Name:	Lifer -	Reply
Subject:	I found this a little suprising.
Date:	5/8/2023 9:54:03 AM

just came acros this article listing the the 15 cities with the highest home value.  I was quite suprised at what made it and what didn't.  Theories?  I have my own.

https://www.al.com/news/2023/05/15-cities-with-the-most-expensive-homes-in-alabama.html

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	I found this a little suprising.
Date:	5/8/2023 10:08:42 AM

Equality, Jackson's Gap, and Dadeville must include respective areas of Lake Martin for prices like that to be claimed.

Name:	lakngulf -	Reply
Subject:	I found this a little suprising.
Date:	5/8/2023 10:30:50 AM

Equality????

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	I found this a little suprising.
Date:	5/8/2023 12:06:10 PM

I believe the Parker Creek, Needle's Eye, and Narrows areas might be included with Equality.  Still, those areas dont have the mansion-like places that other areas have.  

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	I found this a little suprising.
Date:	5/8/2023 12:11:11 PM

No doubt the cities around Lake Martin made the list due to the lake houses.  Just look at Trulia or Zillow to see the crazy asking prices and you will understand why.  While I like it for my current home it makes it really hard to justify another place if I decided to upgrade.  Let's see what happens over the next two years as there may be a correction.  But the old saying about property on water usually holds true.....they ain't making any more of it. 

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	I found this a little suprising.
Date:	5/8/2023 12:26:43 PM

Speaking of which, I got sent an ad for a development called White Oaks which is in the Alex City limits.  The ad was intriguing because the houses are on the water and have a minimum of 100 feet of water frontage and were advised at an affordable price point.  So you know I had to look. The house plans for the area for small - I think the largest was 3500 sq ft and the smallest at around 1800 square feet. They had some ads for houses that are already built there and they were all selling in excess of $1M.  Granted that they are more affordable than some of the other properties where the lot alone can sell in excess of $800 or $900K without a house, but it raises an interesting question of what is now considered "affordable"?  I don't know if it is a Russell Development or not.

Back around 2000, we bought our lot with a cabin, for under $200K.  We looked at lots in gated communities, but we knew we wanted our own boat house (which for the most part are not permitted in gated communitires) and neither of us were excited at the thought of going back into an HOA, having left one.   

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	I found this a little suprising.
Date:	5/9/2023 11:18:37 AM

I live in an HOA neighborhood in GA and while they can at times serve a valuable role in protecting property values from crazy people most of the time they are an expensive PIA.  We just got an $800 special assessment to repair the deck at the clubhouse.  When they sent it out for a vote we said no because that kind of issue should be covered by their reserves.  Of course it passed and we had to pony up.  That they wanted more tells me they are either incompetent in managing the reserve, had the money but wanted more or a combination of the two.  Our neighborhood at the lake has some basic covenants (i.e., no mobile homes, etc.) but no assessment.  People volunteer to keep things nice.

Name:	GoneFishin -	Reply
Subject:	I found this a little suprising.
Date:	5/9/2023 3:03:30 PM

You would be an excellent candidate to run for a position on the board of the HOA. Your vote and involvement as a board member would be somewhat more powerful than the vote as simply a member. You certainly have the time to volunteer.

Name:	Carlson -	Reply
Subject:	People on a HOA are nuts!
Date:	5/9/2023 3:15:42 PM

In Birmingham I served on such a group and it about drove me nuts!  When we met we discussed absolute nonsense and ignored the elephant like real violations!  Like grass clippings being blown in the lake.  MM be sure to check you patience before agreeing!

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	People on a HOA are nuts!
Date:	5/9/2023 3:29:27 PM

I agree!  I had to take a turn as President of our HOA, and it seemed like someone was always complaining about something.  And it wasn't as big an HOA as some.  Virginia is rotten with HOAs, and there are people with nothing more to do than report their neighbors.  Things as minor as kids toys or bicycles in the driveways.  In one place, they took a woman to court because she put a flag pole in her front yard.  

