Crazy Neighbor/HOA

[Concourswanna b]

Note to self: never move into into one of these areas!

[longdx]

This is precisely why I will never buy in a community that has a HOA. My wife and I have literally walked out of model homes as soon as a HOA is mentioned.

[Bunky]

The law usually sides with the HOA if the HOA has a lawyer. The problem gets into when does a few details turn into a lot. If these are outsiders, you have strangers driving through the neighborhood meaning more traffic.

One day everyone is happy for HOA rules.

[jsteve340]

The one good thing about HOAs is that the people who say they would never move into a community that has a HOA are usually people you would not want to live next to anyway.Otherwise,what would they be worried about?
I realize that some go overboard,but do you really want to live next to someone who has a torn apart Camaro in the carport up on jackstands or someone who does not cut the grass,paint the house etc.
It would be nice if there was some sort of compromise,but how?

[BigAl3]

unfortunately, crazy/inconsiderate neighbors are everywhere. my next door neighbor (crankly old man who isn't nice to anyone) has a trash bin outside near my window and every 30 minutes or so (sometimes less or more), he goes outside and throws something away, slams the trash bin lid and then goes in and slams his door shut. i notice he doesn't do this when his wife (also the same way) is around and i can hear her yelling at him all the time. i could go on, but i just ignore it and go on with my life...

[longdx]

@jsteve340: I have lived in three communities. Two of which were older homes and the surrounding neighbors believed in direct communication rather than hiding behind a HOA. They and I also kept our houses/yards and had a great deal of respect for each other. I also lived in a new-build community with just a deed restriction and found that almost all neighbors lived within those restrictions. I do agree that some just do not want to abide by any rules, I just have a hard time having a HOA dictating what can/cannot be done within reason to a house.

[15951]

My career background is directly related to this issue, and I can tell you from professional knowledge that:

1. HOAs definitely have the right to enforce their bylaws, and your parents signed those documents and were provided the documents when they closed on the home. If they want to change the rules, they should go to the board and discuss the issue. Ignorance isn't an excuse, even if the rules are arbitrary and ridiculous.

2. Many/most cities would define detailing for money in your driveway as a "Home Occupation", which requires licensing and adherence to rules (e.g. no/limited signage only using a certain portion of the house for the business, not having customer traffic, etc.). The reason for this is to keep your neighbor from putting out signage and degrading your residential community with activity that the zoning doesn't support. This protects property values.

I think people often cry "property rights!!!" without thinking about their NEIGHBORS' rights. I love detailing my cars, but I'm very aware that the buffer is noisy, and if I were regularly detailing cars in my driveway, I could see how it would piss my neighbors off after hearing 8 hours of buffer whine for days on end.

My advice is that you should take the high ground on this one. Go over and introduce yourself to your neighbor, and apologize for any inconvenience you've caused. Explain that you detail a car or two every week in order to help you get through school/earn spending money/whatever, and ask her what you can do to make it more tolerable to her and her family. Even if she's a complete PIA and refuses to even have the discussion, at least you'll know you've tried.

After all of that, go to a HOA meeting, explain yourself, ask for their consideration of setting specific limits on your operation (e.g. certain days/hours, only using a buffer in the garage with the door closed, etc.), and apologize for causing the issue. Everyone demonizes HOAs, but you can be sure that they're as pissed about having to be your nanny as you are for having them do it. Just be professional and respectful, and don't go with a chip on your shoulder. They'll be impressed by your character, and just might work something out with you.

Good luck, and I hope you can reach resolution with the neighbors and HOA and continue the good work.

(By the way, I'll help for free if you need assistance with the Home Occupation license - just send me a PM and tell me what City you're in)

**UPDATE: I see you're in Irvine. Home Occupations are licensed. Here's the application w/criteria for same. If you're able to get through step 1 with the HOA, then I would go ahead and get this license so you don't have to worry about being fined by the City:
http://www.cityofirvine.org/civica/f...sp?BlobID=7053

[David Fermani]

That's some good stuff right there ^^^^

[Frito Bandito]

HOAs are evil.

[Scottwax]

Go mobile.

[ten39]

There are PLENTY of older, very appealing neighborhoods with mature trees/landscaping, well-maintained home exteriors, pride of ownership, and market values at or above new construction ($/ft^2), that have no HOA, and never have.

I live in one.

You couldn't pay me to live in a treeless new construction neighborhood with the HOA's, vinyl windows, pergo floors, and simulated wood siding. No way in [fill in the blank].

At least that's the way it is in my neck of the country. HOA's are almost exclusively tied to neighborhoods built in the last 10-15 years, and most of the horror stories (on both sides) you hear come from such 'hoods in the middle-class and below demographic. I'm in that demographic, but somehow we get along just fine without an HOA, and have a much more aesthetically appealing neighborhood than the new homes in same price class with the HOA's. And the WT factor is zero. Go figure...

[Bunky]

Irvine home business rules...excerpt.

The home occupation shall not create noise or odors in excess of that normally associated with a residential use.