Someone who's not even there enough to check her mail regularly? Not really. She clearly doesn't use any of the common areas so she probably doesn't care if they look beautiful or not.
She would when it came time to sell her house. She also benefits when their maintenance helps deter burglary or vandalism. And she benefits when there is decidedly less damage to her property because the trees and shrubs and such are well maintained.
Meh, at $40 a year, I'm having a hard time believing that the benefits were much more than paying for someone to collect HOA dues.
Post by sillygoosegirl on Nov 17, 2013 1:06:25 GMT -5
My parents purchased a bank foreclosed condo a couple years ago for $80K. About a month after closing, they got a letter from the HOA saying they owed $30K in back HOA dues for their brand new unit, and the HOA was taking steps to foreclose on them. Fortunately they'd purchased title insurance and so it was the title insurance company that paid...
My mom was so pissed though. "What a great way to welcome someone to the neighborhood."
If it weren't for this board, I wouldn't know that you couldn't just buy a house and say no thanks to joining the HOA. In fact, until today I didn't know that they could take your damn house for not joining (which is, essentially, what this is).
It is completely crazy that this thing that's basically the mob union from Armed and Dangerous rules so many neighborhoods, and people are okay with it because hey, at least it prevents the neighbors from painting their house an ugly color. What in the hell is wrong with you people that you'd happily pay to live under a suburban mafia if it lets you have a teensy bit of control over your neighbors?!
I hate how on this board, if you have an HOA that you don't mind, since it ensures that my next door neighbor isn't a junked out trailer with a bunch of garbage in the yard (which was what we saw in the vast majority of neighborhoods around here without hoas), it means you must be a crazy person who wants to control your neighbor's beach towel placement. El Oh El.
Exactly. Our HOA works hard to ensure our home stays looking fabulous without neighbors filling their balconies with crap and parking rvs all over the place. Their work increases my property values.
I have a lot of issues with how the foreclosure went down, but I don't thinks she is exactly an innocent victim. If this was a NYT article we'd all be lamenting how they always choose unsympathetic victims
There are lots of people who aren't "innocent victims" but that doesn't mean we don't have a ton of outrage at the magnitude of the consequences levied against them.
Earlier this week everyone agreed that three strikes rules were ridiculous, and people shouldn't go to prison for life for stealing a jacket. The whole thread was rage, not "well it's stupid he is in prison for life, but bootstraps and all, so no tears."
I'm still waiting for someone to answer the questions I asked several posts ago, among them being whether people actually think n this instance the punishment fits the crime, and if this is in the best interest of the HOA.
Fwiw, I'm not anti-HOA. This might even be the first HOA thread I've posted in. I just think they acted so incredibly irresponsibly in this instance that I don't understand why people are piling on the homeowner. Her actions seem irrelevant to the question of whether the HOA overreacted, and acted irresponsibly and recklessly.
I don't at all disagree with you, and I think had the argument started with "omg, can you believe this HOA neglected to follow x, y and z procedures and instead illegally stole this house out from under this woman?!" it would have gone a different way. Instead, the argument started off "omg, how can you expect grandma to read the contract she signed AND her mail? Services that benefit everyone should be optional for old ladies because."
I guess I see it as the anti-HOA argument is focusing on the homeowner, so the anti-grandma side is responding to that.
I was very reluctant to live in in a HOA community when we moved, but I must say there have been plenty of upside and very little downside.
In my non HOA community my neighbor left his 1970s station wagon up on cinderblocks in front of his house for weeks at a time.
I get lots of benefits from my current HOA including pools, tennis, hiking, beautiful grounds etc. The only downside is I've gotten emails from management telling me I need to remove a dead bush in our landscaping.
Oh no! Your neighbor might have junk in his yard! That totally warrants mandatory payment of a bunch of busybodies who could sell your completely paid-off house right out from under you.
I really, really don't know what in the hell is wrong with some of you.
