Random Thoughts - Part III The Search for Spark (No Politics)

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by spcmafia

I have never heard of an HOA, and after reading a few of the comments, sounds like living in a within an HOA has more drawbacks than it has benefits. Then again, living in a small town governed by a council isn't much better because I can't do jack sht on my house without paying a good amount of money for permits, a hearing, and then permission from said council.


Edit, after a quick google search apparently these are some "benefits" of living withing an HOA:...

yea, the overarching concept is control over the neighbors because I clearly know better than anyone around me, and there's this vague ghost monster of "BUT MAH PROPERTY VALUES". because a $300k house is suddenly going to be worth $100k if i happen to park a 30 year old car with rotted out fenders on the street 2 blocks away...


keep the burned out car wrecks on your property instead of the street, quiet parties down to respectable levels by 10 on week nights 12-2 on weekends, don't let your friends park across my driveway, and i couldn't care any less.

but shovel your entire driveway of snow into the street 10 minutes after the plow goes by, don't be offended when i shovel it into a fort wall across your driveway.

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I doubt it is much better than last October!
A lot of the really poor looking places were along the sides of the highway.
Pretty sure some had HOAs that required you to have a minimum of one collapsing building and 4 rusty old cars in the yard.
Doubt Ultra saw most of them since as soon as I said "Oh look at that" he would actually look and start to turn in that direction. We almost died many times because I could not contain the "Oh look at that" comments.

lol, i'd love to see the paperwork for "must maintain 1 collapsing building, 2 rotted out car hulks at all times, or face significant penalties"

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by soundman98

lol, i'd love to see the paperwork for "must maintain 1 collapsing building, 2 rotted out car hulks at all times, or face significant penalties"

"Yep you sure is short one rotted car and where the heck is your cut down old school bus? That's gonna cost you a goat AND a chicken"

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I doubt it is much better than last October!
A lot of the really poor looking places were along the sides of the highway.
Pretty sure some had HOAs that required you to have a minimum of one collapsing building and 4 rusty old cars in the yard.
Doubt Ultra saw most of them since as soon as I said "Oh look at that" he would actually look and start to turn in that direction. We almost died many times because I could not contain the "Oh look at that" comments.

Along the hwy is the worst, especially on hwy 22 headed out east they way you guys went out going to Blockbuster. Most of the small towns out that way are timber towns and along the hwy is were most of the low income rentals are.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Doubt Ultra saw most of them since as soon as I said "Oh look at that" he would actually look and start to turn in that direction. We almost died many times because I could not contain the "Oh look at that" comments.

Haha... The struggle is real.

[cjd]

Originally Posted by soundman98

yea, the overarching concept is control over the neighbors because I clearly know better than anyone around me, and there's this vague ghost monster of "BUT MAH PROPERTY VALUES". because a $300k house is suddenly going to be worth $100k if i happen to park a 30 year old car with rotted out fenders on the street 2 blocks away...

The house next to ours (old house, not the one we're in now) was abandoned, eventually foreclosed and sold... but not till a lot of water damage. Evidently to quite a few people that meant OUR house was worth squat as well, despite being move-in ready.
I did meet the folks who eventually purchased the place next door, tore out all the drywall, floor, half the doors... and were doing an amazing job refurbishing with "don't want this any more" parts out of some of the more "burn $$$" neighborhoods (guy was a contractor in the trade and this was stuff he was replacing because they wanted a different look...)
Too many people suck.
Heck, I did have someone try to call the city on my front yard here in the city - not sure the problem, whether "weeds" or "too tall" and the poor sap sent out to try to issue notice was just embarrassed and couldn't even answer questions straight - eventually mumbled his way back to his truck having done nothing. Too tall, I asked if I could have a sunflower garden (which was taller when we did that) and weeds, I asked what the definition was; I was intentionally letting a late-seeding variety crowd out some other more annoying stuff (and did tear it out before it even flowered) but it did get decently tall. Stupid lilies are far more "weed" than that since you can't get ride of the things.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Haha... The struggle is real.

[Kiske]

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

'Cuz PNW!

Those must be the Dali llamas.

We recently installed a sprinkler system. The contractor pulled a permit and told me he couldn't put heads within 10 feet on the curb due to easement restrictions. I adjusted the spray patterns and it works decently. But it was mildly annoying as on my dog walks I see lots of houses with curbside nozzles.

Now there is some work going on laying conduit for new telecom lines. The contractor laying the conduit has gone down neighboring streets and ripped up a lot of those irrigation systems. I'm told the owners are SOL because they were installed in violation of code. I guess sometimes it pays to play by at least some of the rules.

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Haha... The struggle is real.

.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

Basically in my area, if you are not adding square footage and you are the homeowner, you can do most things without a permit. Roof's, siding, porches, plumbing ect. all have been no problem. We have had building inspectors drive by while I was fixing the foundation on the house I did last year and just wave. If you are a hired contractor then they want to see a permit but not on everything, roofs are free game. The town my house is in is a little pickier and they want you to file some things with them, like if you were to add a freestanding shed to your backyard, but it is free to file and they will inspect that it meets code and that is it. No fee for inspection.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

What a hack. Within 6ft of the sink should be a GFCI

[cjd]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

What a hack. Within 6ft of the sink should be a GFCI

I'm sure they used a GFCI breaker instead.

[2020BRZtS]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

Very rarely do I need a permit for anything. I don't think I have bought a permit in 10 years and I am on my 3rd full gut and remodel job in the last 8 years.

We only need a permit if it's something that can be taxed down the line. Think of additional square footage, decks/concrete patios, and outbuildings. Paver patios are exempt because you can pick up the pavers and take them with you.

We had a proxy HoA before the street was dedicated. It only stated that all cars had to be registered and insured, no clothes lines, and no above ground pools. The day the last house was deeded it expired.

EDIT: I really should read all the way through the thread before I post. MSG posted the same thing.