Homeowners Associations

[Caterina Platt]

Gladys Kravitz types with nothing else going on in their lives I'm sure.....

Paulette's example kills me. Ok, you have people doing well enough to have an RV. So what. It's gotta be parked on the street for a couple days. Deal with it, Ok? Heck, at least they're not like my neighbors (a few miles east in my least favorite MH development) who think a '78 Datsun, '80 Chevy Citation and all their crap are fantastic landscape items. Good grief folks, don't ya have anything else that makes you feel important? Play with your grandkids or feed the homeless or something. Pullleeeze.

For goodness sake, Paulette and her hubby were actually improving their home and refurbishing. That's got to help property values. Leave them the H### alone!!!!

 

[Jerry Ingmire]

It seems that there is a general opinion that if an Assn. helps to improve the property that it could be good, but from the majority of the comments it appears that we have all lived in these mini-environments that allow certain busy bodies to control and believe in their own tiny minds that they are important. But the real question that I am trying to find out is what the typical buyer’s reaction to covenants is? At what point due covenants become a liability and stop being a benefit? Come on now I can't be the only guy that has tried to assess this situation.
In my opinion and from the buyers that I have talked to, the general consensus is that homeowner’s assn. are beneficial if they help with keeping up the appearance of the properties and do not restrict lifestyles. Yet it appears that if there are two homes identical, one in an assn. and the other not, the one in the assn. will not sell for as much as the others. Can any one verify this with their areas?


What we do to make a living

Jerry Ingmire

 

[Caterina Platt]

Jerry,

Bottom line, from my experience in a highly mixed up county, here goes.

The highest values will be obtained from developments with a homogeneous plan and style in design. This has nothing to do with HOA! Reasonable restrictive covenants are all that is necessary to obtain this result.

The best performing areas in property values have no HOA. They merely have a decent, reasonable, set of restrictive covenants that preclude the junk from moving in the first place. I have found no adjustment to be based on the existance or non existance of such a HOA. Hope this helps.

Cat Platt
In funky Valencia County, NM

 

[Paulette in Texas]

I know we are weird, but here in the greater Houston metro area...you got it. We have NO zoning. We rely completely on deed restrictions. Our neighborhood is close-in which is a big plus here and the deed restrictions done in the late 50's were actually done with common sense. Drives the Gestapo wantabees crazy. Our home is actually paid for and then some as we have continued to improve it. That is what is so very infuriating. We got a second ticket tonight from this #$%%^@#dikeeeeeeeeeeee wantabee constable rent-a-cop. Bob has a 7:30 Monday appointment with the LT in her department to file the formal complaint. We've never met and never seen her in person, so I can't be accused reasonably of insulting her in person. We have lived 32 years in this neighborhood without ANY citations or tickets anywhere for that matter. I think you can safely assume we are truly law-abiding citizens with a whacked out rent-a-cop on the prowl. What a joke. With all the crime and problems in the world, this constable thinks our particular RV is a serious problem????? Paulette in Tx
Rotts rule and Shih tzus fine too.
go w...

 

[Anonymous]

Paulette,
Ist this rent-a -cop a security guard or a sworn police officer? If she is not a sworn officer of the law how can the tickets she writes mean anything?

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

Paulette.

This will make you scream. If it is in the deed restrictions that you can't park your RV on the street, then you are at fault and quit crying. You should have found some place else to park it. Rules are rules. How can we expect our kids to follow the rules if we don't? How can we expect fellow appraisers to follow the rules if we don't? We can't be expected to given a free pass becasue we are "good" people. Don't you realize what would happen if nobody followed the HOA rules? You would not be able to get up and down your street without dodging RVs, boats, campers, juunk cars, etc. I got an insulting letter once because I pulled our portable basketball goal down to street level so the kids could play on a level surface. Yes, I was mad, but they were right and I moved it back up in the drive way. I will never forget the police officer who told me at seventeen, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse". He gave me a ticket for no front license plate without a warning.

 

[Richard Carlsen]

HOA are just a plain pain in the keester in many cases. Some of the worst are where there are retirees or recreational users.

A large development in my market has about 3000 acres for housing, mainly cabins and cottages but with some significant houses going up now, and about 6500 acres for hunting and recreation.

Seems the new manager and his wife moved in and were enjoying themselves when the rumors started flying. Stories of inappropriate behavior. The husband met with the board to find out what was going on. The problem? Seems his wife, a young, good looking lady with a habit of running 4 miles a day, had taken to running with some of the younger lady members of the development. This was a big no-no. The blue haired ladies on the board told the manager that the hired help and their families were not to socialize with the members and the wife would have to forgo her runs in the company of member wives. That was just inappropriate behavior.

HOA, for all of their good intentions, are a breeding ground for petty bickering and little power plays. I tend to stay away form them wherever possible.

 

[Paulette in Texas]

This "woman" is not only a Harris County Constable but also a rent-a-cop hired by local civic (voluntary) club to "patrol" our quiet neighborhood. We are the latest for the incompetent people running the City of Houston...CASH COWS to the local constable offices. We get to subsidize them for their inability to provide security through our already HUGE taxes for the same. Just another way to gouge us. Tax us for City/State/County services and then demand that we pay for them through private contracts. Color the people running this city as corrupt and us as stupid for allowing them to "serve."
Paulette in Houston
Rotts rule and Shih tzus fine.
go w...

 

[slacker]

In my area a particular group representing a particular homeowners assn. came to me and complained that property values were not as high as in the next phase.

How much longer until all phases are complete? Most builders in my area maintain the association until the project is anywhere between 75 and 90% complete.

I think most buyers are willing to pay the extra money for a newer unit within the same development. Doesn't make much sense that a unit that's two or three years old would sell for the same amount as one that's exactly the same but brand new.


http://www.appraiseillinois.com

 

[TC]

Here is my 2 cents on the subject as someone who has been serving on the Council of my homeowner's association for the last 7 years(I must have broken a mirror somewhere). I no longer live in the condo, it is now a great rental unit for my wife and me. Before I served on council I don't think I ever complained, for 100 bucks a month I had access to a pool, tennis courts, clubhouse, and all landscaping and maintenance was taken care of. How could anyone complain? Just about everyone. Condo and PUD living is not for everyone. But I am amazed at the number of people who buy into the plan without checking the rules and regs, then, shortly after they move in, they start to =====. Here is a little advice, if you don't like rules and regs, never move into a PUD or Condo. It's that simple.

TC