Re:  your grass clipping remark.  You must be following that discussion on FB Lake Maartin Q&A.  

Name:	GoneFishin -	Reply
Subject:	People with a HOA are nuts to complain!
Date:	5/9/2023 3:58:36 PM

People who complain about a HOA deserve no sympathy. People who move into a communty with an HOA agree to the restrictions. Anyone can Goggle HOA and read strories about HOA boards BEFORE they buy into a restricted community. Anyone who doesn't read the HOA rules for the community before they buy are fools.

There are alot who like the idea that your neighbor can't paint their house purple. To me, a flag pole in front of every house and toys all over the neighborhood do not appeal to me. Typically, there are afew who have issues because they regret moving into the community.

Raising annual dues to build up a reserve is often frowned on many who feel if they move they will never get to see the money they paid into the fund used. Then, when an assessment is required, they complain about the money.

 Look at the condos in Florida that are being condemned because they voted against spending money on repairs.

For the record, we have owned a condo with a HOA.

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Asked many times and the answer was the same
Date:	5/9/2023 6:21:27 PM

Not interested in getting involved in neighborhood politics. I write my checks and vote but that's it for me. Life is too short.

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Not always
Date:	5/10/2023 10:55:00 AM

You are missing the point here.....it's not the HOA per se that is an issue.  Of course we read the HOA rules and agreed that they helped preserve the value of the homes in the neighborhood.  It's the execution of the HOA rules and the type of personality that seems drawn to membership in the Board that creates a lot of the unnecessary conflict.  

My only gripe with our HOA after 20 plus years was the special assessment to do what I consider should have been included in the reserves.  Other than my having to move my Mary statue to the back yard (which was in accordance with the rules) I have never had an issue with them on improvements to our house, color of paint, etc.  I've gotten a few nastygrams over the years when we waited too long to put down pine straw, but again that was reasonable.

But no, it is not "nuts" to complain about the HOA when it does something that deserves criticism.  I would agree that it is unreasonable to complain about the existence of the HOA and the rules and regs if it was in place before you bought your house.  Caveat emptor.  But people do that all the time.  They buy a house on a golf course and complain about errant golf balls.  They buy a house near an airport and complain about the noise.  As for me, I don't do that but plenty of people do and they are unreasonable to do so.....as are some HOA board members at times.

Name:	boataholic -	Reply
Subject:	I found this a little suprising.
Date:	5/12/2023 10:19:24 PM

Real Island area.

Name:	Carlson -	Reply
Subject:	Not always
Date:	5/22/2023 3:45:32 PM

I received a letter that my angel statue (5" tall) that I had in the corner by the front door was a violation.  It was from the HOA attorney with language that the next step would a lien on the mortgage.  I was on the board!  Sounds like some folks are just one small step from the gates of hell.  

there is something pathological about HOAs members once they join the board.  I resigned and my mental health improved immediatel.  

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Not always
Date:	5/23/2023 8:26:35 AM

Mine was not so obnoxious.  They just sent me a note reminding me of the requirement and I complied.  And there are no other statues on any other property so it's all good.  Getting an attorney to write you a nastygram is completely unhinged.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Not always
Date:	5/23/2023 3:44:43 PM

Just think of the kinds of people who are attracted to jobs involving making rules for other people.  There were nightmare HOAs in Northern VA that just terrorized the homeowners.  One of the more famous ones had to do with someone having a tree house for their kids built in their backyard.  It was not an ordinary eyesore treehouse, but designed by an architect.  They went to court over it, and the homeowner lost.  But I have heard of people being sued for an errant bicycle being left in a driveway for several house in an afternoon, or a trash can that was not promptly removed at 9 am, even through the homeowners went to work before that.  When I was moving, my neighbor stopped and told me I could not have trash at my curbside the night before (our trash went at 5 am).  Since I was a week away from leaving, I told him that at that point, I didn't care about their silly rules.