Homeowners Association Rules

[disneymom3]

Hi all!
I am just curious what kind of rules peoples HOAs have. We are in a regular house, not condo or townhome and it's a new neighborhood so the HOA has just gotten established. We received a list of their revised rules today and some of them have us a bit miffed. Let's just say I am really glad I got my new BROWN roof last month 'cause I would have had to clear the color with them first otherwise.

Some of the rules are that if you have weeds such as dandelions, the HOA can fine you if they determine your yard is a nuisance. We have a lawn service, but some of our neighbors are in trouble!!

You have to have permission to do anything to the exterior of your home. This includes planting a bush or a tree. Seriously. I understand the approval for a fence or a deck, but a tree???

If you have a licensed daycare, you may only have a max of 4 children even though the county would allow 10 or 12. How can that be a rule?

You cannot have any vehicle/boat/trailer/etc parked on your driveway for more than 72 hours at once. Guess it's good there isn't any public transportation here because in our old house DH took the bus to work and M-F his car often sat there all week!

You also need permission to change the color of your front door. WTH?

We have a really good interest rate on our mortgage but it is an ARM and let me tell ya, in four years when it is up, I am so out of this neighborhood!

 

[PaulaSue]

Man, I thought ours was strict...

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Some HOA rules are ridiculous. I don't know what ours are front doors, we just changed ours and I am waiting for a letter because we didn't clear it with the Architectural Review Committee (ARC).

When we painted the outside of our house, we did what we were supposed to and sent our paint sample to the ARC. First, they took forever to respond to us, THEN we found out that our nosy neighbor across the street whose husband is our ARC rep. went and asked our OTHER neighbors what they thought about our color choice. When our painter was there, she came across the street to tell him she thought they were painting the house the WRONG color, and caused heeps of confussion. HOAs, so much fun.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

standard stuff: house color, type of fence, where you can place sat. dish (found out they can't legally do that - but they continue to give that impression to folks who don't know better), no above ground pools, limits on lawn ornaments, color of things, size of things, no trees over 6 inches come down w/o approval, etc...have to have prior approval. Nothing that specific about grass length or weeds - just that things have to be maintained properly. ONly wooden play sets with natural colors. No sheds or storage buildings. No signs except when house is for sale. No trailors and stuff in driveway (we have a storage place onsite). They aren't too concerned about landscaping, other than the removal of large trees. I don't remember reading anything about businesse like daycares. Projects have to be completed within in a set time so mess and noise don't go and on. Holiday decorations have to be down by a certain time. Nothing I concider over the top...like the grass can only be so high, or "no weeds",or you can only have white curtains showing out windows... - we'd be in trouble with the weed thing, we have quite a bit of clover in the back - the bunnies love it!!!

 

[aprilgail2]

Wow, that is nuts. We have none and I am very happy wit hit this way! I own my home and the property and I don't have to ask permission to plant anything LOL.. I don't think I would do well living with a homeowners association, most sound like just a bunch of people on power trips!

 

[GEM]

Wow. I had no idea. I am SO glad I don't live in a place like that. I don't think I would ever want to live in a place with those kinds of restrictions. It would drive me nuts! Give me a regular old neighborhood any day. Call me crazy, but I like different sytles and colors of houses, different yards and landscaping, fences, etc. Those huge house farms where everyone has one of three home styles, all the same color fence, all the same landscaping, etc. just seem boring (and kind of creepy!) to me.

I think this is the one that seems most bizarre -

ONly wooden play sets with natural colors.

I'm sure a lot of people like it, and yes, I know it helps protect property values, but it sure doesn't appeal to me at all.

 

[Seahunt]

Let's just say I am really glad I got my new BROWN roof last month 'cause I would have had to clear the color with them first otherwise.

