beinpositiveincopa
Posts:31
 | | 03/19/2008 10:18 AM |
 Alert | Anyone else disgusted with the condition of OUR neighborhoods curb appeal? On my street alone there are at least 1/2 a dozen yards that are so overgrown with weeds its absurd - and some of the homes are occupied. Some homes have weeds growing through the concrete in the driveway and trees have fallen over and just left like that for months!!! I'm not one to dictate how others live - until it affects me and my homes value. These neglected homes are dragging us all down right along with the values. I've been told by the HOA that they issue a series of letters when the see or are told of a problem and then, if nothing is done, they imposes fines starting at $50 going up to $750 if you don't tend to your yard. If they have no luck, they will take care of it - billing the owner of course - but at least it will eventually get done. Its bad enough our home values are down due to market conditions - lets not make it worse by having our homes and our neighborhood look like low class living! If you are guilty of it - it costs no money to pull weeds - just do it!! If you take pride in your home like I do, and see neighbors who don't seem to care - complain to the HOA - and complain again...so that they can begin the process of cleaning up our neighborhood. I for one am tired of hearing that I live in the "low end of town"! Ogdens #480-396-4567!!! Ask for Kriss!!!! TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR NEW HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD SENITA RESIDENTS! MAKE SOME NOISE AND PULL SOME WEEDS! | | | |
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alanf
Posts:1462
| | 03/19/2008 11:22 AM |
Alert | Ogden's Policy on weeds as it was explained to me:
1st weed violation Friendly Reminder $0 2nd weed violation Notice to Fine $0 3rd weed violation Fine $50 4th weed violation 14 day Notice allowing the homeowner 14 days to clean the weeds or the HOA will. If the homeowner does not clean the weeds after 14 days, the HOA will and charge their account $250 for removing the weeds and a $500 penalty for a total of $750. There is no 5th letter because the weeds are removed. Leaving the question of the foreclosed homes... are their HOA fees even being paid by the bank. And if not, are leins being placed against the title/bank by the HOA? | | | |
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beinpositiveincopa
Posts:31
| | 03/19/2008 11:27 AM |
Alert | | I don't see a policy in your reply Alanf...but it doesn't take a policy to take pride in your home and neighborhood. It's common sense. You know you're a redneck when you pull your weeds and find a car!!! Come on guys! We only need to go by policy when our neighborhood looks out of control and - to be blunt - like crap! | | | |
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beinpositiveincopa
Posts:31
| | 03/19/2008 11:29 AM |
Alert | | Sorry, Alanf....the policy wasn't there when I replied. What about the realtors who post signs on the foreclosed properties...are they paid to "manage" the homes and make sure they are - at the very least show-worthy. How do they expect to see something that looks like a dump? I know banks don't do repairs...but weeds are an easy fix...I am worried that there will be rats and bugs taking over if we don't get a handle on this. | | | |
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C&W
Posts:168
| | 03/19/2008 9:42 PM |
Alert | | keep notice and continue to forward the info. to Kriss. and then follow up at the HOA meeting. | | | |
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Go Vikes
Posts:10
| | 03/20/2008 9:49 PM |
Alert | I know in our street there are TWO houses that still do not have landscaping in and their weeds have taken over. It has been that way for TWO months. One house still has xmas lights up. HOA hasn't done a single thing. Is there anyway to get this addressed? I am so tired of it! | | | |
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azsouthendzone
Posts:528
| | 03/20/2008 9:52 PM |
Alert | | The HOA is only in place to take our money. They won't do anything. They are based in Scottsdale and they don't ever come out here. I say we start filling bags with weeds and dump them in their office. They are literally stealing money at this point. | | | |
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beinpositiveincopa
Posts:31
| | 03/21/2008 7:28 AM |
Alert | I agree with C&W, The only way to try to solve this problem is first, to call, write, e-mail, and report the exact houses. Keep track of dates if possible. I know its a shame we have to do all that, but the HOA is not stepping up here. I'm thinking of taking pictures and bringing them to the next meeting. Which brings me to my 2nd point, lets ALL attend the next HOA meeting on April 2nd - 6:30. There's power in numbers and I for one would like to make sure they get on this. My street looks horrible. According the the "Policy on Weeds" listed above, it looks pretty on paper but my question is how long does it take BEFORE they issue the first warning letter. It appears that there should be no more then 1-2 months tops before the HOA takes care of it and fines are imposed on the lazy. non-caring homeowners! On my street alone, there are houses that have been in disasterous shape for many many months too! Lets all find out why this is taking so long and exactly where our HOA fees are going! APRIL 2ND - 6:30 PIMA BUTTE! I will make it a point to be there. If we get no results as a group, then we go with azsouthendzones idea and bag up and deliver those weeds  | | | |
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Cheyenne
Posts:90
| | 03/21/2008 8:46 AM |
Alert | | Just an FYI...I just tried emailing Kriss with some concerns and it turns out he is on vacation until 3/26/08 but it email response says to contact his assistant Kara at karad@ogdenre.com . I would encourage everyone to start emailing both of them until you get the results you are looking for!! | | | |
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ForensicUnit
Posts:214
| | 03/21/2008 8:57 AM |
