Lived in an HOA for seven years, then went ballistic, told them all what I thought of them at the summer picnic, then moved 30 minutes away. It was bearable until they put this old bat in charge of seeking out violations. She was already a gossip who would sit in front of her windows all day taking notes on everything she saw, and she would gossip with everyone.
When she was put in charge, she would walk up and down all the streets three times a day with a clipboard and would write down every violation. Grass too tall, weed your flower beds a little, paint your mailbox post pure white, not cream, your blinds are a little crooked, never park your cars in the driveway (not a single person obeyed this law, so it wasn’t enforceable), your swimming pool is too deep (seriously, 3FT tall is not deep), etc, etc. What really blew it was when she started sneaking down our driveway when she thought no one was home. She not only poked around the garage and through the backyard, but we caught her looking in the back door once.
Most Condo boards/HOAs, as mentioned, are filled with pathetic seniors still clinging to a modicum of authority they held in their previous careers. Lots of ex-principals, micro-managers, etc. What sucks is that they often do have some degree of power over what goes on in your unit.
What they can NEVER do is “come check on your unit” unannounced. Check the charter you signed when you bought the place. Usually they’re allowed in once a year, they have to give you 48 hours notice and it’s to check on fire alarms.
They tend to be big on what you put on your balcony. Most of them forbid hanging clothes. I actually agree with this, as it looks ghetto.
I’ve heard some real horror stories with pets. Sometimes they have stupid, arbitrary rules that you’re allowed one pet, under 25 pounds. People have bought puppies, and when they surpass a certain size the HOA tells them to get rid of them.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
So, are buyers informed of the fact that their property is under the control of an HOA by the Realtor, or is their some disclosure that states this before you purchase?
[/quote]
Yes, any condo or complex type home is likely to have an HOA.
You get to look at the rules, regs and bylaws before you purchase. But that doesn’t really tell you how it will be run. In my case, the complex was brand-new, I bought my piece at auction dirt cheap (should have been a warning), and I was one of the first people to move in. So there was no history to look at.
On paper the rules are reasonable and straightforward, and state and local laws offer a lot of protections for the home-owners from the association and property manager.
The problem is that in reality, the builders, not the home owners are illegally running the HOA, and the property management company directly. They still own enough units to elect the board, because they can have a “quorum” with 20% of voters present (the law says they have to give at least ten days notice of any meeting, and give an agenda with notice; they don’t) so basically they control everything.
The biggest problem here is that the cops will not get involved: they assert that any problems here are civil in nature, so anytime the builders/hoa does something illegal (including impounding my vehicle from my own property) you have to file a civil suit against them, which in the case of my vehicle, for example, has higher upfront costs than just getting back my vehicle and waiting for them to tow it again.
I was thinking of giving the property manager the bill, and then subtracting the difference from my monthly HOA dues (cost of retrieving my car = $157.00, monthly HOA $238.00 crazy-high) So I give her a check for $81.00 + the bill for retrieving my car… what do you think?
Problem is that the actual bylaws allow her to charge me $10 per day my payment is late, and I’m sure the bitch would take full advantage of that… of course, she’d have to file civil suit too to get anything.
[quote]DeterminedNate wrote:
I could go on but I’m just gonna get fucking frustrated and pissed off… don’t buy a fucking condo.[/quote]
Yes. Jesus Christ, yes. Unless you live somewhere where you can press CRIMINAL charges for the CRIMINAL activity which may be committed, avoid it like the plague. And even in the best case, it’s probably best avoided unless you have the funds to keep a lawyer on-call.
This thread has actually made me quite angry. I don’t know how the dude Iraq didn’t go apeshit. I don’t know if I would be so composed in such a situation.
[quote]Spartiates wrote:
I was thinking of giving the property manager the bill, and then subtracting the difference from my monthly HOA dues (cost of retrieving my car = $157.00, monthly HOA $238.00 crazy-high) So I give her a check for $81.00 + the bill for retrieving my car… what do you think?