For $40/year? You are too annoyed by the reasons people like an hoa (nice common areas, clean living-my thought is mybe you haven't lived in an area where junk in yards=rodents? It is not always just for looks). It is odd.
She would when it came time to sell her house. She also benefits when their maintenance helps deter burglary or vandalism. And she benefits when there is decidedly less damage to her property because the trees and shrubs and such are well maintained.
Meh, at $40 a year, I'm having a hard time believing that the benefits were much more than paying for someone to collect HOA dues.
How large is the neighborhood? That could account for the low amount.
Meh, at $40 a year, I'm having a hard time believing that the benefits were much more than paying for someone to collect HOA dues.
How large is the neighborhood? That could account for the low amount.
They HOA may only be responsible for maintaining the sign at the front which is probably more equitable than IIOY neighborhood where the person with sign next to her yard is responsible for maintaining the sign and has failed to do so and there isn't much that can be done.
Oh no! Your neighbor might have junk in his yard! That totally warrants mandatory payment of a bunch of busybodies who could sell your completely paid-off house right out from under you.
I really, really don't know what in the hell is wrong with some of you.
For $40/year? You are too annoyed by the reasons people like an hoa (nice common areas, clean living-my thought is mybe you haven't lived in an area where junk in yards=rodents? It is not always just for looks). It is odd.
I would imagine those of us who are less enamored of HOAs have local governments that function the same way. My town issues tickets all the time for not properly maintaining, cars parked on the grass, garbage cans left out, cars on cinderblocks, etc. I know there are places where there are no local ordinances regarding this and in a place like that an HOA is probably good protection.
How large is the neighborhood? That could account for the low amount.
They HOA may only be responsible for maintaining the sign at the front which is probably more equitable than IIOY neighborhood where the person with sign next to her yard is responsible for maintaining the sign and has failed to do so and there isn't much that can be done.
As long I was tagged, and for anyone who even remembers my post, that sign finally got replaced a couple months ago. Prior to this I had contacted the builder, who told me they had no responsibility for it, but I do wonder if they got in touch with the homeowner after that since the missing sign made the entrance to the neighborhood look really run down and did not reflect well on the builder. At the very least, the timing is coincidental.
Generally I despise HOAs but that is one instance where we really could have used one. That sign was missing for at least two years.
My parents purchased a bank foreclosed condo a couple years ago for $80K. About a month after closing, they got a letter from the HOA saying they owed $30K in back HOA dues for their brand new unit, and the HOA was taking steps to foreclose on them. Fortunately they'd purchased title insurance and so it was the title insurance company that paid...
My mom was so pissed though. "What a great way to welcome someone to the neighborhood."
What is wrong with that? If there is a lien on the property then it needs to be paid. It was in all of our documents when we bought our short sale. HOA gets paid. Fortunately our seller was up to date.
If it was not in your parent's documents that is another thing. As for the woman who lost her home, yep. Kick her ass out.
My parents purchased a bank foreclosed condo a couple years ago for $80K. About a month after closing, they got a letter from the HOA saying they owed $30K in back HOA dues for their brand new unit, and the HOA was taking steps to foreclose on them. Fortunately they'd purchased title insurance and so it was the title insurance company that paid...
My mom was so pissed though. "What a great way to welcome someone to the neighborhood."
What is wrong with that? If there is a lien on the property then it needs to be paid. It was in all of our documents when we bought our short sale. HOA gets paid. Fortunately our seller was up to date.
If it was not in your parent's documents that is another thing. As for the woman who lost her home, yep. Kick her ass out.
If it wasn't in the documents then yeah, there's something wrong with that. That should have all been settled at closing, not "oh yeah by the way you have to pay us $30k" a month later. And it doesn't exactly give warm feelings to say "I know you just moved in and we're choosing to immediately bill you for tens of thousands of dollars and we're going to go ahead and try to foreclose on you right away. Welcome! Actually, you're not welcome."