This reminded me of a local story after the hurricanes hit down here - there was a big delay on getting roof repairs done, shingles were out of stock, etc. One elderly couple who lived in a neighborhood with a HOA in our town finally got their roof replaced after living with blue tarps nailed up there for months -and after the entire roof was done, they received a registered letter from the HOA telling them that because the new roof was not the exact shade that was supposed to be used, they would have to remove it and redo the entire roof over

Their story was in the paper, and it was so sad. The insurance check to replace the roof was not even enough to do the job the first time, and they had used most of their money to pay for the difference, so there was no way they could replace it. Plus the HOA wanted to fine them for every day the "wrong" color was up there! HOWEVER, after the story was printed another local roofer felt so badly for them that he and his crew supplied a complete brand new roof in the correct color for them for free - so there really are some angels left in the world!

 

[MosMom]

I will never NEVER own a home in a neighborhood with a homeowners association ever again. They are usually run by the biggest *** hole with nothing better to do but tell you how to live your life. I really hate it. It may be for some people but it isn't for me. I'm not a person that broke the rules often but I have a real problem paying several hundered dollars per year for someone to tell me how high my fence can be.

I really don't give a crap what other people do in their yards...that is their business so I'm fine being in neighborhoods without HA's. For homes/yards that are totally out of control, there are city ordinances to deal with the major stuff. Life is too short to worry about the minor stuff.

 

[juligrl]

We have the no above ground pools rule too, but people have skirted that by putting in the "partial above ground/partial inground" pools and the temporary inflatable pools. Personally, I don't have a problem with the pools, just the fact that these people can get away with breaking the terms that we all had to agree to. Makes me want to go and cover my lawn with pink flamingos .

No more than 3 dogs (except in the case of puppies and then only temporarily). Fences can't be over 4 ft. high. Sheds have to match the character and color of your home.

Has any of this actually been enforced? Heck no!

 

[juligrl]

I really don't give a crap what other people do in their yards...that is their business so I'm fine being in neighborhoods without HA's. For homes/yards that are totally out of control, there are city ordinances to deal with the major stuff. Life is too short to worry about the minor stuff.

BTW I totally agree with you, but alas this is my DH "dream" home so the neighborhood and HA came with it. What am I to do?

 

[paigevz]

Hi all!
I am just curious what kind of rules peoples HOAs have. We are in a regular house, not condo or townhome and it's a new neighborhood so the HOA has just gotten established. We received a list of their revised rules today and some of them have us a bit miffed. Let's just say I am really glad I got my new BROWN roof last month 'cause I would have had to clear the color with them first otherwise.

Some of the rules are that if you have weeds such as dandelions, the HOA can fine you if they determine your yard is a nuisance. We have a lawn service, but some of our neighbors are in trouble!!

You have to have permission to do anything to the exterior of your home. This includes planting a bush or a tree. Seriously. I understand the approval for a fence or a deck, but a tree???

If you have a licensed daycare, you may only have a max of 4 children even though the county would allow 10 or 12. How can that be a rule?

You cannot have any vehicle/boat/trailer/etc parked on your driveway for more than 72 hours at once. Guess it's good there isn't any public transportation here because in our old house DH took the bus to work and M-F his car often sat there all week!

You also need permission to change the color of your front door. WTH?

We have a really good interest rate on our mortgage but it is an ARM and let me tell ya, in four years when it is up, I am so out of this neighborhood!

We have all those, except you are not allowed to have a home daycare here. It lists home-based businesses in which clients will be coming to and from or any involving dropping off and picking up as prohibited.

You also have to have permission to install a flag pole and you are not allowed to have statuary of ANY kind. And no portable basketball goals out front.

 

[lclark0621]

Our new neighborhood is pretty strict.

We need to submit the home plans for review before breaking ground.
No trailers, boats, RVs, etc for more then 72 hours.
All buildings on the property (including home itself, storage buildings, pool houses, guests houses, and guard houses) must be 95% masonry.
Lawn ornament restrictions.
No above ground pools.
No clothes lines where they can be seen (if you have one, it must be below the fence line).
Specifics on type of fences.
Limits on time periods holiday decorations can be up (no one wants Christmas lights in Feb).
Must submit landscape plans before work.
Roof pitch designations.
Home size minimums.

I know there are more, but those are the major ones.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I gotta tell you, I really like it. For the most part, those in our HOA aren't on power trips - many of the rules are there to make sure people don't let things go too bad or put 50 pink flamingoes on their lawn(outside of temporay fundraising efforts of course). Many are not enforced in a picky way, but only when someone goes way beyond the norm.