[/quote]
She’s probably going to charge you the $10 daily fee. You might have to file a civil suit.
I’ve dealt with HOAs firsthand and I consider most of them deserving of getting sodomized repeatedly by Cerberus, the three-headed hound of hell. I’m very tolerant of most people but these old geezers are like University residence advisors and Hitler’s SS all rolled into one.
Try meeting with the condo board as a whole. They typically meet once a month, assign themselves official-sounding roles like “Deputy Marshall Provost of Administration” and prattle on about such important topics as unit 302’s choice of curtain material or whether geraniums or tulips should go in the flower bed next year. Show up, be diplomatic, and explain your case. You might be lucky and get an understanding ear.
If not, I say fuck with them. You’re doing nothing to impede their happiness in life, but they’ve taken it upon themselves to impede yours for no good reason. You have their names I assume? I’m sure somebody here can educate you on anonymous revenge tactics better than I can. I’ve been told you can do a lot with a name, an address and a license plate.
(I know how deplorable this sounds…“terrorizing senior citizens”…but if you’ve never dealt with a condo board you simply can’t understand)
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
Hardwood floors? Why the fuck would anyone care what flooring someone has in their own place?
Crikes, I’m glad I read this thread…[/quote]
If the guy that owns the condo above you has hardwood floors, the sound of them walking around is a lot louder than if they had carpet, particularly if there’s a woman with heels above you. Not saying they shouldn’t mind their damn business, but that’s the rationale.
The vast majority of neighborhoods in my area are in HOAs, so it’s hard to avoid. Most CCRs have a whole slew of things you can’t do, but I definitely recommend driving around the neighborhood you want to buy in first, to see how strictly they are actually enforced. See if cars are parked in driveways and along curbs, see how lax they are about lawn maintenance, etc.
Correct, what we need here is a healthy dose of Michael Douglas “falling down” style shit.
O.P. is like trapped in a George Orwell/middle class nightmare. This truly terrifies me.
“How can we even say we have rules if you can leave a string of Christmas lights hanging from your house to the shared fence? How is this allowed??? HOW?!?”
I wanted to slap a choke on this guy and calm him down in a very aggressive way.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
So, are buyers informed of the fact that their property is under the control of an HOA by the Realtor, or is their some disclosure that states this before you purchase?
[/quote]
Yes, any condo or complex type home is likely to have an HOA.
You get to look at the rules, regs and bylaws before you purchase. But that doesn’t really tell you how it will be run. In my case, the complex was brand-new, I bought my piece at auction dirt cheap (should have been a warning), and I was one of the first people to move in. So there was no history to look at.
[/quote]
You can also request to review their minutes. That you have to ask for. That is where they will publicly comment on the grievances they have about those persons in their HOA. So you can see how nitpicky there are about enforcing their rules.
Ask for at least 4-months, but go back as far as they will let you go. Especially review the minutes for the months with a holiday. You want to see if they are going to tow your friends’ cars if they park to long in visitors spaces.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
So, are buyers informed of the fact that their property is under the control of an HOA by the Realtor, or is their some disclosure that states this before you purchase?
[/quote]
Yes, any condo or complex type home is likely to have an HOA.
You get to look at the rules, regs and bylaws before you purchase. But that doesn’t really tell you how it will be run. In my case, the complex was brand-new, I bought my piece at auction dirt cheap (should have been a warning), and I was one of the first people to move in. So there was no history to look at.
[/quote]
You can also request to review their minutes. That you have to ask for. That is where they will publicly comment on the grievances they have about those persons in their HOA. So you can see how nitpicky there are about enforcing their rules.
Ask for at least 4-months, but go back as far as they will let you go. Especially review the minutes for the months with a holiday. You want to see if they are going to tow your friends’ cars if they park to long in visitors spaces.[/quote]
Good advice OG, thanks. I will be moving soon, and thought about going condo next time.
Question for the OP, you just bought this place right? Did it have hardwoods when you bought it or did you install them? If this was a violation of one of their precious bylaws, I bet someone at closing owed you a duty inform you this was a violation. Hold them responsible.
