You do everything you can to make your home presentable. 

You hire a great REALTOR. 

You procure a buyer who is willing to pay your asking price. 

You have a contract. 

You think things are good until the buyer reads something in the HOA rules that do not fit so they backout.

As a homeowner, you can not discriminate against anyone willing to purchase your home (and why would you) but your community association does every day with their rules.  Instead of saying they don't want a blue collar family in their neighborhood, they make rules to prohibit someone like that from living in their community.  One such rule would relate to their vehicle.  Some neighborhoods prohibit work trailers from being parked in the driveway overnight.  Others ban cars that are lettered up with a company's logo from being parked on the street.  In one subdivision, they have even extended this ban to include police cruisers. 

So how can a homeowner not be allowed to discrimite but its perfectly acceptable for a homeowners association?  Don't misunderstand.  I'm not advocating for discrimition at all.  I think that the equal housing laws are great because if given the chance, I know that some homeowners would and have discriminated against certain buyers.  That is why many times, agents will request the seller to leave the property during a showing so they can't interfere with the showing. 

Every day, homeowner association's grow increasingly more intrusive into the lives of those living in the community.  Many of these folks are good natured and mean well enough but don't have a background in law or consult with an attorney when drafting some of these rules.  Typically a board of a slim few make rules that are in direct conflict with the law but they only become an issue when someone raises enough of a stink. 

I don't care if the guy next door is the president of Wachovia or a construction worker.  If he can afford to live in my neighborhood, I say welcome neighbor.  If he has a construction trailer for his livlihood, so be it.  I'm happy he's next door because now I've got someone to ask when something breaks.  Also, a person's station in life has no bearing on their character (unless they are a thief or something) and isn't that what matters most?  I would hope that more folks challenge these discriminatory rules in order to force change in these communities. 

Sincerely;
Jonathan Osman
Charlotte NC Homes, Charlotte Real Estate