Alert | This is the frustrating part. When people walk away from their homes, or get foreclosed, it can be difficult to figure out who, or what institution owns the home at that time. So finding someone to fine can also be difficult. At that point, the Board needs to decide whether it's a better decision to spend HOA money to clean the problem, or remedy it some other way. -Graham | | | |
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beinpositiveincopa
Posts:31
| | 03/21/2008 9:19 AM |
Alert | | Does anyone know if the Realtors who are trying to rent or sell some of these homes have any responsibility in low end maintenance? As a realtor, I would be embarrased to try and sell a home that looks like some of them do. I know banks do not do repairs, and they are advertised "as-is" but simple yard maintenance...nipped in the early stages, seems like a no brainer. I understand the challenges in finding out who to fine (there has to be some owner of legal record) but we have to look at the bigger picture and do what we have to do now so our neighborhood doesn't become the Maricopa slum. It would be HOA money well spent and probably something needed only for the short term, until the market corrects itself. Once the market turns (and it will) and real homeowners who will hopefully actually live here and care start to buy up these homes, the HOA should not have to babysit like this. My fear is that if the neighborhood looks bad (and it can only get worse if we don't take action), we'll never get good people to want to live here and buy these homes and care for them and the problems will continue and multiple costing us all more in the end. We could be shooting ourselves in the pocketbook in the long run. | | | |
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Reagan
Posts:697
| | 03/21/2008 5:10 PM |
Alert | | There is a vacant house across the street from us. If I have extra time after maintaining my yard, I usually go and pull there weed too. I think this is a good idea. Judging by a lot of Senita that I see, this would be an unusal request. Most aren't going to pitch in with their neighbors when they can't even take care of their own. | |
Welfare's purpose should be to eliminate, as far as possible, the need for its own existence.
Reagan, Los Angeles Times, January 7, 1970 | |
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chevyguy
Posts:82
| | 03/24/2008 9:27 AM |
Alert | | You know what amazes me..........is the amount of people who lock themselves in their houses and rarley get outside. I for one would go INSANE!!! Anyways, I don't mind going outside on a Sat morning and pulling weeds to make my yard look good. I attribute weeds to LAZINESS and unoccupied homes. | | | |
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pissedparent
Posts:232
| | 03/30/2008 8:59 PM |
Alert | | Banks are not in the home owning business and they are sure not in the weed picking business. | | | |
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ForensicUnit
Posts:214
| | 03/30/2008 9:20 PM |
Alert | Posted By pissedparent on 03/30/2008 8:59 PM
Banks are not in the home owning business and they are sure not in the weed picking business.
Banks absolutely are in the home owning business. That's what a mortgage is. And they understand that they own homes in HOA's, and they understand the importance of maintaining those homes to keep the value of their homes. Unless there are some super wealthy poeple out here, I bet 100% of homes here are owned by banks. Most of them just happen to have occupants that pay a mortgage.
The difficulty lies in figuring out who owns a specific home at a specific times, since mortgages are sold frequently. Once you find out the entity, you need to find a single, actual, living person that is in charge of maintaining the property.
-Graham | | | |
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pissedparent
Posts:232
| | 03/31/2008 4:10 PM |
Alert | | They are in the money borrowing business and the interest collecting business NOT the home OWNING business, you are obviously not a banker. They flip out anytime a home owner misses a payment. | | | |
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ForensicUnit
Posts:214
| | 03/31/2008 5:38 PM |
Alert | Posted By pissedparent on 03/31/2008 4:10 PM
They are in the money borrowing business and the interest collecting business NOT the home OWNING business, you are obviously not a banker. They flip out anytime a home owner misses a payment.
I'm obviously not a banker! Hahaha, what tipped you off? Either you are a banker, or wait, no. You are a detective! That's it! Amazing work detective. You figured out what job I don't hold.
(But I digress, less I face Alanf's wrath for public use of sarcasm). Your argument was that banks are not in the home owning and weed pulling business. And I still say you are wrong, because numerous homes out here ARE owned by banks. And they didn't accidentally get ownership of them. They agreed to be the owner at the same time that some yokel agreed to pay for the house. -Graham | | | |
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pissedparent
Posts:232
| | 04/01/2008 11:40 PM |
Alert | The point is no bank is coming out to pull the weeds anytime soon even if they "own" the house.
So either pull them yourself or shut up about them until a new home owner moves in. | | | |
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ForensicUnit
Posts:214
| | 04/02/2008 12:12 AM |
Alert | Posted By pissedparent on 04/01/2008 11:40 PM
The point is no bank is coming out to pull the weeds anytime soon even if they "own" the house.
So either pull them yourself or shut up about them until a new home owner moves in.
But again, you are incorrect. We are getting banks to send landscapers out to maintain their properties. It's just a little more difficult than with individual owners. And telling people to shut up? How completely unproductive is that? I'm here for solutions, not to sit idly by with my mouth closed.
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alanf
Posts:1462
| | 04/02/2008 6:46 AM |
Alert | Posted By ForensicUnit on 03/31/2008 5:38 PM (But I digress, less I face Alanf's wrath for public use of sarcasm). -Graham
No worries here Graham. I'll only crap on you when you get sarcastic while wearing your HOA board member beanie!  | | | |
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