I know it doesnt belong in this forum, but in many instances it does!!! I hope that I've been missed for the last month or so. Those who have been with me, on here, the whole time (even back before this forum), know that there was always one thing missing..our own home. Well, I a pleased to announce that WE ARE FINALLY HOMEOWNERS as of yesterday!!! It's been a long month and I have a nice wrought iron fence space for gardening...not to mention a screened in pool area (for tropicals around the pool)!! Its been years dreaming about a home with my name on it...SO HAPPY!!! Thank all of you for traveling the apartment journey with me because I learned so much from you all during that time and even more about myself and this absolute passion that I have for growing!!! Have already started my changes for hummer and butterflies and was approved. Even though its in a HOA (homeownwers assoc for Sjoerd) community and you have to get permission to do certain things...i am really ok with that!! Stay tuned for pics!!
Oh my how exciting!! I'm really delighted for you and I wish you many, many happy years in your (own) new home. I'll look forward to seeing your photographs.
Of course this news belongs on the forum.... and you mentioned gardening so that makes it officially a GardenStew subject. Buying a home is exciting, long time ago for us but I still remember the pride and a little bit of fear for what we had done. Ours was paid off in March of last year and that is just as exciting as buying it was.
I have certainly been aware of your absence. Oh sweet lady----I am absolutely over the moon for you and your new home. I do know how much it has meant to you and how long you and your family have been waiting. and now that you have your dream, you can expand your gardening even further. A very big congrats to you and yours. p.s. Thanks for the explanation Re: HOA. I can't wait to see some foto's. BTW--will you continue to do some hydroponics ?
Oh wow Hummerbum, while I am not excited about it being an HOA ( I think they should be outlawed) I am happy for you. paying rent gives you no return on the investment. just a roof over your head at night.
Well, if anyone deserves a lovely home of their own, and a space to grow things, it's you Hummerbum! So very happy for you, and for your neighbors (they can learn from you and enjoy your birds and bugs!). Having lived in a Texas town, I can understand why HOAs exist. Some folks just don't understand what being a good neighbor is, and must have it spelled out for them.
HOAs are more an excuse for some one on a power trip to be able to make others do what they think is the right way to do them, be it pulling into your own driveway or backing into it, how many and what kind of trees and other plants you are allowed to have in the front yard, the color of your house, etc. Most of them have nothing to do with being a good neighbor. Our neighborhood is old and does not have one, if it ever does we will put the house on the market. The one thing I know that is not within the power of an HOA in Texas is whether you can or can not have a rain barrel. State law says no one can tell you that you can not have one. They can require you hide it from public view but that is all. And being a Texas town does not automatically mean that there must be an HOA so people will be good neighbors. We did just fine for many, many years with out them.
I am with Toni 100 % on the HOA !! We are a few miles outside of town and if you mention an HOA here,, no one would know what you were talking about ! But all,, with a few exceptions,, have nice property ! I understand that some in more metro areas have to tolerate them but I really do not get the reasoning ! I would not buy a property that someone else could tell me what to do with it or could foreclose on it if you didn`t follow their rules ! That is not ownership,, its just the same as share holding ! Never the less I am so proud for you and hope you never have problems with it ! I expect you will expand your hydroponics ? Looking forward to seeing the new house ! And new growing systems !
Congratulations on your very own home. I am happy that you are a home owner now and my fingers are crossed that there are no funny people in the HOA committee.
Yes, Hummerbum, congratulations are definitely in order for your new home!!! And Yes, we're looking forward to pics so we can ooooh and ahhhh with you.. Hank
Belated Merry Christmas and to a Happy New Year!!! Thank you guys and girls for the wonderful congrats. I (we) are so excited. We decided on this property, because the neighborhood is well kept and yes, there are certain regs that you have to follow. We read the covenant and asked ourselves....are we going to buy a camper/trailer any time soon? Nope! Are we going to knock off the mailbox any time soon? Nope! Are we going to park on the grass...Yep, just did (probably will get a notice...lol). Are we going to paint the exterior any time soon? Nope! Anywho, we determined that since we are older people now, the restrictions are/were worth it in this area since it's in the city. We did move a county over though. We have everything that we wanted and much more in this home. We always thought that we needed 2300 sq. ft and 2 or 3 acres to make us happy...then we saw this and everything went out the window and sensibility kicked in. It's 1989 sq ft of living space. Not including the pool, side yard and carport/storage building. Trying to send pics!! Yes, I will continue hydroponics..probably more so now that I have space to do that! For a quick vision, I can see more container/raised bed gardening here...kind of hooked on hit. The soil seems to be silt...as if they put the dirt back that was scraped to build. Yes, I was the friend who has the boggy/silt front yard. Changing that also...give me time. There is a large owl living in the back, so I'm pretty sure squirrels and mice will not be much of a problem (at least I hope not). My Area: I do believe it's enough to keep me busy for a few!!!
