Win for homeowner across America who just want a little damn peace and quiet

[AntleredRuin]

OK, so I know that someone will think that I'm mean or stupid for doing this, and my professional opinion is that they can suck it. Kids are kids, blah blah blah.

I'm writing this to report a WIN to all homeowners across the country who hate that sound of dribbling basketballs in the street. The 'dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk dnk ' noise is only SLIGHTLY repetitive and annoying and cannot be drowned out, no matter how loud your music or TV, or even by headphones or earplugs. I also HATE that noise cancelling options are even something to consider. Why can't things just be quiet sometimes?

So we bought this house after months of looking and looking at maybe 50-60 others.
I don't really like people and I love my quiet. I work from home half the time and so does my wife, so we need quiet for concentration. Bass music sucks for this and so do basketballs. Again, noise cancelling options REALLY don't work for this, and TV and radio is distracting.
We specifically scouted out neighborhoods with limited apartment complexes nearby (as stereotypically, people who live in apartments tend to be louder and rowdier, not to mention more felonious). We looked for a certain 'class' of people. We looked for neighbors who actually seemed to go to work during the day (as opposed to our rental house, where the streets were consistently packed with vehicles of the under or un-employe, and the noise was never ending).

We love the country but could not afford to buy acres out in the middle of nowhere, and of course, commuting is always an issue, so we looked for older established neighborhoods with thickly wooded, large lots. All the better to pretend the outside world does not exist once we close our doors.

We found this perfect house with great neighbors (the 5 closest are elderly couples, and old people never make any noise). We are at the end of a cul-de-sac that we share with only one other house and the lots behind us are protected greenbelts so they can never be torn down.
Behind the wooded lots are a neighborhood park and a creek, which means less houses to store loud people. Perfect Perfect Perfect.

As we were working on the haggling process, I drove by the house at least once a day to scout out the surrounding area while on my way to clients. All different times of the day. I drove by when we 'won' the house and all during the financing period. This was roughly 7 weeks total. All during this, the street was silent. There were kids on the street, but they were at the beginning of the cul-de-sac. I don't mind kids at all, even as next door neighbors, but **** basketballs.

We closed the house on Wednesday. The way our rental timing worked, we have about 3 weeks to move everything in. I've driven by twice a day since then to ensure that it's secure, as we aren't residing in it full time yet.
We closed on Wednesday. On Tuesday morning the next week, a brand spanking new portable basketball hoop goes up right at the cul-de-sac island. Mother f***er. I sign my life away after months of searching and less than a week later, this happens? Right in front of my house?

The hoop is the red dot in the picture.
The real kicker? There's a neighborhood park a block over with a full basketball court.

So I see the new B-Ball hoop Tuesday morning at 6:45am , after leaving for the night at 7:45ish on Monday. So some inconsiderate ******* put the hoop up in the relatively late and dark evening, and maybe even used it at that time. I don't know as I wasn't there. But I would not take this lying down.

I looked up the HOA rules.
I typed up a note and drove over at lunch and taped it to the hoop. I didn't know the owners so this was the only way to contact them. I figured that the kids would at least glance at the note before taking to to their parents.
when little 'Junior' sees that his Daddy broke the rules, Daddy's only real option is to comply.

The note read:

Kids, please take this note to your parents.

To the owners of this basketball hoop,

This basketball hoop is illegal and must be removed, according to the Home Owners Association.
An official complaint has not been filed yet, but will be if this request is ignored.

This is copied directly from the ********** Deed Restrictions, which everyone must sign prior to purchasing a house here:

Section 3. Quality and Type of Construction, Materials and Landscape. The following restrictions shall govern the construction of any structure on any Lots in the Subdivision:

(f) No recreational equipment or structure, such as basketball boards, trampolines, swing
sets, etc., shall be erected or maintained on any Lot forward of the building setback line or side
yard lines for corner Lots. Such recreational equipment or structures shall not be permitted to be
used in such manner as to become a nuisance or annoyance to other Lot Owners.

