Woman Loses Her Home over "communist" Actions

"I believe that if a house can be sold without me personally getting something in my hand or signing something ... it is almost like communism," Boak said.

The home was sold and the proceeds were divided up, according to court documents, among the homeowner's association, attorneys, the master commissioner and Boak. Boak received about $88,000 from the sale of her house, about $40,000 less than it was worth.

It is so sad that this lady is losing her home over such a small amount of money, and she states that the $48 annual fee for the Homeowners' Association was a fee to use the swimming pool, which she did not use.

This is very sad.

Source

reply to post by Divine Strake


Sad indeed! do you have a link for us?

This is why I would NEVER live in any area with one of these snob clubs. I can almost see my neighbors house from mine and if he wants to paint his house guard's red, have at it. The government is bad enough, but no way some group tells me how it is....

reply to post by windword


Sorry about that link issue.

reply to post by teslahowitzer


Fully agree. When I was younger, I used to think that type of neighborhood would be best to raised children. These days, however, I think I'd rather stay away from associations that you must pay for the benefit of being able to live there.

reply to post by windword


I placed the link there now, sorry about that.

Well this was her own fault.

They tried to warn her for about 4 years and she threw away the letters so its her own fault for being stupid. There comes a point when the "I didn't know" excuse no longer works.

reply to post by Spookybelle


I understand that, she did have advance warning, but why should someone have to pay the association just to have the privilege of living in that area?

It's like paying the mafia to "protect" your home or business.

reply to post by Divine Strake


Because they choose to when they buy the house.

Unless she owned it prior to the association coming in and did not vote for it, she knew what it was about. There are certain benefits to being part of a homeowners association which is why they are so popular.

That's something you can research on your own if you wish to know more.

reply to post by Divine Strake


I agree but that doesnt change the fact she signed the contract to live in an area like that. Might be horrible to take her house but she was stupid for 1. Choosing to live in an area where its required to pay the fee 2. Not taking the time to figure out she signed a contract that required her to pay the fee and 3. Ignoring letters telling her to pay the fee for years.

If you dont want to live in an area where its "like paying the mafia to protect your house", dont sign a contract with them.

reply to post by tehdouglas


I dislike HOAs but they have rights similar to governments at times. In the case of not paying dues for the pool it's much like if you don't pay taxes for schools that you have no children attending. No one cares when it goes to court. The best thing to do is to avoid HOA neighborhoods and move into neighborhoods without them.

Homeowner's Associations ought to be disbanded and outlawed. It's already bad enough that you have to pay rent to the federal and state government, in the form of property taxes, to live somewhere. It's utterly ridiculous that you should have to pay an association to tell you what you can or cannot do with property you own.


That woman should not have lost her home. When will people start standing up against this type of blatant thievery? It could happen to any one of you that live in an area with an association. You upset a member and next thing you know your grass is too tall and you're being evicted.

She gets no compassion from me.

She had access to the contract stating this was a possibility before she ever signed. She had ample opportunity to join the board and change the rules and didn't. She received multiple letters spanning years and did nothing about it.

For the record, I despise HOAs and all such similar groups. However they are a legal organization that no one is forced to join. If you agree to live by their rules, do nothing to change them to your liking, then violate them,, it's your own fault when you suffer the consequences. It's all about personal responsibility.

*edit*

After reading the article, I would like to add to my post. I still stand by what I said up above on a general level. However, the HOA really failed here in the fact that they didn't do everything they could to notify her of the happenings.

Spookybelle
reply to post by Divine Strake

 

Because they choose to when they buy the house.

Unless she owned it prior to the association coming in and did not vote for it, she knew what it was about. There are certain benefits to being part of a homeowners association which is why they are so popular.

That's something you can research on your own if you wish to know more.

Which is why one should always read EVERYTHING in a contract before they sign in. Too many people just pencil whip contracts and never read what it actually says.

reply to post by EternalSolace


Well with that same logic people would do the same with thieving governments.

There's little to no difference.

Actually, I'd take an HOA over a government any day. At least with the HOA they only take your home. Government can take your life and throw you in jail for non-payment.

reply to post by OrphanApology


You're pretty much stating what I'm driving at. HOA thievery, federal government thievery, and local government thievery are all the same. Thievery is thievery and it's wrong. The problem is we're all too complacent when this happens to people. We're all too complacent until it hits home and happens to you or someone close to you. In what rationale does someone lose $125k for $300? A home, that's been paid in full with cash, has been taken away by a conceited association with morals similar to the warlords in Somalia.

As for the federal government having the ability to say, "Look! He's a terrorist!" and lock you away without so much as a defense is flat out wrong. Yet, society has become complacent on this issue as well. That is, they are complacent until one day it's them or someone close to them being hauled off for crimes against the government.


This whole situation is morally, obligatory, and in every way imaginable, unconscionable.


I'm sure most are familiar with the quote by Martin Niemoller; You know, First they came for the communist quote?
The lesson from that quote applies to this situation.

reply to post by Spookybelle


Oh, I have researched it. I actually believe the associations for most to be a good idea. In fact, if I were in a different location geographically, I'd personally see the value in it.

With this particular case, I just don't believe that legality of the act justifies the Immorality.

I want to feel bad for her but, how do you ignore years and years worth of warnings? I get some people do not like HOAs I am not a big fan myself but, when I chose to build my home in what is a fantastic neighborhood I knew that the HOA was a part of that. Luckily mine is not out of control but, if I ignored my fee's for 6 years and ignored all the warnings about what would happen if I did not pay that is on me. I chose to live here.

I'd like to feel sorry for her, but I can't. She signed the contract, and she ignored their letters regarding the fee. In the end, she lost a house that she paid $125,000 for up front over $48/year...or $4/month. IMO, she has no one to blame but herself.