HOA members...has your HOA banned renters?

[TheOtherVillainess]

Not yet they haven't, but then again..we're actually trying to GET RID OF our HOA because we hate the mgmt company so bad.

TOV

 

[nwdisgal]

I see a couple of problems with a "no rentals" clause. In my area, many people come into or out of the area for long term temporary job assignments - be they military, government or contractors. It is not uncommon for a family own a home here, take a 3-5 year detail to another part of the country (or world) and return. Many of those people love their homes/neighborhoods & rent while they are on assignment. A boy just returned to my son's elementary school - he's in 5th grade, his family moved when he was in 2nd. There is at least one family per year in our school of 425 students.
BTW - the families who come to this area for the same type of assignments are either military or high paid government/contractor workers. The military families take pride in their homes and keep them neater than most civilians I know. The contract workers make 6 figures.
Renter does not equal down in out around here.

Yes. ITA.

 

[Free4Life11]

I have a question. What is a HOA? Is this what you have to follow in the suburbs?

 

[barkley]

i don't think banning rentals will nesc. take care of the problem (homeowner kids can be just as bad)-but enforcing what is the law in our area can work. around here a property owner is pursuable for the detriment of enjoyment to or decreased property value of neighboring homes caused by anyone who resides in their home (self or renters). so a bad renter's landlord can be sued if the renter does not keep the house's exterior up, engages in disturbingly noisy or destructive behaviour, causes any issues that may make neighbors hesitant to utilize their front yards (fear from drug traffic, ganglike activity). i know of one person who joined forces with her neighbors and pooled together a small amount to have a lawyer write a letter of intent to sue for 1 million in damages (loss of personal enjoyment of their homes, decreased property value...) because one of the homeowner' renters let their kids and his rowdy friends party 24/7 at the place, the yard was strewn with liquor bottles, always fist fights and loud music going...the property owner decided it was more cost effective to cease being a landlord and sell the place.

 

[aprilgail2]

We voted to ban HOA's around here!! When we pay 500,000 for a house I will be darned if I will have someone on a power trip tell me what I can and can not do with my own property LOL!!!

 

[ducklite]

Not yet they haven't, but then again..we're actually trying to GET RID OF our HOA because we hate the mgmt company so bad.

TOV

I'ts practically impossible to get rid of a HOA, it's actaully part of your deed. It's easy for your Board to fire the property management company and replace them. I was on the board of my HOA in NJ for a couple years, and we changed property managers. They changed two more times after I left the board.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

We voted to ban HOA's around here!! When we pay 500,000 for a house I will be darned if I will have someone on a power trip tell me what I can and can not do with my own property LOL!!!

On the other hand, I LIKE living in a community with a HOA so I have someone to make sure that the neighbors don't paint their home purple. I live in a fairly restrictive community, but there are no rules that I wouldn't follow even if their wasn't a HOA. THey restrict the number of pets you can have--good, I don't need to worry about someone breeding hound dogs in their backyard next door like my in-laws have to put up with. They restrict what color you can paint your home, again, I don't want to live next to a purple house. They require yards be properly cared for.

I look at it as a bit of insurance that my investment will retain it's value.

Anne

 

[bicker]

I agree completely. I've lived with and without HOA, and definitely prefer with. I've never had any concern about any of the "restrictions" they've "imposed" and often relished the benefit of having such restrictions in place.

 

[aprilgail2]

I agree completely. I've lived with and without HOA, and definitely prefer with. I've never had any concern about any of the "restrictions" they've "imposed" and often relished the benefit of having such restrictions in place.

They don't give you a problem when you want to dormer your house, or convert your garage into part of the house and living space? Or push the kitchen out 6 feet, add a swimming pool, swingset, fence etc?? You can remove shrubs and put in any you want and take down any trees you want?

 

[bicker]

I don't want to dormer my house or push my kitchen out, or add a swimming pool, nor do I want to deal with the ramifications to me from a neighbor deciding to. That's why I moved here.

 

[Keggy]

Boy, I wish I hadn't opened this thread - because tomorrow I am moving into a rental house with my husband. It is in a gated community. It is pretty sad that we may not be welcomed into this community because we are renting. Our hopes were to rent the house to make sure we like the area before we purchase our first home.


Kelly

 

[ducklite]

Boy, I wish I hadn't opened this thread - because tomorrow I am moving into a rental house with my husband. It is in a gated community. It is pretty sad that we may not be welcomed into this community because we are renting. Our hopes were to rent the house to make sure we like the area before we purchase our first home.


Kelly

Kelly,

I can't speak for everyone, but I will say that I don't care if someone rents or owns, as long as they are quiet, keep the place up, and don't let their kids run amuck. I'm more concerned with my neighbors as neighbors than their home ownership status.

