermore, if you're interested, become active in the HOA. Run for the board... have a say.
Some HOAs are better than others. Some need to approve your paint colors... some, like my own, only manage common property like the private road. They run the full range of restrictiveness. Read the Bylaws! Read the recent meeting minutes to find out anything that has been going on.
I'd never live in a subdivision. County ordinances are far less intrusive. My nearest neighbors is a half mile away. They're very -pleasant people. Subdivisions, with multiple rules, restrictions, and other interfering behavior are for those who can't afford better properties.
y
Virtually everyone here has one or more dogs as well as other pets. Rescues are common. You'd hate it here. I'd hate being your neighbor.
I've had numerous neighbor dogs as guests, some on a regular basis. They're always welcome.
No one should think their dogs are welcome on anyone else's property. We have small vulnerable livestock, barn cats, and chickens. Anyone can have a slipped gate or an accident, but neighbors with Habitually loose roaming dogs are a menace. We go to a LOT of trouble to fence our dogs in, and other dogs and wildlife OUT. Loose dogs harming my animals are about the only thing I won't try to tolerate.
No one should think their dogs are welcome on anyone else's property. We have small vulnerable livestock, barn cats, and chickens. Anyone can have a slipped gate or an accident, but neighbors with Habitually loose roaming dogs are a menace. We go to a LOT of trouble to fence our dogs in, and other dogs and wildlife OUT. Loose dogs harming my animals are about the only thing I won't try to tolerate.
My dogs are never outside the fenced area unless I'm with them. I'd need well over a mile of fencing to enclose my property completely.
I love wildlife although I am watchful as we do have large predators.
you won't be shooting any dogs in a HOA..or your ass will be in jail..
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