Wednesday, December 29, 2010
High Marks Given to Homeowners Associations
Article Courtesy of AOL NEWS By Broderick Perkins Published March 19, 2010 |
Joseph Prudente, 66, of Bayonet, Fla., was jailed after his adjustable-rate mortgage reset and forced him to make what he thought was a no-brainer of a decision: pay the extra $600 a month and replant the lawn later.
But that prompted his homeowners association (HOA) to bring charges against him, ultimately landing him in the slammer until neighbors banded together and bailed him out with cash for new landscaping.
Never promised a rose garden of the size he wanted, Jeffrey DeMarco, formerly of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., lost his home when he planted too many bushes and re-graded the four-acre property in violation of his homeowners association's rules.
In addition to foreclosure, he got stuck with the association's legal fees: $70,000.
Homeowners association rule enforcement can be so notorious it was once lampooned by an episode of the old "X-Files" television series. The episode's HOA president conjured up a Tibetan monster to eat association residents who didn't toe the line.
HOA rules can really bite, so how is it that the vast majority of the 60 million people who live in the nation's 350,000 HOA communities are happy with their lifestyle?
"Conflict and dissension make headlines, and that's what many Americans read in newspapers and see on television about community associations," Thomas M. Skiba, CEO of Community Associations Institute (CAI), said in a statement. "But when you ask residents themselves, the news is largely positive. While there are serious issues in some communities, this research affirms that vast majority of homeowner board members and professional managers are doing good work for the community associations they serve."
Home Sweet HOA
Only 12 percent of community association residents expressed some level of discontent with their communities, according to recently released research commissioned by CAI.
The vast majority, 71 percent, said they are satisfied with HOA life, and 17 percent said they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with their communities.
Buying a home in an HOA community is a lot like buying a share in a closely held, publicly traded real estate holding company governed by an ever-changing regulatory system and managed by volunteers -- your neighbors.
The associations are typically self-governed communities managed by a board of directors (typically residents who volunteer), with the help of a management company. Together they oversee finances, maintenance, day-to-day operations, the by-laws and the rules. Those rules typically address issues such as architectural guidelines, common area use, pets and parking.
Homeowners associations have seen their share of shoddy construction leading to nasty building defect litigation as well as poor management and disgruntled residents, but most residents are quite satisfied with how they operate.
Nearly 90 percent of residents say board members either "absolutely" or "for the most part" work to serve the communities' best interests. Only 7 percent expressed displeasure with their boards. An estimated 2 million homeowner volunteers serve on the boards that govern associations.
The communities range from townhomes and cooperatives to high-rise condominiums and city-size master-planned associations. Most residents have heard the horror stories about HOA living but don't choose to participate without careful consideration.
The type of housing often is relatively more affordable than a single-family detached property and, most residents believe, the rules benefit home values.
Zogby's telephone survey for CAI conducted in December found that 70 percent of HOA residents surveyed said the rules "protect and enhance" property values. Only 2 percent said the opposite and 27 percent said the rules have no impact.
Other findings include:
- Eighty-two percent said they get a "good" or "great" return on their association assessments or dues. In addition to a mortgage, HOA residents typically pay a monthly assessment to fund the association's operations and services, including landscaping, maintenance, garbage pickup, snow removal, street lighting, pools, club houses, tennis courts, playgrounds and association-sponsored social functions.
- Seventy-six percent say management companies provide value and support to residents and the association at large.
- Residents say the best aspects of HOA living are neighborhood attractiveness (23 percent), less maintenance for individual homeowners (22 percent), community safety (13 percent) and property values (11 percent).
- When asked about the worst aspects, 37 percent of residents said there were none. Fourteen percent mentioned restrictions on exterior improvements, followed by dealing with neighbors (12 percent) and paying assessments (10 percent).
Previous studies have revealed similar findings.
"Americans have weathered difficult times, and that would normally create more negative views toward most institutions," Lincoln Hobbs, a member of CAI's College of Community Association Lawyers and president of CAI's affiliate Foundation for Community Association Research, said in a statement. "That hasn't happened in the case of community associations. That says a lot about the dedication and skill of the vast majority of homeowner volunteers and professionals who govern and manage these communities."
Developers Embrace New 'Flip Tax'
Article Courtesy of The Housing Watch
Published April 14, 2010
Apparently, developers feel they haven't been getting theirs. With new home development stalling, developers seem to think that the only way they can increase profitability is to build it into their work. Behold then, the latest financial scheme from the housing industry: a flip tax that gets paid to the developer every time the home gets sold.
