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My HOA letter - "Where's Waldo?"

By Bob Southard

Real Estate Broker/Owner with Atlas Realty Service, LLC Ga Re lic. 266576

May 02, 2008 06:39 AM

OK. Before I even get started let me say that I just don't like to be told what to do. That's my independant personality. So it should be no suprise that sometimes recieving a "fix this" letter from my HOA, sort of sets me off. So maybe its just me. Anyway I got a letter about 30 days ago informing me that my house nees to be painted. Actually, it did need to be painted. So yeah I was a little cranky about about it, but not much I could say. It's hard to tell from this pic but the paint was really beginning to fade and the green shutters were looking really faded and old.

Ok, so I painted the house. I really mean that I painted the house. And it turned out pretty nice. We did a slight color change on the body of the house and changed the color of the shutters and front door. However the paint is not the problem. I just got another letter informing me that I have other violations. So let's play the HOA version of "Where's Waldo?" Take your best guess what the most recent violations are that so seriously threaten the integrity of our neighborhood. Go ahead and make your best guess. Remember that this is a public forum so let's play nice.

Just to help everybody out, I'll tell you few things that its not. It's not the infamous "you have too many pine cones please pick them up" letter. It might not show up in these pics but there is some pine straw on the sidewalk .. nope that's not it either. For those reading this in other parts of the country you'll see some brown in the grass. Nope, that's just dormant Burmudagrass that hasn't greened up all the way yet. So you are all invited to play. Post your best guess and lets see who wins. There are no valuable prizes or anything but you will win bragging rights and a possible nomination to our HOA board :-)

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Diane McDermott

Realtor®, GRI, Landis e2 Real Estate, LLC - Charlotte, NC

Charlotte NC Real Estate Market

Bob, I think the house looks great. The only thing I can think of is the color change. I've heard some hoa's require approval for changing exterior colors.

May 02, 2008 06:57 AM

Bob Southard

Atlas Realty Service, LLC - Kennesaw, GA

e-Pro - Cobb,Cherokee,NorthFulton,Paulding,Bartow

Diane: Good guess but ... nope. I did have the colors approved before painting.

May 02, 2008 07:00 AM

Patty Carroll

Vancouver, WA

Bob, can only guess that it's the garden hose that can be seen from the street and the two white painted windows on the top left side of the home.

Nice car! : )

May 02, 2008 07:11 AM

Patty & Scott: You're half right - the master bedroom windows are frosted from the inside for privacy. We took the screens off to paint and the frosting became more visable. The windows have actully been that way for over two years.

Good catch on the garden hose. I know where it's at and I couldn't even see it in the picture. Technically that's a violation, but that's not what I got the letter for.

Thanks for your guesses! Who's next?

PS. The Jaguar is for sale!!!!

May 02, 2008 07:33 AM

Mike Saunders

Retired - Athens, GA

Is there a for sale sign on the Jag that is not authorized?

Barring that, the way your bushes are trimmed.

May 02, 2008 07:55 AM

We think that Mike (above )has the other part right. But if it's not the trimming of the bushes the only other thing that we can think of and it would be quite petty, is it the mini blinds?

Hurry man and move the garden hose before they get you on that too! Don't they have anything else to do with their time?

May 02, 2008 08:12 AM

Mike,Patty & Scott,

All good guesses. But all wrong excpet for the frosted windows. No for sale sign on the Jag. Nobody has complained that I know of about the bushes. I actually was finishing scrping and unsticking the windows today , that's why the blinds were all messed around. So no complaints about those ..... yet.

Apparently they don't have anything to do with their time :-).

May 02, 2008 09:03 AM

Melissa Kruse

Gryphon - Lewis Center, OH

Unlit gas lamp light???

Didn't see one but that was what our HOA went after us for. Unfortunatly for them, the regs say the light has to be in working order not that they have to be lit.

May 02, 2008 10:19 AM

Melissa,

Unlit gas lamp? The folks on you rhoa must be related to some folks around here.

Just a side note for everybody .. I walked outside tonight and my neighbor was picking up his pine cones. He didn't get his "pick up your pine cones" letter, he was just trying to stay one step ahead.

May 02, 2008 11:40 AM

Thanks to everybody who played. The other item was to add mulch (i.e.pinestraw) to the garden beds ..... :-(

May 09, 2008 03:07 AM

Steve Shatsky

Dallas, TX

Mulch? You have got to be kidding me! Sound like a situation caused by someone having too much time on their hands!

May 09, 2008 03:41 AM

Leesa Finley

RED Properties - Wake Forest, NC

RED Properties - Raleigh NC Real Estate

Bob - who'd you piss of on the HOA board? Wow - that is VERY strict to receive so many letters so close in time.....

May 09, 2008 03:49 AM

Anonymous

Bob,

This is your private property and I believe you do a great job on keeping your home looking nice. If the HOA is monitoring people this closely I wonder who is monitoring them?

Aug 16, 2008 02:59 AM

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My HOA letter - "Where's Waldo?"

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