Hmm. Okay, so people move into a community and knowingly forfeit control over their property to a board of nit picking swindlers, right?
See, part of my incredulity is based on the knowingly part.
The other part is that I’ve worked in a couple of these places with HOAs as a contractor providing either landscape or tree services. The one thing I picked up on very quickly was the air of “Better Than”. I’m used to my work being nit picked, and having people yank you around by the dollar as part of doing business, but I sure as hell wouldn’t ever want to live in a place like that.
The price on these places, at least locally is what I would consider high, and I’m certain it is higher in other places, so what is the attraction?
When it comes right down to signing the papers and buying into one of these types of communities, what is the draw?
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Hmm. Okay, so people move into a community and knowingly forfeit control over their property to a board of nit picking swindlers, right?
See, part of my incredulity is based on the knowingly part.
The other part is that I’ve worked in a couple of these places with HOAs as a contractor providing either landscape or tree services. The one thing I picked up on very quickly was the air of “Better Than”. I’m used to my work being nit picked, and having people yank you around by the dollar as part of doing business, but I sure as hell wouldn’t ever want to live in a place like that.
The price on these places, at least locally is what I would consider high, and I’m certain it is higher in other places, so what is the attraction?
When it comes right down to signing the papers and buying into one of these types of communities, what is the draw?
[/quote]
In my case, affordability, historically low interest rates, historically low pricing, and on-going maintenance I don’t have to worry about. Honestly though, the biggest thing was affordability. I can’t afford a house in Southern California close to the coast, my work, my family, and my friends.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
So, are buyers informed of the fact that their property is under the control of an HOA by the Realtor, or is their some disclosure that states this before you purchase?
[/quote]
Yes, any condo or complex type home is likely to have an HOA.
You get to look at the rules, regs and bylaws before you purchase. But that doesn’t really tell you how it will be run. In my case, the complex was brand-new, I bought my piece at auction dirt cheap (should have been a warning), and I was one of the first people to move in. So there was no history to look at.
[/quote]
You can also request to review their minutes. That you have to ask for. That is where they will publicly comment on the grievances they have about those persons in their HOA. So you can see how nitpicky there are about enforcing their rules.
Ask for at least 4-months, but go back as far as they will let you go. Especially review the minutes for the months with a holiday. You want to see if they are going to tow your friends’ cars if they park to long in visitors spaces.[/quote]
I assume you can ask for minutes if you a current resident?
I have been living in a condo I bougfht 4 years ago and paid 250 per month the first 3 years and now 300.
Like everyone has said the Board consists of old retired/similar people. I have been fined for having a small grill stored in my carport. I just got a letter saying that I can have 2 rubber mats stored under my cabinets in carport too. The ‘president’ or whatever the fuck he thinks he is told me about them a monht ago. I barely ackowledged the words that came out of his 72 year old mouth.
I have respect for elders but not him. He has threw racial slurs out while talking to my girlfriend, not directed at her but still. I haven’t even thought about it but I guess it could be grounds for removal. Get this they have the monthly meetings in his fucking condo.
I went once after a storm caused the roof to leak and fuck up my ceiling inside. They told me that it is up to us to take care of because the insurance only covers exterior damage. I said it rained OUTSIDE for 6 hours and the roof leaked. That is from exterior problems and they had been there 2 x in the past to tar the roof leaks. I wish DB could slit their throats.
So I don’;t give a shit about paying them on time. If my payment makes it by the 15th great, if not then I owe 10%. Anyways the guy above came to me one day and said, is your gf still iving with you. I said yes (4+ yrs…) to his I haven’t seen here much. I just stare at him. Then he says you are behind on you HOA. Being a little uneasy with this guy as it is I ask him what he is talking about. Then he says the HOA fees. I asked him how you would know? He says he gets to review the info etc… He then says you are behind, like 1K$ and I just smile and say that ain’t shit; ashtray money and walk off.
End of rant/more pent up than I thought… screw em! Happy 4th and good luck with car!