Ughhhhhhhh. Trucks, HOAs, and Garages...

[Delirious]

Give your HOA a headache and get something like these. Park it outside and tell em it's only a golf cart, and per HOA rules, it's legal.

I read a story about a guy that got back at his HOA by buying junk looking cars and getting them tagged and parking them all over the neighborhood. Needless to say, his HOA is fit to be tied. You could probably find that story online by searching that.

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[VoodooRanger]

I’d soon be saying “Welcome to Florida”, but yet here I am trying to get the hell out.

I’ll actually be driving up to North Georgia/North Carolina tomorrow until Sunday. Girlfriend and I are planning to do a bit of camping and exploring. I’m sure it’ll just add to the need for me to want to leave even more.

Coral Gables used to be the same way when it came to no pick-ups in front of the house. That was changed nearly 10 years ago though. They made it seem that having a pick-up truck parked overnight in the driveway would bring the end of society.

 

[Delirious]

My Ranger barely fit on the garage had to remove the stuby antenna and also it had a 3.5 inch lift. I had to adjust the garage door to get the an extra height. If you like the neighborhood check the garage door if you have room to adjust.

Here’s how I allowed my truck to fit in…( Sorry I couldn’t shrink the pictures on my iPad it just won’t let me)

 

[Langwilliams]

If people are against HOAs it seems pretty simple - don't buy a home in a hoa controlled development, yet people buy the homes without bothering to read the hoa documents then complain afterwards

As was said it's not always that easy. Houses that are fairly priced sell in a day around here. If you find a house you really want there's pressure to make the offer right then or lose it. I bought my house in Fla back in the day without reading the HOA rules. I didn't even know we had one since there was no fee to disclose. I was 26 an didn't know better. I think some people fall for the "HOA rules protect your homes value an keep a nice looking neighborhood" line. I'm half heartedly looking. If I see a place I like in a location I like I'll make an offer but I'm not offering 25K over list like a lot are selling for or more an I'm more than happy to buy an older home or fixer or live in the country to avoid the HOA. The stand alone lots in nice areas that aren't in HOA neighborhoods make buying harder. You have to buy the lot an hire a builder. Most builders have waiting lists to get them to start the job. It costs more to do this than to buy a cookie cutter house in a development were 8 different floorplans are offered to make building fast an cheap. The city I just delivered mail in for 25 years had their population go up 8x what it was when I started working in that city. The old farmers died off an the kids ran to the developers to cash in on the couple hundred acres of land in a prime city with A+ schools 20 minutes from down town Cleveland they just inherited. You can make 40K a year farming or get 100K an acre for the land from the developers. The developments all have nice entrances with sprinklers watering well groomed landscaping with nice lighting. Paying for landscaping an water/electric means HOA.

 

[Rocketeer61]

I grew up military and I'm through allowing others to tell me what I can and cannot do in and outside my own home. HOAs can go pound sand, or grass, or whatever else they specify for landscaping.

 

[IcemanSTX]

It looks like my wife and I may be relocating from Marietta, GA to Boca Raton, FL - and because of that we've started looking for a home on Zillow. Most of the homes we've looked at are in HOA/country club communities, and I've started poking around and reading some the HOA rules. One home we liked had an HOA rule of no trucks, vans, commercial vehicles in the driveway - including non-commercial pick-up trucks. So it looks like I need to measure the overall height of my truck and bring a tape measure with me to Florida when we look at homes. Arghhhhhhhhh.

Anybody here with a lifted Ranger able to cram their Ranger into their garage? I have a 3.5" lift and RTT mounted!!!!! I don't think mine fits in my current home's garage.

I've got an 8' garage so I'll never hit that. Your neighbors should be paying you to look at your badass Ranger outside.

 

[BladeRanger]

Here’s how I allowed my truck to fit in…( Sorry I couldn’t shrink the pictures on my iPad it just won’t let me)

That's a precision parking!!!

 

[dtech]

It's not that easy out here as HOA's are everywhere. I use to think the same way because back east there are very few of them and they're mostly in condo's. I've done hundreds of new housing projects and never seen one with an HOA back there.

Well why are HOA's everywhere where you live ? Many developments in the western cities are newer than the in the east, and people are migrating to the the west and southwest, and in many cases the lots are smaller with houses in very close proximity, so many home buyers want to live in a HOA community where their neighbors are prevented from doing whatever they desire. In my prior residence I had to threaten the HOA with legal action to enforce the community by laws with respect to a neighbor who was openly violating several statutes, when I initially informed him that his actions violated the covenants he told me I was wrong, in the same conversation I asked if he had bothered to read the covenants his response " no one bothers to read them" I told him I did out of respect for the community at large. So if developers are building HOA communities it's because what many potential buyers desire , and in my recent home buying experience there were numerous properties available in non HOA communities. As it turns out I purchased a home in an HOA community on 3 acres so I have some degree of separation from my neighbors. Below is a link to an article showing HOA related statistics and according to the article the highest concentration of hoa communities by far are in the west and south - where the US population has been migrating for decades. HOAs not for everyone as expressed on here but they do have their supporters and apparently in large numbers.

https://www.homelight.com/blog/buyer-hoa-pros-and-cons/

 

[AzScorpion]

Well why are HOA's everywhere where you live ? Many developments in the western cities are newer than the in the east, and people are migrating to the the west and southwest, and in many cases the lots are smaller with houses in very close proximity, so many home buyers want to live in a HOA community where their neighbors are prevented from doing whatever they desire. In my prior residence I had to threaten the HOA with legal action to enforce the community by laws with respect to a neighbor who was openly violating several statutes, when I initially informed him that his actions violated the covenants he told me I was wrong, in the same conversation I asked if he had bothered to read the covenants his response " no one bothers to read them" I told him I did out of respect for the community at large. So if developers are building HOA communities it's because what many potential buyers desire , and in my recent home buying experience there were numerous properties available in non HOA communities. As it turns out I purchased a home in an HOA community on 3 acres so I have some degree of separation from my neighbors. Below is a link to an article showing HOA related statistics and according to the article the highest concentration of hoa communities by far are in the west and south - where the US population has been migrating for decades. HOAs not for everyone as expressed on here but they do have their supporters and apparently in large numbers.

https://www.homelight.com/blog/buyer-hoa-pros-and-cons/

Sorry that's not true at all. I don't know one person out here who likes or wants an HOA. Actually it's the opposite, I know many who wish they could find an area that doesn't have one myself included. There are some but not in desirable areas .