Section 21. Obstruction of Common Areas. There shall be no obstruction of the common areas. Nothing shall be kept, placed or stored in the common areas without the prior written consent of the Board of Directors of EOHA. Nothing shall be done or kept in the common areas which will increase the rate of insurance on the common areas without the prior written consent of the Board of Directors of EOHA. No Lot Owner or occupant shall permit anything to be done or kept in the common areas which will result in the cancellation of insurance for any part of the common areas, or which would be in violation of law. No waste shall be placed in or on the common areas.

This basketball hoop is on public property is illegal. No one can claim ownership of the Cul-De-Sac island as it is considered 'Common Area', and leaving personal property on it is strictly prohibited. Any personal property left on public property can be considered abandoned and removed as seen fit. A basketball hoop is considered 'personal property'.

Basketball hoops are a nuisance to anyone not using them. The noise of the dribbling or the ball hitting the backboard echoes, and anyone in the street poses an issue for traffic.

We all live in a community in relatively close proximity to each other so please don't make life loud and difficult for your neighbors. All most of us wish to do is come home to a nice quiet house at the end of the day and not have to worry about repetitive noises that pierce the quiet of our household. Please respect your neighbors.

There are plenty of parks in the area that have basketball courts. One is literally a block over.

Please remove this basketball hoop. At the very least please bring it into your driveway so as to minimize the noise and clutter.

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

I taped up this note at around 1pm and went back to check at 6pm, fully expecting nothing to have happened. After all, the owner may not have come home yet. Totally fine; I was actually willing to give him a week with a few different notes, just to be a nice person. Maybe he put the hoop up, then went on a business trip. Who knows?

After a week, I'd anonymously complain to the HOA, and if that went nowhere, I'm not against a little vandalism. Removing the bolts holding the hoop and backboard to the stand should be a pretty good message. Only a couple bucks to replace, but an obvious message.

Well I come back at 6pm and the hoop is gone. Freshly gone too; he forgot a cup of tea that he must have been drinking as he was dismantling it. SCORE!!! I made sure the place is secure and drove away, going slowly to see if I could locate the B-Ball hoop in someone's driveway.

I located the hoop, and I kid you not, the house is over 10 houses away from the end of the cul-de-sac where I live, and the owner has a nice long 2 laned driveway with a detached garage. So he had plenty of space for his kids to play on his own property, (not to mention the park) but of course he decides to send them to play in the street way far down in front of the neighbors. Some people.

 

[mizzouxc]

All I have to say is this:

***k HOA's and whiny neighbors. Karma's a ***ch. ***hole.

That's my opinion of anyone who likes HOA's, encourages HOA's and complains to HOA management companies about their neighbors instead of talking to someone in person.

This is my idea of a nice neighborhood:

Embrace life and those who enjoy it; otherwise you're just a crotchety old neighbor.

 

[AntleredRuin]

All I have to say is this:

***k HOA's and whiny neighbors. Karma's a ***ch. ***hole.

That's my opinion of anyone who likes HOA's, encourages HOA's and complains to HOA management companies about their neighbors instead of talking to someone in person.

This is my idea of a nice neighborhood:

Embrace life and those who enjoy it; otherwise you're just a crotchety old neighbor.

And I will refer you to my first sentence.
And the giant ass picture that clearly shows the neighborhood park a stone's throw away.
I also said that I don't know who put up the hoop, so 'talking in person' wasn't really an option, was it?

I do embrace life, I just don't appreciate rude people. People should actually follow the rules they sign to say they'll follow. Imagine. A novel concept.

 

[mizzouxc]

And I will refer you to my first sentence.
And the giant ass picture that clearly shows the neighborhood park a stone's throw away.
I also said that I don't know who put up the hoop, so 'talking in person' wasn't really an option, was it?

I do embrace life, I just don't appreciate rude people. People should actually follow the rules they sign to say they'll follow. Imagine. A novel concept.