No system is perfect, obviously, and there's always a possibility of issues in a neighborhood without an HOA. But I just don't see that non-HOA neighborhoods have these rampant, wild-jungle looking houses that so desperately ruin the neighborhood that it's worth giving up the right to actually own your own property instead of the HOA in effect owning it and just letting you live there and pay for it as long as you follow their rules and pay their fees.
It's not a choice that I would make, and it frustrates me that it's becoming less and less of a choice.
For $40/year? You are too annoyed by the reasons people like an hoa (nice common areas, clean living-my thought is mybe you haven't lived in an area where junk in yards=rodents? It is not always just for looks). It is odd.
I would imagine those of us who are less enamored of HOAs have local governments that function the same way. My town issues tickets all the time for not properly maintaining, cars parked on the grass, garbage cans left out, cars on cinderblocks, etc. I know there are places where there are no local ordinances regarding this and in a place like that an HOA is probably good protection.
I can respect that. I am one of those people who lives in a rural community and zoning or whoever does not enforce garbage or nuisance ordinances. This may make me a jerk, but I do not want to look at a trashed out house as my next door neighbor. We also have amenities, like a pool, lake access and tennis courts. I guess this makes me a terrible person and OMG what is wrong with me for wanting to live here??? (Not directed at you, but at Kuus, who seems to feel that way)
What is wrong with that? If there is a lien on the property then it needs to be paid. It was in all of our documents when we bought our short sale. HOA gets paid. Fortunately our seller was up to date.
If it was not in your parent's documents that is another thing. As for the woman who lost her home, yep. Kick her ass out.
If it wasn't in the documents then yeah, there's something wrong with that. That should have all been settled at closing, not "oh yeah by the way you have to pay us $30k" a month later. And it doesn't exactly give warm feelings to say "I know you just moved in and we're choosing to immediately bill you for tens of thousands of dollars and we're going to go ahead and try to foreclose on you right away. Welcome! Actually, you're not welcome."
No system is perfect, obviously, and there's always a possibility of issues in a neighborhood without an HOA. But I just don't see that non-HOA neighborhoods have these rampant, wild-jungle looking houses that so desperately ruin the neighborhood that it's worth giving up the right to actually own your own property instead of the HOA in effect owning it and just letting you live there and pay for it as long as you follow their rules and pay their fees.
It's not a choice that I would make, and it frustrates me that it's becoming less and less of a choice.
My parents were really upset that the first communication the HOA chose to send them was a notice that they would foreclose, rather than informing them that this lean existed and giving them the opportunity to do something about it before being threatened with foreclosure. How it is that the bank didn't know about the lean and the title search company didn't find it, I don't know. It's something they certainly should have been informed of before closing, but sometimes that doesn't happen. That's why title insurance exists. There have actually been some state law changes where we live recently that complicate the whole thing. I believe that NOW when a property goes into foreclosure all the lean holders get paid if there are enough proceeds and if there are not, any additional leans are just canceled, so the property is clear of preexisting leans at the time of the sale. But while my parents purchased from the bank AFTER that law passed, the bank purchased the property at their own auction BEFORE that, or something like that.
Quite honestly I'm surprised they didn't just put a lien on the place and call it a day. It does seem like a lot of effort to go through for less than $300.
This is exactly what I was thinking. This type of thing is what a lien is for, not foreclosure.
Quite honestly I'm surprised they didn't just put a lien on the place and call it a day. It does seem like a lot of effort to go through for less than $300.
This is exactly what I was thinking. This type of thing is what a lien is for, not foreclosure.
I was under the impression they had a lien and foreclosed on it. No?
This is exactly what I was thinking. This type of thing is what a lien is for, not foreclosure.
I was under the impression they had a lien and foreclosed on it. No?
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Up yonder in NY a lien is paid when you go to sell your house. At closing the seller has to pay outstanding liens. If the person who places the lien on your house wants their money sooner then they cam sue you, not foreclose on your property.