As far as reading the CCRS I'm not sure how big yours were but here I'd have an easier/faster time reading the Bible. Sure I scanned through them but like most. It's like putting a check mark next to the Terms of Service, do you or anyone actually read them?

As far as having them back east did you read my post? I've done HUNDREDS of NEW housing developments from WMA and NCT and besides a condo project there was never any HOA's in a housing development. Yes most of the N east has older homes but I specialized in new construction.

My last house I had 3 acres and i loved the privacy but there's no way to get that here in the valley. You'd have to go up to Prescott, Flagstaff or the mountains in the east valley. Then you're at a higher elevation where it's cold and snows. Just about every lot here is a postage stamp and the new builds are even smaller than mine. Some of these new ones you could literally had your neighbor a drink from window to window. All I can say is when it's time to leave here I will NEVER live in an HOA ever again!

 

[OrangeStreak]

This is one solution for garage clearance ...

 

[AzScorpion]

Poor John @Glocker he's going to come back and read the rest of the comments and not look forward to his trip now. lol But I always say I want the truth even if I don't like it, I'd rather know now than later once it's to late.

Just do your homework and ask A LOT of questions to the realtor and try to talk with the neighbors and get their prospective. Specifically ask about the HOA and the fees and how many times have they been raised over the years and at what percent. If there's clubhouses, pools and tennis courts just remember these need maintenance and that's where they'll raise the fees to get the money for repairs. It's great if you actually use these amenities but often most don't and they becomes a money pit. Good luck with your trip and let us know how it turns out.

 

[rydfree]

After reading this thread I am even happier that I purchased 15 acres just outside of the city limits here . I spent 4 years clearing about 5 acres of it myself , building the pond , the house , the garage etc . Now all I have to worry about is things like this .

 

[Chris M]

Sorry that's not true at all. I don't know one person out here who likes or wants an HOA. Actually it's the opposite, I know many who wish they could find an area that doesn't have one myself included. There are some but not in desirable areas .

As far as reading the CCRS I'm not sure how big yours were but here I'd have an easier/faster time reading the Bible. Sure I scanned through them but like most. It's like putting a check mark next to the Terms of Service, do you or anyone actually read them?

As far as having them back east did you read my post? I've done HUNDREDS of NEW housing developments from WMA and NCT and besides a condo project there was never any HOA's in a housing development. Yes most of the N east has older homes but I specialized in new construction.

My last house I had 3 acres and i loved the privacy but there's no way to get that here in the valley. You'd have to go up to Prescott, Flagstaff or the mountains in the east valley. Then you're at a higher elevation where it's cold and snows. Just about every lot here is a postage stamp and the new builds are even smaller than mine. Some of these new ones you could literally had your neighbor a drink from window to window. All I can say is when it's time to leave here I will NEVER live in an HOA ever again!

Actually, you DO know someone that likes his HOA. I've lived in three here in AZ since 2008, and have been blessed that all of them are nominal in their intrusiveness while actively (softly) doing what is necessary to keep the communities respectably maintained and property values up...all while not getting deeply at all in my wallet.

But I suspect I might be an anomaly.

That said, when we retire and move away from here I fully intend to find a large acreage tract well away from the big city and all those mean HOA's

 

[AzScorpion]

Actually, you DO know someone that likes his HOA. I've lived in three here in AZ since 2008, and have been blessed that all of them are nominal in their intrusiveness while actively (softly) doing what is necessary to keep the communities respectably maintained and property values up...all while not getting deeply at all in my wallet.

But I suspect I might be an anomaly.

That said, when we retire and move away from here I fully intend to find a large acreage tract well away from the big city and all those mean HOA's

I stand corrected, I do know someone.

You're lucky that you have a good HOA but as you can see by the posts here most don't. I do agree they're "supposed" to make your community look better by not having junk cars and mismatched colors on houses but you have to have a HOA that enforces this.

I went to several meeting when I first moved here and they won't tell you anything. I wasn't asking for any personal info just specifics like why is there a boat in this guys driveway or another has a gazebo 3' over the fence wall, both are violations. I was told "we can't disclose any info and they're most likely being fined every month for this". That's great you're fining them but we homeowners who are abiding by the rules still have to look at this every day. They won't have to pay the fines until they sell the house which could be years. So basically they're not held accountable for breaking the rules and we have to loo at these eyesores. Even when they move they don't make the next owner take down the gazebo and build it to code so it's there forever. I have many customers telling me their horror stories so count your blessings you're in a good one because there are many around my area.

 

[AzScorpion]

After reading this thread I am even happier that I purchased 15 acres just outside of the city limits here . I spent 4 years clearing about 5 acres of it myself , building the pond , the house , the garage etc . Now all I have to worry about is things like this .

Beautiful lot Benny, I'm jealous! Makes me miss my 3 acres back east. I always had deer, turkey and even a porcupine come through my back yard. No way I'm going back there but if I could just move that lot out here I'd be happier.

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