Blue sky thinking

That would be your own fault for not reading the deed restrictions before you bought the house

place is only worth

proportional one so

they don't pay as

Our 'rates' of old were also a flat rate based on property value. Thatcher's Conservatives wanted to charge all adults equally regardless of any benefit they derived from local taxation, so that had to be repealed after the riots it caused. The current system is a kind of half way house.

I suppose it's 'progressive' in a way you hadn't imagined might apply here !

There is some talk of moving to a 'local income tax' instead but it won't happen overnight.

Graham

I'm not allowed to turn mine into a pub !

Graham

When I worked in San Francisco I bought a house in a neighborhood (along Skyline blvd) where we all had to maintain a palm tree and a small plot of grass in the front yard. Also, house colors had to have the approval of the "committee." At some time, apparently the covenant got broke and each owner could do whatever...... Last time I drove by the old homestead the neighborhood looked like crap.

Not all HOAs are bad.

Don

Of course not... reasonably administrated they prevent neighborhood decay. But sometimes they get to be dominated by little ol' biddies :-(

...Jim Thompson

Even better is the ultra rare zero percent interest rate. My lender dropped all interest on my mortgage (from 3%) after I became 100% disabled. I have a little over seven years left till its paid for. :)

In many states, HOAs can be voted *after* you buy your property. Be vary scared.

Where would that be? Around here it takes a super majority of the property owners to do that.

Likewise for annexations.

...Jim Thompson

Of course, you can tweak them sometimes... 8-)

Just before moving out of Irvine, I repainted my garage door. I had done this several times before (it faced straight south, and faded quickly...) but this time I was getting ready to sell the house, so I used a Wagner sprayer. Put a nice, thick, rich coat of the ORIGINAL reddish-purple paint.

HOA folks started to go ballistic, because no one else had re-painted their garage, and that deep reddish purple had faded to a muted rose color on all the other houses in the neighborhood. My garage was one of the first houses you saw as you entered the community, and they thought it made a bad impression. But then, they found out I had just painted it to the original color, and there was nothing they could do about it!

Charlie

In my neighborhood, purple and orange would be considered sort of conservative. Maybe I'll take some pix.

John

I've just received our HOA newsletter stating we have to select paint from "allowed" samples at just two paint stores.

I doubt that is legal, so I'll sue 'em.

I like suing people, it's so-o-o much fun ;-)

...Jim Thompson

Yeah, they can specify the colors, and maybe even the brand, but not which stores to buy them from. One of my reasons for leaving the Peoples Republic of Irvine was to be clear of the HOAs...

Charlie

At a certain point you can just paint it a color that is as close as the BORG can match and let them sue you. My guess, if it is in the ball park they will never say a word. OTOH they may have a deal with the paint stores they suggest that is cheaper than what you can get on your own.

Even if it takes a super majority, your property rights are gone.

In most places it only takes a majority of both groups.

Just surf on "Bailey Brake Shop".

After that episode Arizona legislators passed some restrictive bills and more are in the works. The "higher tax revenue" gimmick is gone.

This still is pretty much the wild west... steal my horse and we hang your ass ;-)

...Jim Thompson

Sounds like it may be on the verge of a "Bren 10" solution to me.

joseph2k