Out in the country where my mom lives, people are burning garbage, putting whatever garbage and junk in their yards, houses are in various states of disrepair, dogs are barking and being a nuisance, neighbors are working on race cars or motorcycles in huge rundown garages or sheds (yeah there are noise ordinances - but try enforcing them out in the country - and if the garages/sheds of cars/motorcycles don't exist then all the better),...I could go on and on.....when I come home, I am happy I live in a place where there is some control and everything is nice.

The only thing that is a pain is the prior approval process, having to submit the papers and wait before starting something...I have never heard of anyone actually being turned down though. Again, I think it is just a safe guard against someone painting their house flourescent green or having a flamingo/gnome farm in their front yard.

the playground thing is to prevent the metal ones that will rust in a few years and sit there looking horrible - and no bright colors so that they do not stand out, but blend with the surroundings.

 

[Luv'sTink]

Welcome to home ownership kinda?!?! To me it is just like renting! Someone to tell you what you can and cant do to your home.

 

[micki7337]

We moved out of our HOA townhouse last year - not a moment too soon! DH always called the place Nazi Germany...let's see...Doors and garages had set colors (the HOA even painted them to be certain there was no color variation), no lawn oranments, no bicycles or toys left out over night, no sand boxes, no swing sets or playsets, Christmas decorations could not be displayed before/after set dates, Christmas lights must be white and NOT blink! No window air conditioners, no shoes left on front porch, no wind chimes, garden hoses could not be left out overnight prior to May 1st or after September 30th, no bouncing of basketballs in the street...I could go on and on. I haven't even gotten to disturbing your neighbor issues...and DMIL is on the board! Add the fact that our monthly HOA fees were close to $160 a month and it's easy to see why we sold and got out! Funny thing is the development is a hot seller and its because of the HOA that people want in. Their strict enforcement of the rules helps to beautifully maintain the development and the value of the properties.

 

[paigevz]

Nah, not as bad as renting.........we can at least do anything we want inside, and I don't find them that bad........mostly stuff we'd do anyway.

Before we moved our next door neighbor ran a used car lot/racecar repair out of his backyard. THAT was no fun. We're much happier here, things are quiet and neat.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

micki: now THAT would be too much for me as well...that goes beyond what is necessary....ours is nothing like that.

 

[GEM]

Seriously? No shoes left on the front porch?? No windchimes?? Only white non-blinking Christmas lights??

What's the point in owning your own home if it has to be just exactly like every other one on the block? Like I said before, I just don't get it. There's no way I would put up with that kind of stuff. I like my Winnie the Pooh flag and my hummingbird feeder, thank you very much. And, if my neighbor loves the ceramic deer in her front yard, why on earth should I care?

My sister lives in one of those places where all the houses were built at the same time, all from one of several styles, all the blocks look exactly the same, all the landscaping is very tastefully similar, etc. I seriously wonder how she remembers which one is hers . . .

 

[aprilgail2]

Fences can't be over 4 ft. high.

4 feet?!?!?!? Wow, guess they don't want you to have any privacy in your yard...well I guess with them limiting the fences to 4 feet tall it helps when they are sticking their noses into your property to see into your yard easily LOL!

 

[micki7337]

Seriously? No shoes left on the front porch??.

Yup. The last violation letter we received was because my DS left his soaking wet muddy cleats on the front covered porch (10'x12' porch) overnight. He had played on Sunday and before we got home from work Monday we had been caught. Since it was our first warning they didn't fine us but it would have been a fine the 2nd time around.

There was a house that was fined $25 a day for placing concrete flower bed edging blocks (the scalloped kind) around the flower beds and they refused to remove it. Since DMIL is on the board we knew when they were being fined each day for over a year! The HOA had a lien on their property and they just got their money (over 10K!) plus legal fees when they finally sold and got out! I know this type of HOA is extreme and I agreed with a poster above that stated that most board members are, lets just say they have way too much time on their hands. We are happy to be in our new HOA where there are so few rules I can't even think of one!