Let's have so many stupid rules we cannot do anything but stare at an iphone or computer screen. Stupid. I will never live in a HOA, ever. Not signing up for extra rules, regulations, etc to get fined over. The government does a good enough job of that already.

You could have hung out and met the neighbors. Novel concept. Knock on the door, Hey I'm "mizzouxc"; moving in next door, thought I'd say hi and wanted to meet my neighbors.

GET OFF MY LAWN. Like I said in my "professional opinion", karma's a ***ch. I find it even more hilarious they made an effort to go down to your area to set it up.

Good luck being old, senile and angry about everything; and even more enjoy your HOA.

Alternatively, you could pull the stick out of your 6 and go play some ball with the kids. Sounds like you could use some exercise.

 

[Yukon4Runner]

For someone who has never lived in an HOA, you have some pretty strong views on them.

Did an HOA bully you and take your lunch money as a kid?

Are you anti-HOAite?

 

[AntleredRuin]

Let's have so many stupid rules we cannot do anything but stare at an iphone or computer screen. Stupid. I will never live in a HOA, ever. Not signing up for extra rules, regulations, etc to get fined over. The government does a good enough job of that already.

You could have hung out and met the neighbors. Novel concept. Knock on the door, Hey I'm "mizzouxc"; moving in next door, thought I'd say hi and wanted to meet my neighbors.

GET OFF MY LAWN. Like I said in my "professional opinion", karma's a ***ch. I find it even more hilarious they made an effort to go down to your area to set it up.

Good luck being old, senile and angry about everything; and even more enjoy your HOA.

Alternatively, you could pull the stick out of your 6 and go play some ball with the kids. Sounds like you could use some exercise.

I like HOAs because I like rules. I like knowing what to expect, and guess what? I'd like my house to hold its value. When I sell it, I want to actually make some money. Keep the crappy people away, and keep the loud people quiet.
I like rules. Like the rules that say 'no barn animals', or 'bring your trashcan in after trash pickup', or 'no junk cars in your driveway', or 'no trampolines in the front yard', or 'mow your damn lawn occasionally', or 'no mother****in basketball hoops'.

I worked hard to buy this house and I knowingly bought it in a residential neighborhood, albeit a quiet one. As I said, I'd rather be out in the country somewhere, but that wasn't an option at this time.
Every other person who bought a house in my neighborhood knows that it has an HOA and agreed to follow its rules, on penalty of fine.

I agree. I'm the bad guy for reminding a violator of their commitments.

That's like marrying someone and vowing that you'll love, respect, honor, etc, and then get upset when you cheat on that person and get in trouble.

I also find that people who don't like HOAs generally don't lead the...cleanest lifestyle. Usually aren't that well off (unless they own a nice big country acreage somewhere), and can't be bothered by simple things like actually wanting the place they live in to look halfway nice. They resent the rest of the world for their well-to-do lifestyle, but don't make any attempt to make their own life any better. They sure as hell will complain, though.

Take pride in your home and accomplishments, don't be an inconsiderate *******, and honor your commitments.

You could have hung out and met the neighbors. Novel concept. Knock on the door, Hey I'm "mizzouxc"; moving in next door, thought I'd say hi and wanted to meet my neighbors.

Well....I did. How else would I know that the 5 closest were old people? I didn't peep in through their windows. I did NOT go over 10 houses down though, and really shouldn't need to, in the same way that parents shouldn't send their kids over 10 houses down to bug their neighbors.

Good luck being old, senile and angry about everything; and even more enjoy your HOA.

Sshhhh...I'm actually 24 and still like my quiet. Don't tell anyone.

 

[mizzouxc]

For someone who has never lived in an HOA, you have some pretty strong views on them.

Did an HOA bully you and take your lunch money as a kid?

Are you anti-HOAite?

I have friends who have HOA's. I visit them. The entire purpose of their HOA's is to nag and "preserve the value of the homes" which have gone down in value because nobody wants to live there.

No gym, no pool, no parks, just a monthly payment and extra rules. Not my idea of a tasty cup of freedom.

 

[Yukon4Runner]

....

