Sunday, March 8, 2015

Institutionalizing Corruption

Colorado is considering requiring HOA managers to be licensed in the future. Licenses will be granted upon passing a 2-part test and paying some baksheesh to the licensing board which will doubtless be made up of HOA managers.

Licensing is the most common way to eliminate competition in most lines of work and this promises to make running against a dictatorial HOA officer effectively impossible. If you are an HOA member looking to make money by foreclosing on homeowners who are unable to comply with your demands, this should secure your position.

The presence of an HOA is an immediate deal-killer among my friends who are house-hunting regardless of price.  I know that when I bought my place I had only 2 iron clad, non-negotiable demands of the realtor: 1. NO HOA and 2. NO covenants.

For those of you saddled with one, you have my sympathy when you get the threatening letter demanding immediate compliance or forfeiture of your home if you do not correct the shade of green of your grass within the 3-day time limit established in the HOA rules.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have absolutely no sympathy for people who subject themselves to the dictates of a HOA.
Stupid is supposed to hurt.

Kevin said...

When I went house-hunting, I told the realtor I had just a few "musts" - 3 bedrooms, covered parking, fenced back yard, dishwasher, and NO HOA. She came through.