If you don't sign the contract there is no contract. They would have to disclose any covenants or hoa requirements with the deed.
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Stupid neighbors whining lack of HOA
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You have to sign the HOA docs at closing. If you are getting a mortgage it's required by the lender or no mortgage. If no mortgage then the attorney or agent doing the closing still requires it. REA should show you the HOA docs way before closing though. It is required to be disclosed.
That's my experience as well. Our HOA is only $100/year and we have a management company. I was the HOA President once and it was literally up to us to decide how strict we wanted the mgmt company to enforce the covenants. Our sub is pretty lax on all of that. Cut your grass and you're good. I'm sure there are terribly oppressive ones out there, but that's not been my experience.
20 years ago when I was looking to move in my neighborhood (NO HOA) I asked my next door neighbor how things were. He said there was one guy that put notes on mailboxes when he thought they should trim bushes, mow grass or do home repairs.....dude lived straight across the street from the house I was moving into.
I moved in a few weeks later and saw the grass Nazi cutting his grass, I walked over to meet him and asked how the neighborhood was, when he said it was a "Great place to live, very quite." I answered with "Great, I just got off of probation from beating a neighbor that tried to tell me when it was time to cut my grass. Glad to know none of that BS is happening here, I really don't want to go back to jail because of some jackass that thinks he can tell me what to do."
The guy was as a GREAT neighbor for 19 years (he past away last year) and I never got a note, others still did, but I didn't and we got along just fine.
I moved in a few weeks later and saw the grass Nazi cutting his grass, I walked over to meet him and asked how the neighborhood was, when he said it was a "Great place to live, very quite." I answered with "Great, I just got off of probation from beating a neighbor that tried to tell me when it was time to cut my grass. Glad to know none of that BS is happening here, I really don't want to go back to jail because of some jackass that thinks he can tell me what to do."
The guy was as a GREAT neighbor for 19 years (he past away last year) and I never got a note, others still did, but I didn't and we got along just fine.
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I didn't read the thread but having lived in both, with and without, I'll take with all day long.
There are all types of HOAs. Yes some are absurd, some simply state bare minimums for those CHOOSING to live in close proximity to others. A neighborhood without any rules is like a hunt club with no rules. Good luck with that.
If you want to live in the country, live in the country. I want to, and will, for the very FREEDOMS many female dog about. But I don't expect everyone to do as THEY please when they live 50' from each other.
I currently live in one with a 'voluntary' HOA, which means we don't have one (some of us just contribute for upkeep of common areas and paying the light bill). THE EXACT SAME HOMES in a nearby neighborhood sell for 20% more because of the standards set by the HOA. TWENTY PERCENT. Not sure what prices homes you guys live in, but that's serious folding money to me.
Funny thing. We had meeting about starting one. And this chicken poop wrote an anonymous letter about how the only reason he moved here was because we did NOT have an HOA and went on and on about how "Nazi" it was, FREEDOM, etc.... He didn't even show his face at the meeting. Long story short.. it was a freaking renter (who happened to be a cop) and he moved... where to you may ask? Just down the road in a development that has an HOA with the absolute thickest most obtrusive set of rules I have ever seen. Looks like the U.S. tax code!
First neighborhood I lived in did not have one and now it does. Their property values have gone up well above the market. Despite now being an older starter home neighborhood, it looks great.
Park your cars in the garage or driveway and cut your FRONT yard so that dead bodies will show. It ain't that hard.
There are all types of HOAs. Yes some are absurd, some simply state bare minimums for those CHOOSING to live in close proximity to others. A neighborhood without any rules is like a hunt club with no rules. Good luck with that.
If you want to live in the country, live in the country. I want to, and will, for the very FREEDOMS many female dog about. But I don't expect everyone to do as THEY please when they live 50' from each other.
I currently live in one with a 'voluntary' HOA, which means we don't have one (some of us just contribute for upkeep of common areas and paying the light bill). THE EXACT SAME HOMES in a nearby neighborhood sell for 20% more because of the standards set by the HOA. TWENTY PERCENT. Not sure what prices homes you guys live in, but that's serious folding money to me.
Funny thing. We had meeting about starting one. And this chicken poop wrote an anonymous letter about how the only reason he moved here was because we did NOT have an HOA and went on and on about how "Nazi" it was, FREEDOM, etc.... He didn't even show his face at the meeting. Long story short.. it was a freaking renter (who happened to be a cop) and he moved... where to you may ask? Just down the road in a development that has an HOA with the absolute thickest most obtrusive set of rules I have ever seen. Looks like the U.S. tax code!
