Homeowners Associations
- Thread starter LPMEDIC
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Kirsten
New Member
Serious about HOA
Okay I am relocating, hopefully by the end of summer, from Western Massachusetts. HOA's are NONEXISTANT up here. I don't understand why they need to exist at all. To me it started as a decent idea, but it has gotten RIDICULOUS. I am a firm believer of what I do with MY HOUSE and MY PROPERTY is MY BUSINESS thank you VERY much. If I have paid/mortgaged a $175,000 house then it is my business what I do with it. I don't need an HOA to tell me I can't paint it Purple with DayGlo green polkadots, not that I would necessarily but when someone tells me I can't then that is what I MOST want to do. Simple Psychology, tell someone they can't have or do something that is what they will want the most. Also for $50 a MONTH there better be some VERY special manicuring involved on a PERSONAL Intimate level. I can't believe how prolific they are and the fact that someone can tell me where I can put a fence and how high. I have small children that I want to be able to keep in my yard, and a fence will greatly enhance that. Not to mention my dog, and any other children that come to visit. Whatever happened to PERSONAL responsibility, I mean an HOA seems to assume that all the people in their neighborhoods are idiots and can't make good decisions for themselves. I guess that is the problem with a great many things nowadays, people want to blame someone else and put off their own responsibilities to someone else as well. Sorry if this seems long winded but good grief is there any way to get away from the HOA's? Personally I would love to get a home that isn't in need of a serious remodel that isn't involved in an HOA.
Kirsten
Soon to be a SOMD
Okay I am relocating, hopefully by the end of summer, from Western Massachusetts. HOA's are NONEXISTANT up here. I don't understand why they need to exist at all. To me it started as a decent idea, but it has gotten RIDICULOUS. I am a firm believer of what I do with MY HOUSE and MY PROPERTY is MY BUSINESS thank you VERY much. If I have paid/mortgaged a $175,000 house then it is my business what I do with it. I don't need an HOA to tell me I can't paint it Purple with DayGlo green polkadots, not that I would necessarily but when someone tells me I can't then that is what I MOST want to do. Simple Psychology, tell someone they can't have or do something that is what they will want the most. Also for $50 a MONTH there better be some VERY special manicuring involved on a PERSONAL Intimate level. I can't believe how prolific they are and the fact that someone can tell me where I can put a fence and how high. I have small children that I want to be able to keep in my yard, and a fence will greatly enhance that. Not to mention my dog, and any other children that come to visit. Whatever happened to PERSONAL responsibility, I mean an HOA seems to assume that all the people in their neighborhoods are idiots and can't make good decisions for themselves. I guess that is the problem with a great many things nowadays, people want to blame someone else and put off their own responsibilities to someone else as well. Sorry if this seems long winded but good grief is there any way to get away from the HOA's? Personally I would love to get a home that isn't in need of a serious remodel that isn't involved in an HOA.
Kirsten
Soon to be a SOMD
huntr1
.
One of the reasons that there are HOA's is that to maximize the number of houses they can build, the builders take the minimum amount of land/trees that they must preserve or can't build on and make it neighborhood property. The HOA is responsible for that property. State law is that unless the HOA can get someone else to take responsibility for the common area, they cannot disband. Not all HOA's are bad and/or intrusive or expensive. The one in my neighborhood is $25.00 per YEAR (used to pay over $50 per month in last neighborhood). The only regulations on private property is that the property has to be maintained, can't raise poultry or swine, no mining, no living in trailers. The main focus of the HOA is trying to get the neighborhood to be a friendly, family oriented place (excellent newsletter) and to protect the common area (currently having some problems with people riding ATV's where they shouldn't). We have over 70 acres of common area, most in woods.
Oz
You're all F'in Mad...
The simple answer is that if you don't want to live in a neighborhood with a HOA, buy where there isn't one.
I live in a nice neighborhood with an HOA and for $150 per year, it's a bargain! To get to my neighborhood, you drive past a house with 50 cars around it operating as a full-time repair shop. Then, you go past a small house that the family outgrew, so they bought a Chevy Van with an RV shell on it, and the overflow lives in the truck.
Before I bought my house, the realtor handed me the booklet of HOA Covenants and said "make sure you understand this before we go further." I had a choice. I just had an appraisal, and guess what? The HOA adds value to the neighborhood because they know the crap I described above can't occur with a HOA, and devalue the neighborhood. (The old phrase "there goes the neighborhood!")
Take 'em or leave 'em but don't b!tch about them because you have a choice.
I live in a nice neighborhood with an HOA and for $150 per year, it's a bargain! To get to my neighborhood, you drive past a house with 50 cars around it operating as a full-time repair shop. Then, you go past a small house that the family outgrew, so they bought a Chevy Van with an RV shell on it, and the overflow lives in the truck.
