Anonymous wrote:What's Brambleton? - Arlington resident for 7 years

A place for pod people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like most of your complaints are with Brambleton in particular, which is not representative of most of NoVa. If you love the "freedom" of TX then why did you buy something in an HOA planned community?

Had a house in an HOA in Houston, while not perfect, they were good, pay your dues annually, don't trash your house and they left you alone. By contrast here, the NoVa HOA makes them look like angels. We liked the area, more or less, but from day one the HOA has been up our ass and we have not done anything wrong, never been cited or fined, they are just annoying and always in your business.

Meh, that's probably more about the individual HOA than the state where you live. Our Arlington townhouse HOA is quite hands-off.

Yep. Our California HOA was all up in our business. Happy to not have one in Arlington.

yeah, its weird here, they drive around day/night looking for things to cite. Its the management company really, they write up the smallest things and then run back to the HOA board and say "see what we found, you need us!!" type of thing. And the HOA just goes along with it. In fact the HOA is made up of developers more than residents until we are 80% built out, they control the majority of the votes and they keep developing more and more, thus pushing that 80% benchmark further out! They focus on low hanging fruit with little or no value vesus going after important things. Trust me, it is not just me, the social blogs are full of people who are complianing about them and the Loudoun County board of supervisors who appear to have sold out to the developers and let them run rampant over owners.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like most of your complaints are with Brambleton in particular, which is not representative of most of NoVa. If you love the "freedom" of TX then why did you buy something in an HOA planned community?

Had a house in an HOA in Houston, while not perfect, they were good, pay your dues annually, don't trash your house and they left you alone. By contrast here, the NoVa HOA makes them look like angels. We liked the area, more or less, but from day one the HOA has been up our ass and we have not done anything wrong, never been cited or fined, they are just annoying and always in your business.

Meh, that's probably more about the individual HOA than the state where you live. Our Arlington townhouse HOA is quite hands-off.

Yep. Our California HOA was all up in our business. Happy to not have one in Arlington.

Anonymous wrote:So where are you planning to go, OP?

Spent last month in Texas and Reno-Tahoe area looking at new builds and looking into HOAs deeply as able to. Talking to residents and doing internet searches and legal searches for lawsuits, complaints, etc (local, state and regulatory agencies).

Can get a similiar sized place, no basement but size made up for on first two floors, with a lot more add ons and such for about 2/3rds what I paid Brambleton. The move alone with save us $20K+ in taxes, so a no-brainer. Builder is more flexible as well with changes to outside and inside. 7 months to build out.

So where are you planning to go, OP?

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't live in Brambleton -or- Texas.

+1

And I would not live in any neighborhood with an HOA. Ever.

Ashburn etc. are mostly a hellhole, and Texas is a hellhole for sure.

Ciao.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like most of your complaints are with Brambleton in particular, which is not representative of most of NoVa. If you love the "freedom" of TX then why did you buy something in an HOA planned community?

Had a house in an HOA in Houston, while not perfect, they were good, pay your dues annually, don't trash your house and they left you alone. By contrast here, the NoVa HOA makes them look like angels. We liked the area, more or less, but from day one the HOA has been up our ass and we have not done anything wrong, never been cited or fined, they are just annoying and always in your business.

Meh, that's probably more about the individual HOA than the state where you live. Our Arlington townhouse HOA is quite hands-off.

That is prob true, I did ask about the HOA from the builder and asked my real estate agent to look in them as well. Asked for the CC&Rs upfront as well, was told I couldn't get them until signing, but was told they were online and would be given a CD with them and they were minimal. Come signing day, I was given two phone book size binders of HOA rules and regs. Went downhill from there.

VA law requires an HOA disclosure packet be provided prior to home sale and the buyer has 3 days to cancel the contract without fault from being provided this packet. Why would you go through with such a huge sale without investigating the HOA more? Lesson learned Inguess.

But your Loudoun neighborhood and schools sound nothing like where I live in Fairfax County.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like most of your complaints are with Brambleton in particular, which is not representative of most of NoVa. If you love the "freedom" of TX then why did you buy something in an HOA planned community?

Had a house in an HOA in Houston, while not perfect, they were good, pay your dues annually, don't trash your house and they left you alone. By contrast here, the NoVa HOA makes them look like angels. We liked the area, more or less, but from day one the HOA has been up our ass and we have not done anything wrong, never been cited or fined, they are just annoying and always in your business.

Meh, that's probably more about the individual HOA than the state where you live. Our Arlington townhouse HOA is quite hands-off.

That is prob true, I did ask about the HOA from the builder and asked my real estate agent to look in them as well. Asked for the CC&Rs upfront as well, was told I couldn't get them until signing, but was told they were online and would be given a CD with them and they were minimal. Come signing day, I was given two phone book size binders of HOA rules and regs. Went downhill from there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like most of your complaints are with Brambleton in particular, which is not representative of most of NoVa. If you love the "freedom" of TX then why did you buy something in an HOA planned community?

Had a house in an HOA in Houston, while not perfect, they were good, pay your dues annually, don't trash your house and they left you alone. By contrast here, the NoVa HOA makes them look like angels. We liked the area, more or less, but from day one the HOA has been up our ass and we have not done anything wrong, never been cited or fined, they are just annoying and always in your business.

Meh, that's probably more about the individual HOA than the state where you live. Our Arlington townhouse HOA is quite hands-off.

I wouldn't live in Brambleton -or- Texas.

Anonymous wrote:
Thank you, OP.

Despite your unpleasant tone, it's extremely useful for outsiders to point out things to people who have become used to a certain place. As a foreigner, some things really bug me about the US (health insurance, parental leave, guns, that kind of thing).

If no one ever pointed what's done better elsewhere, nothing would ever change.

Bingo, both Texas and Nevada have issues and far from perfect. In fact, I said in my original post that the people where nice, more or less here in Brambleton and not attacking the entire area. Never said that.

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like most of your complaints are with Brambleton in particular, which is not representative of most of NoVa. If you love the "freedom" of TX then why did you buy something in an HOA planned community?

Had a house in an HOA in Houston, while not perfect, they were good, pay your dues annually, don't trash your house and they left you alone. By contrast here, the NoVa HOA makes them look like angels. We liked the area, more or less, but from day one the HOA has been up our ass and we have not done anything wrong, never been cited or fined, they are just annoying and always in your business.

Anonymous wrote:
Thank you, OP.

Despite your unpleasant tone, it's extremely useful for outsiders to point out things to people who have become used to a certain place. As a foreigner, some things really bug me about the US (health insurance, parental leave, guns, that kind of thing).

If no one ever pointed what's done better elsewhere, nothing would ever change.

Please tell me how to say "blow me" in your native language.

Anonymous wrote:Uh, most states have an income tax. State taxes help pay for the good schools. And you'll find HOA's in many other places. You can avoid an HOA by, you know, NOT BUYING A HOME IN AN AREA WITH AN HOA. Like my Arlington neighborhood. Buying in Arlington would also allow you to avoid most toll roads, and would ensure full-day kindergarten.

So most of your complaints could have been avoided by doing a little research and buying elsewhere. But then you would have had to spend a lot more on your house and you would have complained about that too.

enjoy your new home in BFE.

Kinda doubt lake tahoe qualifies for BFE. The only issue there is to keep from being infected by Governor Moonbeam and his crazies in California.