First neighborhood I lived in did not have one and now it does. Their property values have gone up well above the market. Despite now being an older starter home neighborhood, it looks great.
Park your cars in the garage or driveway and cut your FRONT yard so that dead bodies will show. It ain't that hard.
I didn't read the thread but having lived in both, with and without, I'll take with all day long.
There are all types of HOAs. Yes some are absurd, some simply state bare minimums for those CHOOSING to live in close proximity to others. A neighborhood without any rules is like a hunt club with no rules. Good luck with that.
If you want to live in the country, live in the country. I want to, and will, for the very FREEDOMS many female dog about. But I don't expect everyone to do as THEY please when they live 50' from each other.
I currently live in one with a 'voluntary' HOA, which means we don't have one (some of us just contribute for upkeep of common areas and paying the light bill). THE EXACT SAME HOMES in a nearby neighborhood sell for 20% more because of the standards set by the HOA. TWENTY PERCENT. Not sure what prices homes you guys live in, but that's serious folding money to me.
Funny thing. We had meeting about starting one. And this chicken poop wrote an anonymous letter about how the only reason he moved here was because we did NOT have an HOA and went on and on about how "Nazi" it was, FREEDOM, etc.... He didn't even show his face at the meeting. Long story short.. it was a freaking renter (who happened to be a cop) and he moved... where to you may ask? Just down the road in a development that has an HOA with the absolute thickest most obtrusive set of rules I have ever seen. Looks like the U.S. tax code!
First neighborhood I lived in did not have one and now it does. Their property values have gone up well above the market. Despite now being an older starter home neighborhood, it looks great.
Park your cars in the garage or driveway and cut your FRONT yard so that dead bodies will show. It ain't that hard.
That's my experience as well. I have received one letter ever for my bushes being overgrown, and they were. You can tell when a sub doesn't have one, and it usually looks like crap. Hey, but at least they're enjoying their "freedom".
Ours is the same. About $150/year for front entrance upkeep and other incidentals like tree removal and such. Not too many mandates, except no livestock and must have bermuda grass. They rarely go after anyone, and usually it's an informal chat first to see if they need help (lots of retirees live here). They say it's about protecting their investment with like minded people, as most will be selling soon. They like peace and quiet like I do.
The covenants follow the property much like when a previous owner has sold oil/mineral rights without telling you. That would be a great case for legal malpractice, a poor tile search, or maybe even fraud; your unawareness of previous civil contracts regarding a property does not erase previous covenants properly written.
Not speaking from personal experience. However I know a guy who used to get letters from his HOA about the grass being too long. He'd open the letter, crumple it up, stand in his driveway and do a 360 flipping off all the homes around him.
Another time he got a letter about an address number missing from his mailbox post. He said he spoke with the HOA inspector about it the three days earlier and it wasn't a problem. He said he went in the house, grabbed a shotgun and folding chair and sat in the front yard. His wife came home and dragged him by the ear back into the house. Later, he received a visit from the local constabulary. As I understand it, they politely asked him to clean his shotgun on the back deck, as opposed to the front yard in order to avoid any possible confusion by the neighbors.
After that, his wife asked the HOA to send any letters to her office address. To my knowledge there hasn't been a problem since.
I get a kick out of watching the wife of one of the HOA's board members get in her car once a week and spend five to ten minutes driving through the neighborhood before pulling back into her garage. They live across the street and it's a small subdivision with only one way in or out. I always wonder whose life she's making a little brighter.
I know that when we move, it'll be to five or more acres without any covenants or HOA.
Another time he got a letter about an address number missing from his mailbox post. He said he spoke with the HOA inspector about it the three days earlier and it wasn't a problem. He said he went in the house, grabbed a shotgun and folding chair and sat in the front yard. His wife came home and dragged him by the ear back into the house. Later, he received a visit from the local constabulary. As I understand it, they politely asked him to clean his shotgun on the back deck, as opposed to the front yard in order to avoid any possible confusion by the neighbors.
After that, his wife asked the HOA to send any letters to her office address. To my knowledge there hasn't been a problem since.
I get a kick out of watching the wife of one of the HOA's board members get in her car once a week and spend five to ten minutes driving through the neighborhood before pulling back into her garage. They live across the street and it's a small subdivision with only one way in or out. I always wonder whose life she's making a little brighter.
I know that when we move, it'll be to five or more acres without any covenants or HOA.