 

[mizzouxc]

I like HOAs because I like rules. I like knowing what to expect, and guess what? I'd like my house to hold its value. When I sell it, I want to actually make some money. Keep the crappy people away, and keep the loud people quiet.
I like rules. Like the rules that say 'no barn animals', or 'bring your trashcan in after trash pickup', or 'no junk cars in your driveway', or 'no trampolines in the front yard', or 'mow your damn lawn occasionally', or 'no mother****in basketball hoops'.

I worked hard to buy this house and I knowingly bought it in a residential neighborhood, albeit a quiet one. As I said, I'd rather be out in the country somewhere, but that wasn't an option at this time.
Every other person who bought a house in my neighborhood knows that it has an HOA and agreed to follow its rules, on penalty of fine.

I agree. I'm the bad guy for reminding a violator of their commitments.

That's like marrying someone and vowing that you'll love, respect, honor, etc, and then get upset when you cheat on that person and get in trouble.

I also find that people who don't like HOAs generally don't lead the...cleanest lifestyle. Usually aren't that well off (unless they own a nice big country acreage somewhere), and can't be bothered by simple things like actually wanting the place they live in to look halfway nice. They resent the rest of the world for their well-to-do lifestyle, but don't make any attempt to make their own life any better. They sure as hell will complain, though.

Take pride in your home and accomplishments, don't be an inconsiderate *******, and honor your commitments.

Actually, I find your observation quite the opposite regarding "aren't that well off". I view HOA's as a way to attempt to make sloppy, lazy, not so well off families/people, mildly presentable due to a forced environment of rules and threat of fines in a neighborhood with mildly attractive and rubber-stamped homes.

Good luck though with your HOA though.

 

[Yukon4Runner]

No gym, no pool, no parks, just a monthly payment and extra rules. Not my idea of a tasty cup of freedom.

Are we free to choose not to live in an HOA?

 

[AntleredRuin]

Actually, I find your observation quite the opposite regarding "aren't that well off". I view HOA's as a way to attempt to make sloppy, lazy, not so well off families/people, mildly presentable due to a forced environment of rules and threat of fines in a neighborhood with mildly attractive and rubber-stamped homes.

Good luck though with your HOA though.

I guess it comes down to actual location. In Houston, HOAs are on pretty much every neighborhood besides trailer parks, and the rates vary depending on how nice the neighborhood is.
All of them that I've ever seen have a least 1 park though.

My rental has dues of $150/year and don't do jack shit with the money.
My new house has dues of about $300 a year and the place actually looks nice. Hm...

Don't bother with a response do the rest of my points, though.

 

[AntleredRuin]

....

Haha yeah I'm enjoying this. I'm high on win.

 

[AntleredRuin]

If my kid handed me that letter I would ruin your ****ing life out of principle. Come knock on my door and ask me to move it like a decent human being, don't be a ***** ass tattle tail. What is this, elementary school?

For the 3rd time, I did not know who the hoop belonged to; just that it was NOT anyone living immediately near it.
And if you don't want to be called out on your wrongdoings in front of your children, maybe.......don't knowingly do wrong...?

 

[mizzouxc]

I guess it comes down to actual location. In Houston, HOAs are on pretty much every neighborhood besides trailer parks, and the rates vary depending on how nice the neighborhood is.
All of them that I've ever seen have a least 1 park though.

My rental has dues of $150/year and don't do jack shit with the money.
My new house has dues of about $300 a year and the place actually looks nice. Hm...

Don't bother with a response do the rest of my points, though.

Lazy slobs, my point made exactly about people who live in HOA's.

Paying for the luxury of more rules. To each their own. What happens when you want to wash your car in your driveway? I bet that's expressly forbidden.

If you hit hard times and can't afford the HOA fee? They can take away your house.

Fly an American flag and the neighbor objects: Fines!

Enjoy!

 

[mizzouxc]

Are we free to choose not to live in an HOA?

Not sure what you mean. If you buy a place with a HOA, you've got to join and you've got to pay.

