Why... WHY?!?

[Dirk]

Think your yard isn't all it could be? Envious of others' pools, or landscaping? Wishing you had more time to make everything "just so?" Check this out:



[After considering everyone's critique of this thread and this image and the way I approached this topic, I've cropped the original picture of the yard down to just a remnant. I learned a lot from this thread, but there's no further purpose served by leaving the original picture in place. Thanks to all for your comments.]

This is my neighbor's new pool! And recently "renovated" yard. His front yard matches nicely!

This pool is only about a year old. I'm guessin' we're looking at about $100K. The fact that the PB couldn't manage to get the pool's level to match the patio aside, or the owner's sad, mismatched choices for stone work, uh, what the H? Why would you spend all that money to put in a pool, but then make it, and keep it, unusable?? WHY?!? This "recon" photo was taken by the next door neighbor, who has to look out his 2nd story master suite windows at this mess. This guy's house and yard and pool is the neighborhood mystery.

He spent all that money, but then stopped short of any sort of landscaping, front or back. OK, maybe he's tapped out. But he has yet to even clean up the construction debris! And as if that wasn't bad enough, he let the pool turn. And he's got the same hard water I do, but after one year his calcium ring is as bad as mine at six years. Which means he's not paying any attention to his levels. Obviously. Again, what the H?

I gave him the TFP spiel during contruction. He made it quite clear he wasn't interested, because he's owned pools before and knew everything he needed to know already. Uh huh. Fast forward to last summer, he was having a small party and couldn't get the spa on. So he calls me over to sort out his automation controller, which I managed easy enough. So he says "thanks." Huh? How about offering me a drink at least, ya bum! Nothin'.

So unless that mess starts harboring mosquitos (at which point we'll call the city in), I'm not even going to offer to help this guy. I'm out. He probably wouldn't accept help anyway. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Heck, no horse would go near that pool!!

 

[Mdragger88]

Has he fallen ill? Maybe fallen off the wagon? That indeed makes me sad to see. Do u have an hoa?

 

[Newdude]

Some people are just slobs. Ever been in their house ? It might look similar.

Or they are the type to close the blinds and the eyesore goes away.

 

[an1vrsy]

Map apps (google or apple) after update to the latest satellite images is how my HOA discovered I put in my greenscape, plants, landscape lights, putting green, etc. I received a friendly letter reminding me that the architectural committee needed to approve it, although it was after the fact. (My approval was for the pool, decking and knocking down and putting back up the block wall for equipment access) What they were “probably” looking for was money. It was a $25 fee for architectural committee approval. Which was approved after I submitted the paper work with the personal check.

The HOA association I live in would have sent a friendly letter first, then subsequently less friendly letters until that was cleaned up. Don’t get me wrong, I still dislike HOAs but that was what we bought into in this new development neighborhood.

 

[Dirk]

Has he fallen ill? Maybe fallen off the wagon? That indeed makes me sad to see. Do u have an hoa?

I don't think so. I see him out and about, and have talked to him a few times. But you bring up a good point, that I don't really know the whole story. I suppose I could ask, that would be the neighborly thing to do, even though he is anything but neighborly.

No HOA. There are CC&Rs that could address the front yard, but those are unenforcible except for civil suit. Nothing that controls the back yard. I don't really want to go there, not yet anyway. I remember it took me a while to get my front yard decent, and I would not have appreciated some neighbor calling me out on it while I was struggling with other time-suckers. So some leniency is called for. But at some point his yard will be affecting others' prop values and that'll be a problem.

 

[Dirk]

Some people are just slobs. Ever been in their house ? It might look similar.

Or they are the type to close the blinds and the eyesore goes away.

Inside his house is fine. He has friends over (or did), and he has grandkids, for whom he built the pool. But they can't use it. Maybe he's just ignoring it for off-season? But that'll still ruin his plaster.

 

[Dirk]

Map apps (google or apple) after update to the latest satellite images is how my HOA discovered I put in my greenscape, plants, landscape lights, putting green, etc. I received a friendly letter reminding me that the architectural committee needed to approve it, although it was after the fact. (My approval was for the pool, decking and knocking down and putting back up the block wall for equipment access) What they were “probably” looking for was money. It was a $25 fee for architectural committee approval. Which was approved after I submitted the paper work with the personal check.

