Experience with MC ownership in HOA's

[NorCal Factory]

I was looking on Zillow at what's available in El Dorado Hills and Rocklin, and noticed that most of the new developments around Sac have HOAs. A little more research shows they say you can't have a trailer except in a garage and you can't work on a MC in the driveway or with the garage door open more than the time it takes to get in or out of the garage!

My first thought was that is so crazy I wouldn't live there, but it seems all the new developments have similar rules.

Does anyone live with strict HOAs like that? Do they allow more real world flexibility. How do you work on the bikes?

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[TheRobSJ]

Most anything new will be under a HOA, even detached single family homes. While the CC&Rs may vary slightly from HOA to HOA, the no auto (which means bike too) repairs thing seems pretty consistent. Trailers/RVs in the driveway is also something I’ve heard about a lot. I’m personally in a townhouse with no driveway, so that wouldn’t apply to me.

That said, I do see garages open and people doing basic maintenance like maybe as much as an oil change or whatever from time to time. They keep it contained in their garage, they don’t make any noise, so I don’t care that the door is open. Doesn’t harm anyone, so I doubt anyone will ever go complaining to the HOA that someone is breaking the rules. I do have some clown that moved in a few months ago that is some kind of contractor. 9-10 at night, I hear this idiot ripping wood with a circular saw. There’s sawdust all over the street in front of his garage. I’ve even seen a nail or two on the street. Guess who’s a nuisance and will probably piss off his neighbors enough that he’ll get narced out to the HOA?

 

[johnparjr]

I have a pretty strict HOA I’ve had issues but not MC related I work on my bike and the wife’s in the garage with the door up and have never had an issue. The trailer wouldn’t work around here though unless it was in the garage but we live in condos so there is no driveway to park on.

 

[ocoas]

It really depends on your neighbors and the board. Some HOA’s can be very aggressive about inforceing the rules, and it usually only takes one busy body to cause grief.
You will be able to push it some but read the rules and figure that is pretty much what you will have to do. I’m a tinkerer so I eventually moved out of the planned community.

 

[Junkie]

Even with a given set of rules, enforcement depends on your neighbors.

 

[Marcoose]

Reiterating the above, same here, I live in a strict HOA. But when I became the go-to dead battery jumper, tyre plugger, fluid topper, etc, people started to forgive on my small transgressions.

 

[ichabodnt650]

HOAs have limited budgets for lawyers and court battles. They are quick to send stern letters with little teeth to back up their threats.

 

[Junkie]

I've heard of them filing liens against homes for unpaid fines, I'd call that "teeth"

 

[ichabodnt650]

I've been the subject of HOA letters, and I've been on the other side and served on a couple of boards. For dues/assessments, there is definite recourse leading up to attaching liens ... but it comes at a cost (to the HOA). Getting someone to mow their lawn or not park their car/trailer/work vehicle in certain spaces ... those may be annoyances to the community and prohibited in the by-laws, but unless someone donates $400/hr for the association to wage war on a member, the association has little budget for anything more than the stamps on their warning letter envelopes.

If you fear them, by all means, comply. If you understand how they work ... you can get away with more indiscretion :teeth :gsxrgrl

 

[Frame Maker]

Keep in mind that most developers set up the HOA "rules and covenants" to keep up the image of the neighborhood while they are in the process of selling the new homes. Once all of the homes have been sold, the developer moves on to new projects and the HOA rules are no longer enforced.

I'm sure this is a generalization and may vary from development to development. I would also assume that condos and townhouse style communities may be more strictly enforced than single family houses.

 

[bobl]

When we purchased our home, the relator was told no houses in certain areas, no bullshit about mineral rights etc., and NO HOA! It's my house, here I do as I damn well please. A couple of neighbors are car guys, and do all kinds of repair in their driveways. I don't care. Live and let live unless there is a distinct danger, or full of trash, etc.