Nice cherry pick btw.

In context, my friend lives in a HOA neighborhood that offers nothing but a "monthly payment" in exchange for "enforced rules". They have nothing to offer like a pool, a park, trails, etc. The streets are all public, so they don't maintain those. They do cut the grass in front of the sign stating how proud they are to be a HOA though.

I guess I'm one of the few freedom loving ***holes out there.

 

[Yukon4Runner]

Caveat Emptor.

Too many people buy a home before reading the HOA bylaws and then get all in a huff when they can't do whatever they want.

Some HOAs have extensive rules, some have very few.
Some have dues that are quite steep, some don't.

I've lived both in HOAs and outside HOAs. They have their pros and cons.

 

[AntleredRuin]

Lazy slobs, my point made exactly about people who live in HOA's.

Paying for the luxury of more rules. To each their own. What happens when you want to wash your car in your driveway? I bet that's expressly forbidden.

If you hit hard times and can't afford the HOA fee? They can take away your house.

Enjoy!

Um...no. The fees are for common sense stuff. Like general 'don't be an ******* to the people around you' stuff. They also pay for upkeep of public areas like grass islands and tree trimming and parks and infrastructure.

And no they can't take your house, unless you are stupidly behind. Like months and months. But do the math. $300/12 is...a whopping $25 a month. If $25 a month makes or breaks you, you are in sorry trouble before you ever 'fall on hard times'.

 

[Yukon4Runner]

Low HOA fee neighborhoods won't "take" a home for a couple hundred bucks or even a couple thousand bucks of back dues.

They'll slap a lien on the home and collect the money when the home is sold.

 

[AntleredRuin]

Not sure what you mean. If you buy a place with a HOA, you've got to join and you've got to pay.

Nice cherry pick btw.

In context, my friend lives in a HOA neighborhood that offers nothing but a "monthly payment" in exchange for "enforced rules". They have nothing to offer like a pool, a park, trails, etc. The streets are all public, so they don't maintain those. They do cut the grass in front of the sign stating how proud they are to be a HOA though.

I guess I'm one of the few freedom loving ***holes out there.

Even if there are no parks, trails, etc, I kinda think that $25/month (give or take) is worth the knowledge that your neighbor can't wake you up at 2:00am with his blaring rap music. I think that it's worth having the neighborhood LOOK nice (neighbors mowing occasionally) on my drive in. Houses cost a lot of money. Don't you want it to be a place that you actually want to be?

What freedoms are you talking about, though? I mean, why would you WANT to be the loud obnoxious neighbor that everyone hates?
HOA members are free, but are not free to BE *******s.

 

[mizzouxc]

Even if there are no parks, trails, etc, I kinda think that $25/month (give or take) is worth the knowledge that your neighbor can't wake you up at 2:00am with his blaring rap music. I think that it's worth having the neighborhood LOOK nice (neighbors mowing occasionally) on my drive in.

What freedoms are you talking about, though? I mean, why would you WANT to be the loud obnoxious neighbor that everyone hates?
HOA members are free, but are not free to BE *******s.

To each their own. There are actual ordinances (laws) against that, but if you'd like to pay for that luxury, go ahead.

It's requiring federal legislation to fight HOA's on many things that they do that are illegal. One is they disallow hams' from putting up their antennas in a HOA. Other federal laws allow for flying our country's flag, yet people are "offended" and HOA's levy fines and shaming towards those people.

Let's leave it at this, you like paying for more rules and I think it's absurd that anyone would do that to themselves. Oh yes, I'd like to be able to do less with my life. It goes beyond noise. My friend's HOA demands you shall not wash your own car in your driveway and other obnoxious restrictions. He has to run home at lunch to put his trash can away or else he gets fined. (Trash pickup is Monday around 10am, he's been at work for 3+ hours and if he waits until he gets home he gets slapped with a $25 fine. It's absurd. )

Anyhow, enjoy your HOA and your extra rules and a payment to go along with all that. Not my cup of tea.