Not surprisingly, developers are embracing the private transfer fee -- a sort of lien attached to a newly built house (or land), reports the Washington Post. Every time that house is sold over a 99 year period (thank God we're not talking about 100 years!!), 1 percent of the price gets kicked back to the original developer and, in some cases, is shared with their investor partners. When you figure that the average homebuyer these days keeps a house for about 6 years, that's one hell of a revenue stream for developers and their investors!
Reportedly, a New York company, Freehold Capital Partners, is signing up developers for this fee scheme left and right, though it refused to tell the WashPo just how many clients it now has. It's Web site, however, claims the owners of $300 billion in real estate projects have now gone into business with it.
And as if we haven't learned a lesson about slice-and-dice packaging of mortgages, Freehold Capital apparently wants to "securitize" pools of transfer fees that can then be spun off and sold to investors.
Now this is, as you might imagine, controversial. So much so, some states have apparently either limited or banned these "private transfer fees." OK, I should have known you'd want to know which ones: Kansas, Oregon, Florida and Missouri, just plain ban the practice, according to the paper, while Texas and California have some restrictions on it.
But most states do not address the issue of these fees at all, so it is something you the potential home buyer should look for before signing a contract for a new home. That's vital because the fees (which are paid by the seller) are not subject to negotiation. If you end up selling a house one day that has one of these private transfer fee deals attached to it, you either pay a trustee at closing or, sorry, no sale!
Developers think this is a swell concept because they can, over years, get back some of the initial upfront costs of the project without having to have the first buyer of the property cough up the entire amount. However, others argue that, in the long run, homes with transfer fees attached will actually become more difficult to sell, which, if you happen to be the current homeowner, is not such a good thing!
If you think you may be able to fight this in court someday, think again. Not so easy, apparently.
On the PR Newswire this past weekend, one expert on private transfer fees delivered a commentary of sorts. Says attorney RJon Robins, a member of the Florida Bar's Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section, "...absent a specific statutory prohibition, a well-crafted private transfer fee covenant will likely be enforceable, particularly when undertaken in connection with a real estate development project."
10 Outrageous Homeowners' Association Rules I Can't Do WHAT?!
Article Courtesy of The Stir
By Brittany Drye
Published August 24, 2010
I understand the need for homeowners' associations, but sometimes they take their power a little too far (and your crabby neighbor is quick to sell you out).
Here are ten examples of HOA rules that got a little out of hand.
1. No Hurricane Shutters -- In Florida : My friend's parents live in Florida , and even though this state probably sees more hurricanes than any other part of the country, they're not allowed to leave up hurricane shutters because it's an "eyesore." They must install them right before the storm (because, you know, you have plenty of time to do that while Mother Nature is hurtling at your doorstep), and take them down afterwards.
2. Must Be Cool: Being an artist, living in the coolest, hippest (and most expensive) neighborhood in NYC sounds awesome, right? Well, in a particular building, the tenants must be considered "on-the-verge artists" and have their craft approved by the board. Does the board not understand what "on-the-verge" implies? Hello, those crafters aren't making money yet!
Also (same building, mind you) you can't wear high heels in the house because of the noise. How can you be hip without heels?
3. No Structures Allowed: Neighbors are paranoid that POD in your backyard might be a meth lab. Hey, it could happen.
4. Laundry On The Line: So what if laundry dried on a clothesline is one of the best smells in the world (and saves energy)? No one wants to see granny's panties flapping in the wind.
5. Neutral Only: You're going to have to find other ways to spruce up your exterior because in some neighborhoods, you can only have neutral colors for your doors and trim.
6. No Weinermobiles Allowed: In a lot of neighborhoods, you better have a garage if you drive a commercial vehicle.
7. No Smoking ... In Your Own Home: Sure, smoking's bad for you, but when you can't do it in your own home, where can you light one up?
8. Fence & Hedge Nazis: Must be this color, must be this height, must be this material. Yikes! I bet those neighborhoods look like they're straight out of Pleasantville.
9. Shingles Must Be the Same, Even If You're Home Has Been Hit By a Plane: A man in Florida went through a devastating event in which a plane crashed into his home, killing his wife and infant son. But the HOA had no sympathy for him and slapped him with a fine while he was rebuilding his home because the shingles didn't match.
10. Kids, Pack Up That Lemonade Stand: Sorry kiddos, your adorable attempt at making money this summer has been banned from the mean ol' HOA.Tuesday, December 28, 2010
1 comments:
- Anonymous said...
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Blog control....
Time to change your material.... Same old items..
Give us the lowdown on Bingo and the Bandits.
Gladys
In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket.
Their father was gone..
The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two..
Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared.
Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds.
He did manage to leave $15 a week to buy groceries.
Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no more beatings, but no food either.
If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at that time, I certainly knew nothing about it.
I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress, loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to find a job..
The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town.
No luck.