Now I'm just wondering what in the hell your local governments are being paid to do if they din't even provide public areas and trash pickup.
In our area, the communities that have HOAs are the ones outside the city proper, away from the common areas already in existence and those towns do not have the money to expand services and build/maintain new common areas. Usually these communities are brand new subdivisions built where there was previously nothing. No existing landscaping, no parks, and rather far from the community centers and pools of the town.
I was under the impression they had a lien and foreclosed on it. No?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using proboards
Up yonder in NY a lien is paid when you go to sell your house. At closing the seller has to pay outstanding liens. If the person who places the lien on your house wants their money sooner then they cam sue you, not foreclose on your property.
same here for the first part, but to the second, lienholders can foreclose on a lien to get their money.
Now I'm just wondering what in the hell your local governments are being paid to do if they din't even provide public areas and trash pickup.
In our area, the communities that have HOAs are the ones outside the city proper, away from the common areas already in existence and those towns do not have the money to expand services and build/maintain new common areas. Usually these communities are brand new subdivisions built where there was previously nothing. No existing landscaping, no parks, and rather far from the community centers and pools of the town.
What is wrong with that? If there is a lien on the property then it needs to be paid. It was in all of our documents when we bought our short sale. HOA gets paid. Fortunately our seller was up to date.
If it was not in your parent's documents that is another thing. As for the woman who lost her home, yep. Kick her ass out.
If it wasn't in the documents then yeah, there's something wrong with that. That should have all been settled at closing, not "oh yeah by the way you have to pay us $30k" a month later. And it doesn't exactly give warm feelings to say "I know you just moved in and we're choosing to immediately bill you for tens of thousands of dollars and we're going to go ahead and try to foreclose on you right away. Welcome! Actually, you're not welcome."
No system is perfect, obviously, and there's always a possibility of issues in a neighborhood without an HOA. But I just don't see that non-HOA neighborhoods have these rampant, wild-jungle looking houses that so desperately ruin the neighborhood that it's worth giving up the right to actually own your own property instead of the HOA in effect owning it and just letting you live there and pay for it as long as you follow their rules and pay their fees.
It's not a choice that I would make, and it frustrates me that it's becoming less and less of a choice.
And conversely, I'm one of those people who lives on a street zoned light industrial, and we have an auto body shop at the end of the street. Holla! Half of the street is residential, half includes an auto body shop, an import/export small warehouse, a lighting supply warehouse, and like one other commercial/industrial building. My husband is psyched that we can put a brewery in our house if we want. The street next to us is all residential.
Is it the ideal street? No. Is mixed use sometimes good for communities? Yes. Our house is also walkable to the adorable downtown area with lots of bars/restaurants/shops, a historic movie theater, a live theater, a library and the public transit system. It's in a great school district. We love the area.
So it's nice to have a choice. No, I'm not going to be thrilled with a neighbor who has 18 inch high grass and leaved colored icicle lights on their house all year. Someone who gets a little creative with their garage door color? Adds some life and interest and character to the community.
If it wasn't in the documents then yeah, there's something wrong with that. That should have all been settled at closing, not "oh yeah by the way you have to pay us $30k" a month later. And it doesn't exactly give warm feelings to say "I know you just moved in and we're choosing to immediately bill you for tens of thousands of dollars and we're going to go ahead and try to foreclose on you right away. Welcome! Actually, you're not welcome."
No system is perfect, obviously, and there's always a possibility of issues in a neighborhood without an HOA. But I just don't see that non-HOA neighborhoods have these rampant, wild-jungle looking houses that so desperately ruin the neighborhood that it's worth giving up the right to actually own your own property instead of the HOA in effect owning it and just letting you live there and pay for it as long as you follow their rules and pay their fees.
It's not a choice that I would make, and it frustrates me that it's becoming less and less of a choice.
