How to Avoid a Deed Restriction Letter from the HOA…
We have many wonderful homeowners and residents who do an amazing job of taking care of their homes and yards. The entire subdivision is regularly inspected for deed restrictions. The inspector uses the ACC Guidelines and the Declarations of Covenants for the guidelines as to which to determine if properties are in compliance.
A quick walk around the outside of your home can help you avoid a dreaded letter from us. Here are the top things to look for. 1) Is your grass mowed and edged? Make sure you do not have any bare spots in your lawn. Be sure to remove the pesky weeds that grow up in the seams of the sidewalks and driveways. Do you trim your bushes and remove the weeds growing in the flower beds? 2) Are your trash cans stored out of sight on non-trash days? 3) Do you have any stored miscellaneous items on your front porch or driveway? Do you have any larger items, like trailers, RV’s or boats? These types of items are also not supposed to be kept at your property. 4) Is your mailbox and lamp light (if you have one) in good condition? Does it need to be painted? 5) In the spring time, check your home for mildew that likes to grow in our neck of the woods. This can easily be removed with a little elbow grease. These 5 things take care of what we consider minor infractions.
Now there are more expensive repairs that homeowners do have to make, such as repainting the exterior of their homes when the time comes. Do to the age of the homes in Memorial Parkway, most homes have needed to have the exterior siding and trim redone with James Hardi Board. As homeowners, we also have to replace roofs as they become older and weathered. Our deed restrictions do require homeowners to keep the exterior of their homes in good condition.
Due to the age of our sidewalks and mature trees in the subdivision, so sidewalks have become uneven. This poses a tripping hazard for pedestrians walking on our sidewalks. The sidewalks were installed by the homebuilders when each home was constructed. The sidewalks are the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain. The homeowner is liable if someone trips and falls due to their sidewalk not being even. We do send notices for many different items. We are happy to give homeowners time to make the costlier repairs that all of us homeowners have to do to keep our homes in good condition. Communication is key if you do happen to receive a letter from us. The best way to handle a notice is to call or email the office to discuss the issue. Ignoring letters from the HOA cost you and your neighbors money.