From: sbishop@desire.wright.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Neighborhood from hell
Date: 21 Nov 92 14:03:21 EST
Organization:  Wright State University 


Just want to warn you house shoppers out there about possibilities of moving
into the neighborhood-from-hell.   This happened to a friend of mine.  She and
her family live with his parents, it's an extended family setup, primarily to
assist everyone, her husband's grandfather is an invalid and my friend helps
with his care in exchange for housing.  Her inlaws bought this big beautiful
house on three acres in a plat that had been developed several miles from town.
They did not know when they moved in (the agent didn't tell them until the 
papers were all signed) that the plat had an owners' organization and that 
the Owners' Organization could make rules and regulations as to how you used
your land, any modifications to the house, outbuildings, etc.
  
My friend and her family converted the garage into more living space (it
was a two car garage, part of the first story of the house).  The very first
day they moved in, they had the President of the Owners' Organization on 
their doorstep, complaining because they had converted the garage to more
living space and insisting that 'two families are not allowed to live in
one house'.  They very politely explained that they were planning to add
a garage as soon as possible, and that they were all ONE family, not two.
He said that they MUST build the garage IMMEDIATELY (it was January, it's
Ohio, everything is frozen solid) and that he would be bringing charges
up at the Owners' meeting to force them to do so.  Also, since my friend's
husband is a trucker, he could NOT park his truck on the property and that
charges would be filed against them due to the truck.

Well, to make a long story short, they've been taken to court, harrassed
repeatedly by lawsuits, and have had a really rough time.  Now, I've never
met the neighbors so my info on this is definitely one sided but I've known
Diane and her family for several years.  They are very nice people, very
religious, I'd LOVE to have them for a close neighbor, Diane and I have
lots of fun together.  

They built a barn to store the truck in because the neighbors complained. 
They took them to court and (due to the very vague way that the deed covenant
is framed) were able to force them to tear down the barn.  

Currently, their barn is lying in pieces in the back yard, they are trying
to find a piece of land to buy to build on and their house is for sale.  
They put an option on a 10 acre tract not far away.  Since one of their
neighbors is a realtor, they found out about it.  A couple of the neighbors
CALLED the owner of the land they were trying to buy (in Florida yet!) and
told him horrendous stories about my friends.  He backed out of the deal.

I really have never met any of these people, but get the general impression
that they are yuppie types that want to run the organization like a
dictatorship and heaven help the person who doesn't match up to their
standards.  

I've learned one thing from all this.  AVOID ANY HOUSE THAT IS PART OF AN
OWNERS' ORGANIZATION!

Sue
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house