Before I bought my house, the realtor handed me the booklet of HOA Covenants and said "make sure you understand this before we go further." I had a choice. I just had an appraisal, and guess what? The HOA adds value to the neighborhood because they know the crap I described above can't occur with a HOA, and devalue the neighborhood. (The old phrase "there goes the neighborhood!")
Take 'em or leave 'em but don't b!tch about them because you have a choice.
"I don't need an HOA to tell me I can't paint it Purple with DayGlo green polkadots, not that I would necessarily but when someone tells me I can't then that is what I MOST want to do."
I can't believe people are still talking about this. What's the big mystery? HOAs have been around since the "condo" back in the 80s; yuppies, Beverly Hills 90210, BMWs. This is nothing new.
To answer your question above, when I drove threw the neighborhood that I live in now for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised that there were no DayGlo green polkadot houses like in some of the surrounding neighborhoods. And guess what, there won't be any and that's the way I like it, and this is due to my HOA. Now if they would ban pink flamingos and mirror balls, I'm in good shape. So no, you don't need a HOA to tell you that, but I want one.
"I mean an HOA seems to assume that all the people in their neighborhoods are idiots and can't make good decisions for themselves."
I have been around the world and back again and believe me, most people are idiots. Remember back in Philosophy class the great debate between John Locke and Thomas Hobbes whether "man" is basically good or basically evil, and what is the natural proclivity of "man", or in otherwords what would "man" do if there was no government or cops around? I agree with Thomas Hobbes. I believe that if the average person were left alone, they would paint there house DayGlo green polkadot.
"I guess that is the problem with a great many things nowadays, people want to blame someone else and put off their own responsibilities to someone else as well."
Huh? What does that have to do with anything?
"Personally I would love to get a home that isn't in need of a serious remodel that isn't involved in an HOA."
So what's the problem? Get one. There's plenty. The best thing to do is find the free real estate ad magz, I think called Southern MD Homes or something like that. There's a couple, you'll find tons of nice homes with no HOAs. Try the Blockbusters and 7-11s in Waldorf. They all have em.
I can't believe people are still talking about this. What's the big mystery? HOAs have been around since the "condo" back in the 80s; yuppies, Beverly Hills 90210, BMWs. This is nothing new.
To answer your question above, when I drove threw the neighborhood that I live in now for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised that there were no DayGlo green polkadot houses like in some of the surrounding neighborhoods. And guess what, there won't be any and that's the way I like it, and this is due to my HOA. Now if they would ban pink flamingos and mirror balls, I'm in good shape. So no, you don't need a HOA to tell you that, but I want one.
"I mean an HOA seems to assume that all the people in their neighborhoods are idiots and can't make good decisions for themselves."
I have been around the world and back again and believe me, most people are idiots. Remember back in Philosophy class the great debate between John Locke and Thomas Hobbes whether "man" is basically good or basically evil, and what is the natural proclivity of "man", or in otherwords what would "man" do if there was no government or cops around? I agree with Thomas Hobbes. I believe that if the average person were left alone, they would paint there house DayGlo green polkadot.
"I guess that is the problem with a great many things nowadays, people want to blame someone else and put off their own responsibilities to someone else as well."
Huh? What does that have to do with anything?
"Personally I would love to get a home that isn't in need of a serious remodel that isn't involved in an HOA."
So what's the problem? Get one. There's plenty. The best thing to do is find the free real estate ad magz, I think called Southern MD Homes or something like that. There's a couple, you'll find tons of nice homes with no HOAs. Try the Blockbusters and 7-11s in Waldorf. They all have em.
Otter
Nothing to see here
Some people just have no taste..
I see pink flamingos and mirror balls, I automatically like the homeowner, shows a sense of humor. HOAs can be good, I suppose, I've never belonged to one but I've seen where the powers-that-be in an association have abused their powers against folks that they didn't like in their neighborhood.
Kirsten
New Member
What Do I mean about Personal Responsibility
I mean that it shouldn't take an HOA to tell someone that Common Courtesy says you shouldn't let your lawn grow 10 feet tall and put three orange trailers out in front if you want to keep good relations with your neighbors. That Common SENSE says you don't drive around the neighborhood after dark with your radio and bass turned up to max without someone tracking you down and smacking you a couple of times. Also that Common Sense says that playing music for prolonged periods of time at this level is going to lead to VERY early hearing loss. Community Thinking says get to know your neighbors and keep your property well maintained and pitch in to the common areas via volunteering. This is what I mean by personal responsibility. An HOA shouldn't have to be there just to keep things in line. People should be able to do this by themselves. I am sorry that I am a liberal Yankee about to infest your neighborhood but I really can't see the upsides of an HOA other than discrimination and ensuring exclusivity in a neighborhood. I mean from what I can understand not all the roads are paid, some people on here are saying they have to pay EXTRA for trash pickup and such. I want my kids in a good public school system which means living in Calvert County and so far any homes I do see available in my price range are in HOA's. So tell me where I can get my children into good public schools without having to buy a house in an HOA neighborhood?
