How much Freedom is Too Much?

[KpAtch3s]

No, not yet.

 

[Accountable]

Most newer housing developments have homeowners associations, also called HOA, which I tend to pronounce as a word, because I feel like I'm being screwed every time the subject comes up. Apparently the feeling is that freedom to maintain one's house as one wishes is too much freedom.

Little power-whores (for who else would volunteer for such a job?) go around inspecting front yards to make sure everyone is keeping the grass cut. Any kind of change to your house, from planting shrubbery to changing the color of the trim, must first get HOA approval. To add insult to injury, the HOA demands an annual fee, which goes up annually. When one person is paying every month for a house and another person is making all the major decisions about it, who is really the owner? (rhetorical question)

I "own" a house that I had to submit to a HOA in order to buy. The only reason I bought it is because I apparently love my beloved spouse more than my liberty.I keep shopping around, but it is becoming impossible to find affordable housing that I can both pay for and own.

It's a prime example of where this society is going, where people don't want to take responsibility for themselves, and don't trust others to be responsible, either.

 

[MoonOwl]

That is one of the very reasons we bought this home. No HOA.

There is no way I would ever buy into a subdivision w/an HOA.

Way to much power in the hands of people that can't wield it properly. Kinda like our politicians...

 

[Accountable]

Worse.

 

[MoonOwl]

Worse.

True

I take my kid to the college pool in the summer to swim. Last summer there was a family there and the kids used to talk (like kids do) and they'd say their dad worked for the CIA being a spy. Come to find out he works for his HOA driving around checking on people. What an ass... Gotta love people on a power trip :sarcasm


My only experience w/an HOA was w/my mom and her condo. They had a rule about keeping the garage doors closed. She'd keep hers open to get the breeze or when she was doing laundry. They'd fine her and she'd just pay the fine and keep doing what she wanted to do. I think I got part of my :fing27 attitude from her

 

[Accountable]

The problem with having the HOA hall monitor on duty is that some people in the neighborhood lose that pride of ownership that's supposed to come with, well, ownership. If a home owner thinks the house will really look great with white trim instead of the moss green it came with, he can't just go to the store, buy a can of paint and make it happen. He first has to submit his plan to the Committee of Nosey People, who will discuss among themselves whether a) the new trim color will go with the house color, b) the new color scheme will fit with the neighborhood scheme, and most importantly c) whether they like the home owner.

This is the biggest problem with socialism in general. There is no trust of the fellow man to make the right decisions or to do the right thing.

 

[KpAtch3s]

I'm not a big fan of HOA's either for some the exact reasons already stated, although I think those that are less restraining can be good simply for property value reasons.

Hey, I think there's a correlation here. Less restraining governments, organizations, and the like prosper.

 

[Francis]

Most newer housing developments have homeowners associations, also called HOA, which I tend to pronounce as a word, because I feel like I'm being screwed every time the subject comes up. Apparently the feeling is that freedom to maintain one's house as one wishes is too much freedom.

Little power-whores (for who else would volunteer for such a job?) go around inspecting front yards to make sure everyone is keeping the grass cut. Any kind of change to your house, from planting shrubbery to changing the color of the trim, must first get HOA approval. To add insult to injury, the HOA demands an annual fee, which goes up annually. When one person is paying every month for a house and another person is making all the major decisions about it, who is really the owner? (rhetorical question)

I "own" a house that I had to submit to a HOA in order to buy. The only reason I bought it is because I apparently love my beloved spouse more than my liberty.I keep shopping around, but it is becoming impossible to find affordable housing that I can both pay for and own.

It's a prime example of where this society is going, where people don't want to take responsibility for themselves, and don't trust others to be responsible, either.

Just curious.. I live in a similar type of system here but they call it "Strata style".. We have a board that gets elected yearly..

Our regional government has put very strict laws on these "Strata Boards" so that people do not take advantage of others not in control.

While I see the disadvantage to them I also see the advantage in our area where housing would not be affordable to new owners trying to get into the market..

 

[Accountable]

I'm not a big fan of HOA's either for some the exact reasons already stated, although I think those that are less restraining can be good simply for property value reasons.

Hey, I think there's a correlation here. Less restraining governments, organizations, and the like prosper.

Exactomundo!

Give that man a cigar!

Just curious.. I live in a similar type of system here but they call it "Strata style".. We have a board that gets elected yearly..

Our regional government has put very strict laws on these "Strata Boards" so that people do not take advantage of others not in control.

While I see the disadvantage to them I also see the advantage in our area where housing would not be affordable to new owners trying to get into the market..

I don't understand. They set the home prices?