The HOA association I live in would have sent a friendly letter first, then subsequently less friendly letters until that was cleaned up. Don’t get me wrong, I still dislike HOAs but that was what we bought into in this new development neighborhood.

Yah, dual-edged sword. We have CC&Rs, but no HOA. The problems is, every neighborhood starts out amazing and pristine, then over the years they crumble. First it's someone's RV. Then another guy starts thinking it's OK to park some other eyesore in his driveway. So the next guy starts rebuilding his junker car out front. Then one guy's yard gets tired, and his neighbor starts to think "Why bother?" Etc. Etc. Before you know it, the nicest new neighborhood in town becomes the one no one wants to live in. My neighborhood is currently the newest/nicest. And I'm not the kind'a of Karen guy that is inclined to just let things go.

 

[HermanTX]

Inside his house is fine. He has friends over (or did), and he has grandkids, for whom he built the pool. But they can't use it. Maybe he's just ignoring it for off-season? But that'll still ruin his plaster.

Even when we know our neighbors we may not truly know what troubles they may have, family, financial, personal, etc, that has changed their outlook or need. I think you did great to inform him of TFP, the real issue is that he is not using any process based on the photo and has no pool service either. I had a neighbor, a doctor, that had a hoarding disorder. Very nice couple and wife was very aware of the issue with the husband. Neighbors on other side and back were upset about state of the backyard, etc. and tried to press the issue with no understanding of some his personal issues. It was resolved when they moved, which they had already planned to do as they were building a new home on several acres. So one never knows all the issues and it is sad the state of the pool and all you can do is be a good neighbor. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Katodude]

My neighborhood is going the other way. House prices have jump sooooo much that basically every house that was not pristine got sold and gutted. Things have gotten cleaned up quite a bit here.

 

[kimkats]

Every neighborhood has THAT house The one ours also had 2 horses and 2 ponies. I made sure they took care of the animals by letting them know I WOULD call animal control who I knew by name from the many years of volunteering at the animal shelter. THEN they moved out and left the animals!!! I helped get the animals removed and rehomed. Man were they upset but you will NOT neglect any animal I know about!!

 

[proavia]

Hmm - time to call the municipality, county, whoever and let them know of the mosquito breeding ground this neighbor has - along with the fire hazard of all the dead plants, grass, weeds.
My bet is there are codes that will help, if you are willing to do the leg work.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

How do you have CC&Rs without the legally binding enforcement structure of an HOA?? It’s basically the “honor system” and all it takes is one obnoxious twit and you’re done. I’m not saying HOAs are great, mine is useless, but you really can’t enforce anything without an HOA in place.

 

[PoolStored]

How do you have CC&Rs without the legally binding enforcement structure of an HOA?? It’s basically the “honor system” and all it takes is one obnoxious twit and you’re done. I’m not saying HOAs are great, mine is useless, but you really can’t enforce anything without an HOA in place.

There are LOTS of really weird arrangements out there. I had a property that was platted around the turn of the 19th century. 20 lots on Lake Michigan. There was a road that went first across private property, then over nature conservancy property, then through a state park to get to the properties. An easement for the road was never established over these properties. Road washed out in the nature conservancy property, we repaired (as we had a right to do), but man what a pain to defend that right.

We also had CC&Rs, but it was on the honor system to follow them AND honor system to pay for maintaining the road and paying for the trash. When it came time to pay for repair of the road, I think 12 of us paid for the repair...out of the 20. And these are 800K-2M properties. I tried once to get HOA established...Ha Ha...should have been done 120 years ago if it was going to get done at all. First HOAs popped up around 1905 in California.

 

[matthewsunshineflorida]

Map apps (google or apple) after update to the latest satellite images is how my HOA discovered I put in my greenscape, plants, landscape lights, putting green, etc. I received a friendly letter reminding me that the architectural committee needed to approve it, although it was after the fact. (My approval was for the pool, decking and knocking down and putting back up the block wall for equipment access) What they were “probably” looking for was money. It was a $25 fee for architectural committee approval. Which was approved after I submitted the paper work with the personal check.