Kirsten
I mean that it shouldn't take an HOA to tell someone that Common Courtesy says you shouldn't let your lawn grow 10 feet tall and put three orange trailers out in front if you want to keep good relations with your neighbors. That Common SENSE says you don't drive around the neighborhood after dark with your radio and bass turned up to max without someone tracking you down and smacking you a couple of times. Also that Common Sense says that playing music for prolonged periods of time at this level is going to lead to VERY early hearing loss. Community Thinking says get to know your neighbors and keep your property well maintained and pitch in to the common areas via volunteering. This is what I mean by personal responsibility. An HOA shouldn't have to be there just to keep things in line. People should be able to do this by themselves. I am sorry that I am a liberal Yankee about to infest your neighborhood but I really can't see the upsides of an HOA other than discrimination and ensuring exclusivity in a neighborhood. I mean from what I can understand not all the roads are paid, some people on here are saying they have to pay EXTRA for trash pickup and such. I want my kids in a good public school system which means living in Calvert County and so far any homes I do see available in my price range are in HOA's. So tell me where I can get my children into good public schools without having to buy a house in an HOA neighborhood?
Kirsten
Oz
You're all F'in Mad...
Right now, in Southern Maryland, if you can find an affordable house, then buy the one that you "win" by being the high bidder. Don't be too picky because the 3 other shoppers you're competing with will buy it out from under you! (It's *almost* that bad!) If you want to build, good luck! The builders who have approved lots are booked.
I know what you're saying about common sense, but when was the last time you went an entire day where everyone you encountered exhibited common sense? (Probably the last time you were at home by yourself and even then you probably saw something stupid on TV!)
I don't think my $150/yr HOA makes my neighborhood any more exclusive than it would be without the fee. What it ensures is that that we all agree to a certain standard of taking care of our homes and our neighborhood. Without it, there's be 1 dump on every street that ruins the neighborhood for the rest of us. The only way I'd live without an HOA is if I had enough property and woods surrounding my home that I didn't know the next neighbor.
I know what you're saying about common sense, but when was the last time you went an entire day where everyone you encountered exhibited common sense? (Probably the last time you were at home by yourself and even then you probably saw something stupid on TV!)
I don't think my $150/yr HOA makes my neighborhood any more exclusive than it would be without the fee. What it ensures is that that we all agree to a certain standard of taking care of our homes and our neighborhood. Without it, there's be 1 dump on every street that ruins the neighborhood for the rest of us. The only way I'd live without an HOA is if I had enough property and woods surrounding my home that I didn't know the next neighbor.
huntr1
.
Re: What Do I mean about Personal Responsibility
Kirsten,
The schools in Northern St. Mary's county are good. If you don't want an HOA, that makes you conservative, not liberal on this subject. HOA's are not about discrimination and exculsivity, they are about maintaining property values and keeping the neighborhood looking nice. Without HOA's, there is ALWAYS going to be ATLEAST 1 house that will have junk cars, trash and other crap all over their yard, ruining your property values. Even in the neighborhood I grew up in (which had an HOA, but it was weak), which was one of the better neighborhoods in the area, had problems. One person painted their house hideous colors and I heard that their neghbor had a hard time selling their house due to it. Calvert Co. can be VERY expensive to buy in, St. Mary's is generally much lower priced. Due to the rural nature of most of the area, there is not municiple trash pick up in most areas, so you have to do 1 of 3 things: (1) pay someone to take your trash (2) take it yourself or (3) do what some people do when there isn't an HOA and create your own dump in your back (or front - I've seen it in Calvert Co.) yard.
Kirsten,
The schools in Northern St. Mary's county are good. If you don't want an HOA, that makes you conservative, not liberal on this subject. HOA's are not about discrimination and exculsivity, they are about maintaining property values and keeping the neighborhood looking nice. Without HOA's, there is ALWAYS going to be ATLEAST 1 house that will have junk cars, trash and other crap all over their yard, ruining your property values. Even in the neighborhood I grew up in (which had an HOA, but it was weak), which was one of the better neighborhoods in the area, had problems. One person painted their house hideous colors and I heard that their neghbor had a hard time selling their house due to it. Calvert Co. can be VERY expensive to buy in, St. Mary's is generally much lower priced. Due to the rural nature of most of the area, there is not municiple trash pick up in most areas, so you have to do 1 of 3 things: (1) pay someone to take your trash (2) take it yourself or (3) do what some people do when there isn't an HOA and create your own dump in your back (or front - I've seen it in Calvert Co.) yard.
Here's to hoping your yard becomes infested with pink flamingos!! 
J
justhangn
Guest
Re: Re: What Do I mean about Personal Responsibility
Makes disguising the bunker tougher and tougher though.
Makes disguising the bunker tougher and tougher though.