And conversely, I'm one of those people who lives on a street zoned light industrial, and we have an auto body shop at the end of the street. Holla! Half of the street is residential, half includes an auto body shop, an import/export small warehouse, a lighting supply warehouse, and like one other commercial/industrial building. My husband is psyched that we can put a brewery in our house if we want. The street next to us is all residential.
Is it the ideal street? No. Is mixed use sometimes good for communities? Yes. Our house is also walkable to the adorable downtown area with lots of bars/restaurants/shops, a historic movie theater, a live theater, a library and the public transit system. It's in a great school district. We love the area.
So it's nice to have a choice. No, I'm not going to be thrilled with a neighbor who has 18 inch high grass and leaved colored icicle lights on their house all year. Someone who gets a little creative with their garage door color? Adds some life and interest and character to the community.
And i am sure that those non-mowing, Christmas decoration-leaving people do exist. But I just don't see that they exist in SO many places and that their effect on property value is so dire that its worth this sacrifice of rights to ensure your neighbor doesn't do that. It's not as though non HOA neighborhoods are necessarily horrible and cheap because an HOA is the only thing standing between a civilized neighborhood and total anarchic lawn apocalypse.
In our area, the communities that have HOAs are the ones outside the city proper, away from the common areas already in existence and those towns do not have the money to expand services and build/maintain new common areas. Usually these communities are brand new subdivisions built where there was previously nothing. No existing landscaping, no parks, and rather far from the community centers and pools of the town.
God, that sounds like hell.
Eh. Lots of suburbs in SoCal are/were like this. If there aren't HOAs then there are Mello-Roos or community facility development fees, which fund essentially the same services. Not that big of a deal. #shrugsshoulders
$48 per year??? Mine were $316 a month and we didn't even have a clubhouse or a pool. Just to have some guys prune the bushes, clean up the leaves and mow some patches of grass in the parking lot. The rest went into a savings account.
Our property taxes are very low. We have no state income tax and our property taxes on a $700k house are about $3500/yr in the best school district in the state.
Our HOA dues are a lot. They provide for several neighborhood parks, tennis courts, a club house, a couple swimming pools, hiking trails, bike paths, neighborhood events, etc.
Holy crap. Maybe we should move to Nashville. We pay $9500 a year in property taxes on a similarly priced home in Atlanta in a so-so school district in a crappy county.
In Atlanta the HOA's are really only prominent in the suburbs, not in the city. I don't know anyone who has one. We pay $30 a year, by choice, for our neighborhood civic association, but it is completely voluntary.
Let me introduce myself. City of Atlanta resident who lives in an HOA community. Yes the property taxes in Atlanta will make you weep. My Mom's property taxes in DC shocked the hell out of me when I compared them to what she would have to pay if she lived in Atlanta.
I hate how on this board, if you have an HOA that you don't mind, since it ensures that my next door neighbor isn't a junked out trailer with a bunch of garbage in the yard (which was what we saw in the vast majority of neighborhoods around here without hoas), it means you must be a crazy person who wants to control your neighbor's beach towel placement. El Oh El.
Exactly. Our HOA works hard to ensure our home stays looking fabulous without neighbors filling their balconies with crap and parking rvs all over the place. Their work increases my property values.
I'm sorry, but you seem like a reasonably intelligent and capable person, are you somehow not capable of doing this, and hence have to pay someone else to tell you what you are and are not allowed to do to your own property?
They took this woman's home over $288. Are you kidding me? I don't care if they had the right to or not, that is vindictive and punitive. It was designed to be a threat: " YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE SPRING FREAKING DAISIES WE PLANT AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE COMMUNITY FROM THE FREAKING STREET OR WE WILL TAKE YOUR HOME." Say fucking what?
They could have just liened the property. They did not need to do this.
Now I'm just wondering what in the hell your local governments are being paid to do if they din't even provide public areas and trash pickup.
Basically, these areas that preach about how freaking low their property taxes are contract all that shit out to an HOA who gets to tell them what color their mailbox should be and what type of bushes they can plant. But hey! Someone gets the trash weekly!