Which community are you moving into if you don't mind saying? I ask because I've got friends thinking about moving down from the North who are considering different neighborhoods, and it would be nice to pick your brain. PM me if you would rather.

Anne

 

[Poohnatic]

Boy, I wish I hadn't opened this thread - because tomorrow I am moving into a rental house with my husband. It is in a gated community. It is pretty sad that we may not be welcomed into this community because we are renting. Our hopes were to rent the house to make sure we like the area before we purchase our first home.


Kelly

Kelly,

My intention was not to make anyone feel unwelcome renting in a community. In my specific community, there are 6 to 8 homes that are rentals owned by a group of women who do not live in the area and do not oversee their properties. The tenants, thus far, have been multiple families with children that have displayed disrespect for property lines and personal property.

I moved to Florida and spent nine months in a rental while my home was being built. That community had rentals and no problems (300 houses, as opposed to our 50)-but I believe the HOA had restrictions on rentals. I had to pay an extra fee for the less than 12 month lease, and that was HOA dictated.

I do want to thank everyone for bringing up other alternatives. Background checks, fees to the homeowners and limits on rentals are all good ideas. My frustration is what prompted me to post in the first place. We have the next meeting and emotions are running high on the issue. The question then becomes whether we can enforce whatever the majority chooses.

I've lost two plumeria trees to these kids in the past month, because they were 'in the way' of the football game the kids were playing in the four yards that are unfenced. Neighbors have had to rescreen their lanais, and throw out lawn furniture that these kids have broken. Mind you, these kids have been told, time and time again, that they are not welcome to play in our yards because they damage our belongings.

Suzanne

 

[ducklite]

Suzanne,

If that much damage is being done, it's time to either get the police involved, or simply take the parents of the children to small claims court to recoup repair/replacement costs.

Anne

 

[bicker]

There is a big difference between most homeowners' feelings towards specific renters versus towards rentals in general.

 

[azgal81]

Nope most of the people in my complex are renters, although it is a condo complex. The HOA also tries to ban alot of things at my place as well but no one listens. When I do move into a house I'm going to go to a complex that doesn't have a HOA I think with condos they are quite normal but there's no way I want to be living in a house and pay an HOA fee.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I'ts practically impossible to get rid of a HOA, it's actaully part of your deed. It's easy for your Board to fire the property management company and replace them. I was on the board of my HOA in NJ for a couple years, and we changed property managers. They changed two more times after I left the board.

I'd have to ask DH to be sure (he's on the board now), but I think with enough homeowner votes we CAN get rid of the HOA. We have always hated the mgmt company and the rep who was in charge of our property. When she left, the new rep was just as bad.

I know part of our problem lies in getting people to pay the exorbitant HOA dues every year. More than half of the neighborhood hasn't paid at all!
Not that I blame them. If we could not pay and know that we weren't going to be evicted for not paying, we probably wouldn't pay either. It's not worth it. I mean, yes, the dues pay for the upkeep of the two 'parks' but they are also supposed to be for the upkeep of the stupid pool which more than half the time is closed for maintenance and repairs. It's a guess on a particular day whether or not it's goiing to be 'open' or not.

TOV

 

[ducklite]

I'd have to ask DH to be sure (he's on the board now), but I think with enough homeowner votes we CAN get rid of the HOA. We have always hated the mgmt company and the rep who was in charge of our property. When she left, the new rep was just as bad.

I know part of our problem lies in getting people to pay the exorbitant HOA dues every year. More than half of the neighborhood hasn't paid at all!
Not that I blame them. If we could not pay and know that we weren't going to be evicted for not paying, we probably wouldn't pay either. It's not worth it. I mean, yes, the dues pay for the upkeep of the two 'parks' but they are also supposed to be for the upkeep of the stupid pool which more than half the time is closed for maintenance and repairs. It's a guess on a particular day whether or not it's goiing to be 'open' or not.

TOV

We pay close to $200 a month, but feel we get good value for it. We've got a nice community pool, health club with modern equipment, a gorgeous clubhouse with tons of scheduled activities--some are free, other require a nominal fee (we've actually got a paid activities staff), well maintained tennis courts and basketball court, nice playground area, gated, guarded community with beautiful landscaping. Oh, and did I mention free basic cable?

In your case it's going to be almost impossible to get rid of the HOA because of the pool and common areas. Someone has to maintain them. Again, I"d look into changing property management companies, not just the representative within the company.

Anne

 

[bicker]

And again, if it is part of the deed, it is often written so that it can only be dissolved by a uninanimous vote of the owners.

 

[m&m's mom]

Our HOA restricts renters. Very common.