'If you don't change it I'm getting a lawyer': HOA Kevin disapproves of neighbor's house color, neighbor gets even by buying more houses and painting them the same color

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Aug 12, 2023 8:00 AM EDT

Here's a friendly reminder that if you're not a fan of the color of your neighbor's house, too bad! It's none of your business! 

 

This Kevin detested the Redditor's new house color so much that he tried to form an HOA and pass rules to force his neighbor to change the color. Talk about someone with way too much time on his hands. If this guy had a job or responsibilities or some semblance of a social life, none of this drama would have unfolded the way that did. Unfortunately for the Redditor, however, Kevin would not let up. He even threatened OP that he would get a lawyer involved if the color wasn't changed soon. 

 

At a certain point, the Redditor had enough of this guy's constant shenanigans. Did he cave and change the color back to its original, generic one? Nope! Instead, he doubled down by buying two other homes in the neighborhood (which were conveniently the ones on either side of Kevin's home). His next step was, you guessed it, painting the exteriors of those new homes with the exact same shade as his own house. Thankfully, every single one of Kevin's attempts to squash this color failed, so he wasn't able to do anything about OP's scheme.

 

Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions in the comments section. When you're done, feel free to take a look at this post on a Kevin's flight debacle.

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  • 01
    Plant - "Neighbor didn't like the color of my house"
    via Avi Waxman
  • 02
    Font - Neighbor didn't like the color of my house This was about 10 or 11 years ago in a medium sized city in Indiana. I moved into a house and had it painted to a new color scheme. It looked nice, was a little different than the surrounding homes but it wasn't pink and yellow, or anything stupid. Some whackadoodle across the street came over and said it was horrible looking and told me to change it. Well, I wondered if maybe I wasnt thinking right, so I asked 4 other neighbors and none of them
    via u/vmBob
  • 03
    Font - So I let him know no one else had an issue and he told me "I've got deep pockets, if you don't change it I'm getting a lawyer!" I told him to go ahead and have a nice day. After a few lawyers told him he had no case, he tried to get an HOA formed. Held meetings, paid someone to draw up the proposed rules, etc.. no one else would agree so his investment was a waste and he just wouldn't stop about it.
    via u/vmBob
  • 04
    Font - Well I already owned several rental properties at that point and was always on the hunt for more, so when the houses next door to him were selling, I ended up buyjng both of them but never told him I owned either. I had picked up the first one in early fall and the other in the winter, so when summer rolled around I had both of them painted the exact same as mine. He was sooooo pissed.
    via u/vmBob
  • 05
    Font - Even better is the fact that I bought them in 2009/2010 and sold them last year for a very nice profit. Thanks irrationally angry man!
    via u/vmBob
  • 06
    Font - Clear-Consequence114 My neighbours painted their house all dark blue minus one spot they ran out of paint and painted it brown. Personally I hate it and it sets off my OCD. So you know what I do? Mind business and my not look at it. ↑ 1.1k Reply Share
    via u/vmBob
  • 07
    Font - wow wow How ThaneOfCawdorrr +2 My neighbor painted his house--but just the front of his house that you can see from the street. The side of his house he left in its former paint-peeling disrepair, (the part WE see from OUR house), it's so ridiculous I had to laugh. 187 Reply Share
    via u/vmBob
  • 08
    Font - firemonkeywoman. I love this. I had a friend, we are no longer friends because of like this, she and I were driving around town doing errands together, she pointed to a house (a lovely well kept home in a nice neighborhood) and complained about the color, it was a dark grey with white trim, I murmured something like not my first choice but it's not bad...then another day she pointed out a house in her own neighborhood that was painted a dark green, fresh new paint job, she hated it. I did
    via u/vmBob
  • 09
    Font - I just don't get why something that doesn't or shouldn't affect them gets some folks all riled up. Incredible that he wanted to start an HOA over this! 202 Reply Share
    via u/vmBob
  • 10
    Font - RJack151. Even if he had formed an HOA, you would have had to willingly join, otherwise you were not part of it. 181 Reply Share
    via u/vmBob
  • 11
    Font - RavenLunatyk. Not to mention the painting happened before the HOA so you typically can't change existing only stop future issues. Like if an HOA changes to no dogs they can't make you get rid of your dog just prevent you from getting a new dog.
    via u/vmBob
  • 12
    Font - MyblktwttrAW. looks like your pockets were pretty deep or even deeper. lol
    via u/vmBob
  • 13
    Font - vmBob OP 9 mo. ago I live an all cash no flash lifestyle. He had you money for attorney's, I had No....1 you...money for extra houses. 117 Reply Share
    via u/vmBob
  • 14
    Font - georgiajl38 Muhahahahaha! Don't know what the problem is with yellow though. I just painted a rental property that historically been a butter Love it! yellow a dark aqua. The neighbors applauded my painters LOL (It's a beach property so we have a full range of possible colors)
    via u/vmBob
  • 15
    Font - OF MOT Motor_Bluebird707. Doesn't matter if it's purple with pink polka dots. Nobody's business
    via u/vmBob
  • 16
    Rectangle - AR ExistentialPuggle. I love brightly colored houses like turquoise with orange and yellow trim. Bring on all the tropical shades. The more colors, the better.
    via u/vmBob
  • 17
    Font - mtempissmith When I bought my last mobile home I was required to paint it. I chose a very light tanish- beige and a pretty dark leafy green for the trim. The park approved both colors but when it was actually painted the trim was a bit brighter than the sample. They wanted me to repaint the whole thing again, in white, trim included.
    via u/vmBob
  • 18
    Font - I said NO because they approved it and it was MY house and I rather liked it and besides which I knew the green would fade within a year from the hot sun there and it would be duller anyway.
    via u/vmBob
  • 19
    Font - They had a hissy fit but I stood my ground and within a year it was just as I'd figured. About six months later a tropical storm damaged my roof severely and I couldn't afford the 20K in repairs. It was more than the place was worth unfortunately so I deeded it to the park and left.
    via u/vmBob
  • 20
    Font - That was my sweet revenge for them lying to me about the condition of the house. The place was not as described and it just about broke me because I had to rewire it and take out the central air amd replace those with portables. Termite damage to the point where it was ridiculous that they even sold it in the first place.
    via u/vmBob
  • 21
    Font - They took advantage of my ignorance and of my situation at the time. I desperately needed a new place and they lied about just about everything to get me to buy it.
    via u/vmBob
  • 22
    Font - I look back and I have to laugh though because where my too loudly painted, nearly wrecked old mobile home once stood there is a brand new all white 200K model. All that work and money and it was all swept away and replaced.
    via u/vmBob
  • 23
    Font - They got their way in the end but at least I made them do the hard part of taking what was left of that lemon down.
    via u/vmBob

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hoa neighbors house neighborhood neighborhood-drama neighborhood-stories family reddit thread Bad Neighbor Reddit
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