The kids stayed crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried to convince who ever would listen that I was willing to learn or do anything. I had to have a job.
Still no luck. The last place we went to, just a few miles out of town, was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had been converted to a truck stop.
It was called the Big Wheel..
An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window from time to time at all those kids.
She needed someone on the graveyard shift, 11 at night until seven in the morning.
She paid 65 cents an hour, and I could start that night.
I raced home and called the teenager down the street that baby-sat for people.
I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night.
She could arrive with her pajamas on and the kids would already be asleep
This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.
That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers, we all thanked God for finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the Big Wheel.
When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her home with one dollar of my tip money-- fully half of what I averaged every night.
As the weeks went by, heating bills added a strain to my meager wage.
The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny balloons and began to leak. I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every morning before I could go home.
One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat. New tires!
There was no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires.
Had angels taken up residence in Indiana ? I wondered.
I made a deal with the local service station.
In exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office.
I remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do the tires.
I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough.
Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids .
I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys. Then I hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning.
Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches on the boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair.
On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel. There were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe.
A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball machine.
The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home before the sun came up.
When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning, to my amazement, my old battered Chevy was filled full to the top with boxes of all shapes and sizes.
I quickly opened the driver's side door, crawled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat..
Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box.
Inside was whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10!
I looked inside another box: It was full of shirts to go with the jeans.
Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes. There was candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes.
There was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was whole bag of laundry supplies and cleaning items.
And there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll.
As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude.
And I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning.
Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And they all hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop.
THE POWER OF PRAYER. I believe that God only gives three answers to prayer:
1. 'Yes!'
2. 'Not yet.'
3! have something better in mind.'
God still sits on the throne, and the devil is a liar.
You may be going through a tough time right now but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that you cannot imagine.
My instructions were to pick four people that I wanted God to bless, and I picked you.
Pass this to at least four people you want to be blessed and a copy back to me.
This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards
Let's continue to pray for one another. Here is the prayer:
Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and email buddies reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power.
Amen.
I know I picked more than four, so can you.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Since more and more Seniors are texting and tweeting there appears to be a need for a STC (Senior Texting Code). If you qualify for Senior Discounts this is the code for you.
ATD: At The Doctor's
BFF: Best Friend Farted
BTW: Bring The Wheelchair
BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth
CBM: Covered By Medicare
CUATSC: See You At The Senior Center
DWI: Driving While Incontinent
FWBB: Friend With Beta Blockers
FWIW: Forgot Where I Was
FYI: Found Your Insulin
GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!
GHA: Got Heartburn Again
HGBM: Had Good Bowel Movement
IMHO: Is My Hearing-Aid On?
LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out
LOL: Living On Lipitor
LWO: Lawrence Welk's On
OMMR: On My Massage Recliner
OMSG: Oh My! Sorry, Gas.
ROFL... CGU: Rolling On The Floor Laughing... And Can't Get Up
SGGP: Sorry, Gotta Go Poop
TTYL: Talk To You Louder
WAITT: Who Am I Talking To?
WTFA: Wet The Furniture Again
WTP: Where's The Prunes?
WWNO: Walker Wheels Need Oil
GLKI (Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking In)
Since Congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.
This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq . This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.
Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict This list is short . The United Kingdom , Spain , Bulgaria , Australia , and Poland are some of the countries listed there.
The other list contains every one not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.
Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. THEN EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER It'll GO TO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM SO IT WONT GO BROKE IN 20 YEARS.
The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hell holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.
Need help with a famine ? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France .
In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations: Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.
Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France or maybe China .
I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France , and Russia . Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATOas well.
I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located inManhattan with more than two unpaidparking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I loveNew York.
A special note to our neighbors:Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.
Mexico is also on List 2. Its president and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple thousand extra tanks and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put 'em? Yep, border security.
Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now.
We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska -which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there.
It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, 'darn tootin.'
Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet It is time to eliminate hunger in America . It is time to eliminate homelessness in America . To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thank you guys. We owe you and we won't forget.
To the nations on List 2, a final thought : You might want to learn to speak Arabic.
God bless America .. Thank you and good night.'
If you can read this in English, thank a soldier.
(Please forward this to at least ten friends and see what happens! Let's get this to every USA computer!
Q: WHAT ARE THE SMALL BUMPS AROUND A WOMAN'S NIPPLES FOR?
A: It's Braille for 'suck here'.
Q: WHAT IS AN AUSTRALIAN KISS?
A: It's the same as a French kiss, but 'down under.'
Q: WHAT DO YOU DO WITH 365 USED CONDOMS?
A: Melt them down, make a tire, and call it a Goodyear.
Q: WHY WERE HURRICANES NORMALLY NAMED AFTER WOMEN?