 

[Blankpage]

I was looking on Zillow at what's available in El Dorado Hills and Rocklin, and noticed that most of the new developments around Sac have HOAs. A little more research shows they say you can't have a trailer except in a garage and you can't work on a MC in the driveway or with the garage door open more than the time it takes to get in or out of the garage!

My first thought was that is so crazy I wouldn't live there, but it seems all the new developments have similar rules.

Does anyone live with strict HOAs like that? Do they allow more real world flexibility. How do you work on the bikes?

Thanks for any feedback.

Probably better to keep that door closed and you stuff out of site. I was working in my garage, in a neighboring county of yours, with my garage door only half open. The patrolling security guard poked his nose in to see whats up. Dude was admiring my mountain bike and asking questions about it. A week later I notice its missing. I had two motorcycles with keys in the ignition and untouched, plus a new carbon road bike untouched. The only thing missing was the only thing that security guard was interested in.
I had the door half closed to motherfuckers couldn't see what was in there but this fucker took that as a hint that there was something worth hiding.

 

[Chris12]

Even with a given set of rules, enforcement depends on your neighbors.

This is it. The HOA is literally your neighbors as any property management getting paid would rather not be bothered.

The one (and only) time I lived under an HOA was for one year back in 2002. I got yelled at for washing my car and was told it was against their policy. I sold the place and moved shortly after..

 

[Strigoi]

No HOA was a requirement when I was looking for a house. It's my house, I'll do whatever the fuck I want.

I get along well with my neighbors and have had no complaints from them.

 

[qball]

Don't waste your time with HOA, you rather be out riding then dealing with the headache. I got a ticket/fine right off the bat without even a notice about the trailer parked outside in the Anatolia Rancho Cordova area. If you have toys and like to do stuff outside and don't want to deal with people being up your ass then look elsewhere.

 

[fast4d]

my HOA has no bite.

 

[H.D.30-06]

I live in an HOA also. They have some bite as they recently made an owner remove their ceramic tile roof because it wasnt approved by the hoa. About all they do is drive around the area every few months ,nitpick people's property and send violation notices. They don't spend the funds they get wisely either. Fortunately I have neighbors that aren't a bunch snitches. I've worked on my pickup and motorcycles in the driveway with the garage door open with no problems from them.

 

[auntiebling]

HOA's vary wildly, as many have already said

the first one i dealt with as a condo owner, had about 1 MiLLION dollars in the bank. they had plenty of teeth, and the balls to back it up. it was a fairly big comlex. several dozen units.

the second one had been ass fucked by years of mediocre leadership (very small complex, the developer kept control and the dues down for decades thus tons of deferred maintenance) i was eventually part of the leadership group because nobody else wanted to do it and they were all a bunch of apathetic assbags.

anyway, if you're looking at buying into a new complex and are able to get on the controlling board... be on the board. it sucks, it'll take a little time, but the influence you can wield about the issue you're worried about is tremendous.

"no working on your shit. no workshops etc etc" is boiler plate for HOA controlled developments. the resulting fifedom and those that rule it, and how considerate you are of your neighbors, make the difference as to how it is enforced. the Million Dollar HOA had that same wording, and one guy had a full woodshop, another built a few fast and furious race cars, etc. we weren't supposed to use them as storage but one, that was regularly open for hours at a time, looked like Al Capones' Vault. stuffed to the gills

 

[Hoppalong]

One HOA I had experience with (a friend lived there) did not allow motorcyclists to start their motorcycles on the grounds. Motorcyclists were supposted to push their bikes to/from the outside street.

I've read about some HOA's that don't allow motorcycles at all.

 

[auntiebling]

i forgot to say, before you move in read the CC+R and Bylaws carefully, and keep a copy handy for the duration of your relationship with the hoa.

my experience with the small HOA is that many of the things that people were assuming to be written in stone as far as The Rules go were either not defined at all, or ambiguous. This will not always be the case but if you don't know the rules you can't interpret them liberally, and you can't call bullshit on anyone interpreting them liberally against you.