Well, there goes the neighborhood…

I guess by the photo, it is obvious that I live in a neighborhood with no homeowner’s association.  My front door was a blah shade of hunter green, blending in with all the other doors in the area.  I suppose it could have been worse.  The door could have been a beige or tan color.  Maybe I would have painted it sooner.  The door is not in the best condition, but it serves it’s purpose and won’t be replaced anytime soon.  I like the bright turquoise.  My door looks happier than the rest in my neighborhood.

If my neighborhood had an HOA, I would have been kicked out a long time ago.  My lovely trampoline would have insured that. It has nine colors of duct tape holding it together– and you don not want to see a picture of my fence! HOA’s make you pay money to have rules.  I guess that could help for resale value by keeping the area looking nice, however who wants to pay all those extra fees?  Your home should be a safe, comfortable place to live, but let’s not forget that a house is also for self expression. 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told that everything I do in my house is not good for resale.  Over the past 30 years, we’ve become a bunch of conformists.  Houses used to be many different styles and colors.  Now, they are all designed to blend in with nature.  Earth-toned colors are the norm.  The same natural stone tile, beige carpet and wood floors are acceptable.  I understand that people have different tastes in home decor, but if you like something just a little bit different, you will not find anything out there to suit your taste.

If I had an HOA, it would encourage individuality, self expression and fun.  We’ll call it the jHOA.

Rules and Regulations

• Grass can be any length as long as you mow it in circles.
• Bold paint colors are encouraged for exterior, as well as interior.  After all, it’s just paint!
• Doors should be painted your favorite color, or all of your favorite colors.
• Yard art is encouraged.  Enter our annual Funkiest Yard Art contest!
• Your garage is yours.  Store whatever you want in it.  (Legal stuff only please)
• Tree houses are acceptable as long as they are painted nicely.
• Feel free to park your car the wrong direction.
• You park your VW bus out front and live in it.
• The jHOA is free of charge, but all residents must share photos of their property on a social networking site or blog and must be an active participant in the jHOA.

These are just a few of the basic rules.  And all rules, just because that’s an awful word, are up for debate.  Come live on my street!!!