How do you feel about.......... being told what you can and can't do? Has never really bothered me. My step-parents were definitely like that and so was the Navy. Actually, the Navy was much more. Also, really never had a problem with this from job management and/or supervision. But, there are times, that wife and I don't agree with the "can't do" of this phrase. Like, at our apartment complex. Our enclosed garage is just too small for either of our vehicles, so we don't park in it. This goes for a number of residents here. Some just prefer not to park in the garage, for whatever reason. Most of the ones that don't, have things stored in the garage. When we had our house, we were with an HOA. We didn't mind the HOA, because it kept the housing development nice and clean. Our neighbor was fined, because their lawn had gone dead due to not enough watering. They got a warning first, but didn't replant the dead grass. We got a letter from the HOA about repainting our garage doors. They paid for the paint/brushes/rollers and we not only painted both garage doors, but had enough paint left over to repaint our front porch. We did hear some neighborhood grumbling about the repainting, but we just did it. The HOA wanted to keep the entire Development descent looking outside and we seen nothing wrong with that. Anyway, they paid for the items. So, how do you handle being told what you can or can't do?
Depends if it's fair - most times it is not and when its not - well I don't handle that well at all I don't moan about it, I tell them what I think and in some cases, won't pay either
It depends on who is telling me and what it is, but in general I'm pretty easy going and do what I'm asked...don't make waves. Even when I was a smoker, I would go out of my way wherever I was and made sure I wasn't near people and especially children. I have an occasion disobeyed my husband on some issues but not too many....if something is law, I follow it...usually. I did smuggle cigarettes out of Hungary when we moved back. They were so cheap there but you were only allowed 3 cartons in the shipping container. Well, I bought a whole bunch of cartons and my husband said "No". He's not going to be fined or jailed for that. I said okay but later snuck them all into a big box or in with other things. Customs didn't find them or probably didn't even look for them. Anyway...that's my story...I'm an international smuggler.
I think I deal with dos and don'ts pretty well but when it comes across as 'you need to' or 'you don't need to' then that's a different story. There seems to me a bit of an ultimatum when the word 'need' is used. It immediatlely puts me on the defensive but I'm patient enough to listen to what follows.
I can understand why some people might prefer to live in a neighborhood where there is an HOA, but that isn't for me. I don't even like asking for permission from a building inspector before doing what I want to do with my own property, and I certainly wouldn't want an HOA telling me when it was time to mow my lawn, paint my house, etc.
My daughter and her husband who live in Texas, built a home in a new subdivision that has as part of it a few streets with double wide mobile homes. The new homes that are built have HOA restrictions while the double wides do not...and since this subdivision has a FB page I am always hearing about the "fights" between the owners of the brick homes and the double wides. It is a mess when some can do whatever they want and others are restricted in what they can do. The double wides were there first though and have the freedom to do what they want on their property, which causes big problems for the homeowners who can't and who think the ones who can aren't "bringing down" their neighborhood. My daughter and her husband stay out of this mess...their only complaint is with the dogs that no one seems to keep on their own property even though they all are supposed to do this. My daughter was bit by one of those dogs and had to start taking rabies shots until they got the Vet's records. My Son-in-Law posted a warning on the subdivision FB page after this and let all their neighbors know that if any of those stray dogs come near his Family again...he will do what he has to do to take care of his Family. There are some people who believe they can do anything they want to do, I believe if it's against the law, or will cause harm to someone else...then you can't just break the law or trample on others rights.
From what we've seen, HOA keeps neighborhoods clean/nice. At least ours was. We've seen neighborhoods here where the front yards looked terrible and some backyards looked the same. Guess some people just live that way. We always kept our front and backyard clean/organized and mowed. When we seen parts of our front or back lawns looking bad, we'd put plant seed down. We never done anything to make neighbors grumble about or to us.
@Cody Fousnaugh "So, how do you handle being told what you can or can't do?" Depends on who's making the demands, and why. Like my old German friend at work, Jerry Franzky said, here in America the sign says, "Please Keep Off the Grass". In Germany it reads, "Walking on Grass Forbidden". See those two requests are basically the same, but in America we are "forbidden" less by Authority than the Germans. Germans tend to have a philosophy or cultural thing where "OBEY" is something to be adhered to. For such minor infraction as treading on the grass, one must fear the direst of consequences. Me, I tend to resist much and obey little, especially mandates originated by moronic politicians interested mainly in enriching their own existence instead of that of their constituents. My beliefs, as expected, have tended to create more problems sometimes than would simple compliance. Still, I view with great disgust (and feel sorry for), those who blindly obey by doing what they are told to, without weighing the need to. Frank
My sister lives in a Modular Home Park, and everything has to be just so. Same with where I live. If I could, and I know she feels the same, we would have our own land with our homes on it. But there is always someone higher up that can tell you what to do. We have more freedom in this country than any other country (I know of) though, so I have to remember that. I'm not always grateful for all I have, but I'd like to be much more so.
@Denise Happyfeet Back when the Soviet Union backed off the Czech Republic, businesses there boomed, Folks rejoiced. Being knit of their stock, I felt a certain prideful return, for having heard my Mother's cries over the years for Independence once again. She was born there in 1905, outside of Prague. I thought of how absolutely happy she would have been hearing this news of independence! She died in Jan. 1986, having seen only a bit of Gorbachev's work there. He was a leader of the first most possible value, IMO. Anyhow, the freedoms in Czechoslovakia following Russian release bordered on the extreme: crime flourished, everyone previously prevented from doing so armed themselves, black markets arose. But, for the first time during the century, the people enjoyed freedom unprecedented; they will resist going back to the old ways to the death. The point I'm making is that a friend from there told to me that the Czech people now enjoy freedoms exceeding our own. I told him to return home, then. Frank
That was an amazing read, I know little about Russia, and all you spoke of. Yes, if it's so great there, he should move back It sounds like it might be a bit "too" much freedom though??
My sentiments exactly. I've heard so many bad stories about HOAs. I'll never buy a house where there is an HOA.
We have a similar system here Sheldon, where we pay for maintenance of the building, that's where we are 'told' what needs doing, how much etc Big business for the property developer and management team, I used to keep a close eye on them and their figures, but I've been wore down by it all - until an issue arises where I can't look the other way - if I had known the dealings that go on, no I wouldn't have chosen this place @Sheldon Scott
Yep, an HOA is what some folks simply don't want to be a part of. HOA can tell home owners what they can and can't do to their property. That didn't bother us at all when we had the house with the HOA. Like I said in another post, an HOA can/does keep a housing development nice and clean. We didn't/don't see a thing wrong with that. Our opinion, that is.