> On Jan 21, 2010, at 4:47 PM, Rob Studdert wrote: > > As I mentioned earlier we have laws and local government to manage > these sorts of issue but the inference that keeping clothes off lines > or other ridiculous limitations will somehow preserve the value of > real estate is pure bunk. We have one of the most robust and least > affordable real estate markets here and clothes on lines in the > majority of back-yards. Every second back-yard in Sydney features a > rotary clothes line such as a Hills hoist (easy to see using Google > Earth)
You are letting facts (actual impact on real estate value) confuse you. The issue is one of perception. In the early days of Americans' move from the Cities to the Suburbs, part of the incentive was to appear to be "higher class". Ruffians and naer-do-wells let their grass grow too long, paint their houses garish colors, cannot afford modern conveniences like electric dryers and thus hang their clothes out to dry, cannot afford a proper mechanic and thus do car repair in their drive, etc. The way to avoid ruffians and naer-do-wells therefore obviously is to ban signs of such behavior. At least that way you avoid the appearance of being around such people. In one of the early (1920's) developments in the Kansas City area, the developer objected to the look of garages with open doors, and he wrote a prohibition on open doors into the covenants. And on Sundays he and his family would go for a drive, checking for open doors along the way. Here in the Wild West, the attitude is that I can do whatever I want, and everyone else had better do what I want as well. He with the fastest gun or biggest wallet wins. As I mentioned, I live in an old 1837 farmhouse not at all like my neighbors. I didn't have much choice about its location - if I wanted the house, I accepted the Home's Association covenants. However, the Association mows and otherwise takes care of all lawns. My 80,000 sq. ft. of lawn is mowed as often as my neighbors' 400 sq. ft. areas, and I pay the same per-household dues that they do. And I have the use of the pool, the tennis courts, and other amenities. It balances out. Several have mentioned putting liens on property as a way of enforcing Association rules. We regularly do that in cases of people who don't pay their Association dues. 5-10 years later, when they sell or the property is foreclosed, we may receive what is due if there is any left after the mortgage holder is paid. It is not a very efficient enforcement mechanism. stan -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