A: Because when they come, they're wild and wet. But when they go, they
take your house and car with them.
Q: WHY DO GIRLS RUB THEIR EYES WHEN THEY GET UP IN THE MORNING ?
A: Because they don't have any balls to scratch...
--
Why there are no Black Drivers in NASCAR???
|
BOYCOTT BINGO
BOYCOTT BINGO
Chocolate Math
YOUR AGE BY CHOCOLATE MATH
Don't tell me your age; you'd probably lie anyway-but the Hershey Man will know!
YOUR AGE BY CHOCOLATE MATH
This is pretty neat.
DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!
It takes less than a minute .
Work this out as you read .
Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out!
This is not one of those waste of time things, it's fun.
1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate (more than once but less than 10)
2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)
3. Add 5
4. Multiply it by 50 -- I'll wait while you get the calculator
5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1760 .
If you haven't, add 1759.
6.. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.
You should have a three digit number
The first digit of this was your original number
(i.e., how many times you want to have chocolate each week).
The next two numbers are
YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it is!!!!!)
THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR (2010) IT WILL EVER WORK, SO SPREAD IT AROUND WHILE IT LASTS.
Chocolate Calculator.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
2 comments:
- Anonymous said...
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NOTHING WILL HAPPEN ........UNTIL........CRIMINAL
ACTION IS TAKEN. UNLESS THIS IS DONE....SOON...
PAUL, DAVE, LLOYD VAN SICKLE, WILL CONTINUE TO LAUGH AT YOU AND MR DICK RALLS ETC.
ARE ALL THESE ACCUSATIONS AS A BIG JOKE. AND IF
THEY ARE....THE JOKE,......................
WILL CONTINUE TO BE ON ( LAKE ASHTON ) AND
( CHARITY )
WHEN ACTION IS TAKEN.....OUR HOA MAY SUFFER MORE
THAN EXPECTED.
RESIDENT FOR THE TRUTH
1 comments:
- Anonymous said...
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Are you out of steam? You just keep posting the same ranting articles, over and over and then over again! Some are dated two (almost three) years ago. Either find something new to say or figure that we've read it at least once before.
Your threats that the police, the state and everyone else has the records, files, checks and what all pertaining to bingo have led to nothing happening. If the charges were as damning as you detail, I doubt the authorities would be dragging their heels. Maybe, the 'lairs' you continually refer to are indeed not the evil forces you make them out to be.
And, to one of the "anonymous" posters, please note that your style of writing betrays your identity BIG TIME! All through the CDD campaign you posted under your own name using exactly identical wording, capitalization and punctuation. Surprise! We all know who you are! - Sunday, December 26, 2010 2:19:00 PM EST
ITS IDIOTS LIKE THIS THAT HIDE THEIR IDENTITY. ROME WAS NOT BUILD IN A DAY, EVERYTHING TAKES TIME. IT TAKES TIME TO ADD ALL THE COUNTS BINGO PAUL WILL BE CHARGED WITH. YOU ONLY HAVE 10 FINGERS TOTAL AND THAT IS THE COUNT YOU CAN ADD. PLAY BINGO ON MONDAY, PAUL COULD USE YOUR MONEY.
THE REASON I AGAIN POST THESE ARTICLES IS YOUR BRAIN IS INCAPABLE OF READING IT ONCE AND REMEMBERING IT.
BOYCOTT BINGO
Bowling Alley
Lets start at the beginning. When the developer build the clubhouse it was supposed to be build three feet higher than it is now. The original plans shows steps leading up to the entrance. He knew that the water table was a problem. Would you believe he asked for a variance to lower it a couple feet and then he asked for another variance to lower it again to its present position. The city approved it twice.
Then he went out to buy second hand bowling pins and you know the rest of the story. Water leakage and dampness cause the lanes to break down. They tried to fixed the problem by digging a draining trench around the bowling alley. This must have cost us $50,000 to no avail.
The pin setter is lower than the height of the water table. The trench did not work. They must lift the clubhouse up three feet. This cannot be done. You residents have been screw again by the developer.
Second hand bowling parts, building the clubhouse lower than originally planned.
The bowling alley is the thing of the past. It will be closed, never to be used again. Yet they are still advertising the bowling alley on their web site. They even have a video of Trish Adams advertising the Bowling alley. Fools are born every minute. I give up
Yet they still want $375.00 to rent the club house for residents even if the show is to raise money for charity. Joe Hunter must go, This guy has no education in running a community. This whole thing makes me sick. Joe Hunter is costing us a great deal of money for nothing. Get rid of this guy and give us back our clubhouse. He is also known as the alligator killer. You notice you don't see many gators! He had them killed.