I'm actually a little surprised they can enforce landscaping approvals for the backyard when not visible by the street - seems pretty authoritarian to me as it's not like it affects anyone else's property values. Ours absolutely doesn't have any authority over our backyards beyond construction and anything visible from the street. No two story homes here so that may be a differentiator? Also, can I just say $25 isn't enough to make any difference to the budget whatsoever so it really just seems petty at that point IMHO lol what's up with that?

 

[Mdragger88]

Here the cc&r’s are generally tied to improvements/building so when you go to pull a permit they look those up if applicable & approve or deny your plans. It’s usually things like minimum sq footage requirements, that the home must have a 2 car garage, that sort of thing. There are also some deed restrictions that are common here that usually involve things like no trailers allowed. The only governance over either one is the local code enforcement/ building department which is usually only involved if someone applies for a permit or is caught “improving” without one.

 

[Dirk]

So one never knows all the issues and it is sad the state of the pool and all you can do is be a good neighbor. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for reminding me that I can do better than just gawk and gripe. You've inspired me to reach out again to see if he needs help with the pool (or anything else). Besides, selfishly, it never hurts to throw a few coins into the karma fountain.

 

[Dirk]

Hmm - time to call the municipality, county, whoever and let them know of the mosquito breeding ground this neighbor has - along with the fire hazard of all the dead plants, grass, weeds.
My bet is there are codes that will help, if you are willing to do the leg work.

I considered the mosquito issue, the fire one hadn't occurred to me. Hmmm.

 

[Dirk]

How do you have CC&Rs without the legally binding enforcement structure of an HOA?? It’s basically the “honor system” and all it takes is one obnoxious twit and you’re done. I’m not saying HOAs are great, mine is useless, but you really can’t enforce anything without an HOA in place.

That's the problem. The CC&Rs have all sorts of "mechanisms" in place, neat and tidy in writing and all, but their basic foundation is a body of people that are supposed to convene periodically and deal with issues. This body is supposed to be elected every so often by the other homeowners beholding to the CC&R, but once the body dissolves, as folks move or get too busy, there is no one left to hold an election. It can all be resurrected by some ambitious neighbor, willing to collect support and votes and others to participate, but that would be more work than just about anyone would tackle, including myself. The primary reason is that even with all that work, any committee that could now be cobbled together has no authority to actually order anyone to do anything. Any disputes that could not be settled by a letter (you know, just about all of them) would have to be settled in civil court. You could see how even getting someone to mow their lawn could take years of work. So while the CC&Rs are technically still in place, there is no one around to do anything about them. The original builder is typically part of the original package, and he would provide oversight, but in my case he's long dead and the effectiveness of the CC&Rs pretty much died with him.

In reality, CC&Rs look good on paper (literally) and are really designed to get the first batch of buyers to bite. Once they're all moved in, the builder kinda fades away. Then there's eventual selling and buying and in short order the CC&Rs are just a stack of unread papers included in the two-inch stack of all the other unread escrow docs...

 

[Dirk]

There are LOTS of really weird arrangements out there. I had a property that was platted around the turn of the 19th century. 20 lots on Lake Michigan. There was a road that went first across private property, then over nature conservancy property, then through a state park to get to the properties. An easement for the road was never established over these properties. Road washed out in the nature conservancy property, we repaired (as we had a right to do), but man what a pain to defend that right.

We also had CC&Rs, but it was on the honor system to follow them AND honor system to pay for maintaining the road and paying for the trash. When it came time to pay for repair of the road, I think 12 of us paid for the repair...out of the 20. And these are 800K-2M properties. I tried once to get HOA established...Ha Ha...should have been done 120 years ago if it was going to get done at all. First HOAs popped up around 1905 in California.

I think some form of this is a very common tale...

 

[Dirk]

Here the cc&r’s are generally tied to improvements/building so when you go to pull a permit they look those up if applicable & approve or deny your plans. It’s usually things like minimum sq footage requirements, that the home must have a 2 car garage, that sort of thing. There are also some deed restrictions that are common here that usually involve things like no trailers allowed. The only governance over either one is the local code enforcement/ building department which is usually only involved if someone applies for a permit or is caught “improving” without one.

I'm sure my building dept nor law enforcement would get involved. They'd both hand down the stock answer: "It's a civil matter, gotta go to court."