'Don't tell me I'm devaluing your house, or I will': Woman complies with HOA to get back at neighbors who insist her unsightly driveway is devaluing their house that's for sale

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
Mar 9, 2024 2:00 PM EST

These people didn't play their cards right when trying to mess with one of their neighbors who happened to be a hard-headed woman.

They were selling their house, and were furious that this woman had the nerve to have boxes scattered across her driveway. The woman was just reorganizing her garage, but these people didn't care. They called up the HOA, which was the very last thing that they should have done… Haven't you ever heard of polite conversation? Not that they had a chance at that either, but still.

They were certain that all these boxes were devaluing their house, which doesn't make much sense, if you think about it, but these weren't very sensible people. Let's just say that justice was served, and it was a deliciously satisfying read… Their house sat for quite some time on the market! Scroll down to read the full detailed account of events, and then check out these wholesome posts for overworked employees who need a vacation ASAP.

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  • 01
    "You should never have turned to the HOA..."
    via Canva
  • 02
    "Call the HOA because my yard is "devaluing" your house? Alright, I'll have it clean by the inspection date."
    via u/jumboface
  • 03
    This is a story of my mothers. She has always been incredibly hardheaded, but this sticks out a lot from my teenage years. Once a year she always had us pull everything out of the garage (lots of boxes my mom has a concerning amount of possessions) so we could go through it and clean/reorganize. This particular year the couple who owned the house across from us (flippers) where in the process of selling their house. Unhappy with my mothers "unsightly" driveway covered in boxes soiling their good
    via u/jumboface
  • 04
    By the time my mother received the letter, the mess had been put away, but they decided to get her on a few other complaints such as the bikes against the side of the house and the "patchy" gravel. She had two weeks to have everything up to standards. Petty and easily frustrated, my mother knew immediately who called since the couple had come over and told her flat out with their renovations they were selling that house for "way more any other house and this neighborhood" and would appreciate if
    via u/jumboface
  • 05
    For the next two weeks every box from that garage was in our driveway. The couch and the living room TV came next. This was early summer, so it was perfect weather to sit in your yard in your short shorts and sports bra. My mom made sure to wave and smile every time they brought someone over for a showing.
    via u/jumboface
  • 06
    The final step came at the end of that two weeks though. After the yard had been cleaned up and cleared by the HOA, my mom went to the local walmart and bought a for sale sign. She wrote about 1/4 of their ridiculous asking price on it and finished off with a big SOLD written across the front and stuck it out in our yard.
    via u/jumboface
  • 07
    No clue what they ended up selling their house for, but it sat empty for a while so I'd assume it was below offer. TL;DR Don't tell my mom she's devaluing your house, or she will go far out her way to do so, all while complying with the HOA.
    via u/jumboface
  • 08
    jsting 5 yr. ago LMAO that final step was a masterpiece. All that stuff before is a headache and time consuming, but that under value sign is genius. 4.8k Reply Share ocioico 5 yr. ago totally agree. Love it, and having recently purchased a home, that would definitely take me away from purchasing a more expensive one across the street.
    via u/jsting, u/ocioico
  • 09
    5 yr. ago walmart and bought a for sale sign. She wrote about 1/4 of their ridiculous asking price on it and finished off with a big SOLD written across the front and stuck it out in our yard thewholed Oh... oh that is so wonderfully evil I want to send your Mom a card on Mother's Day. 6.2k Reply Share
    via u/thewholed
  • 10
    Connectikatie 5 yr. ago . My dad had a habit of starting big projects (putting in a pool, installing a geothermal well, adding chimneys and fireplaces, etc) and taking forever to finish them. We didn't have a HOA and most people didnt mind the mess, but one couple we shared a property line with were always complaining to the city whenever they could. When my dad built the frame of the deck for our aboveground pool, he waited to finish the platform and the fencing until he could get nice planks a
    via u/Connectikatie
  • 11
    dad couldn't find a loophole in the building codes that would give him more time. So instead of hiring someone to do it or taking some extra days off work to do it himself, he threw on some unfinished plywood flooring and made a fence out of chicken wire. The neighbors were not happy about the "eyesore", but it was up to code, and my dad never got around to fixing it up. Reply Share 512
    via u/Connectikatie
  • 12
    [deleted] 5 yr. ago I live in a neighborhood that has a really strict HOA; however, our house is just outside their jurisdiction. The amount of angry Karen's that have came to our door just to be told they are powerless is priceless. 451 Reply Share
    via u/deleted
  • 13
    poultrygeist1-5 yr. ago We own the property across from a private airport community with an HOA. They try to include us in their HOA all the time since our land is right under their flight path Reply Share 152
    via u/p0ultrygeist1
  • 14
    [deleted] . 5 yr. ago The whole concept of HOA is confusing and irritating to me 1.2k Reply Share mybunsarestale. 5 yr. ago Every HOA I've ever had the displeasure of step foot within has felt like some unsettling stepford project. It's all about conforming to what a handful of people consider the norm.
    via u/deleted, u/mybunsarestale
  • 15
    Literally couldn't have a window AC in Phoenix AZ because it was "unsitely" meanwhile I'm in my bedroom with three fans on me, misting myself with water I kept in a minifridge and literally no will to live because my room was on the south east corner of the house.
    via u/mybunsarestale
  • 16
    Couldn't make our own landscaping choices, there were three available color options to paint, and because our house was on the corner of the road, we couldn't have objects in our back yard taller than the fence so say goodbye to pool umbrellas or ever being in your yard 9 months out of the year. 581 Reply Share
    via u/mybunsarestale
  • 17
    Agravicvoid 5 yr. ago HOAs just need to d e. If a neighbor is trying to sell their house and ask me politely if I could mow my grass a little more often for them, sure, I'll help out, not a big deal. Lucky me there are plenty of HOAs branched off my street, but my street is part of none of them. Freedom is pretty awesome :) 160 Reply Share
    via u/Agravicvoid
  • 18
    PotatoMaster21.5 yr. ago What even is the point of an HOA? Ah yes, let me sign away my rights to check notes decorate my house the way I want, AND I get to pay for it. Please take my money! 23 Reply Share
    via u/PotatoMaster21
  • 19
    Rented AndDented 5 yr. ago Your mother is an evil genius :) I hope it rubbed off on you. 18 Reply Share
    via u/RentedAndDented
  • 20
    amishbill 5 yr. ago She wrote about 1/4 of their ridiculous asking price on it and finished off with a big SOLD written across the front and stuck it out in our yard. This... This is a wonderful idea. So beautifully quiet & polite, yet FU. 23 Reply Share
    via u/amishbill
  • 21
    Thameus 5 yr. ago The HOA allowed the sign? They must still be kicking themselves. 39 Reply Share audigex 5 yr. ago They can't ban for sale or sold signs, otherwise nobody in the HOA area would be able to sell their property... ↑ 87 + Reply Share
    via u/Thameus, u/audigex
  • 22
    auroraMR88.5 yr. ago Having neighbors that clean their garage would increase the property value. Reply Share 37
    via u/auroraMR88
  • 23
    Thom-Bombadil. 5 yr. ago The neighbors sounded like who deserved every single bit of the can of whoop your mom handed them. ↑ 39 ↓ Reply Share
    via u/Thom-Bombadil

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devalue hoa neighbors reorganize boxes housing association neighborhood summer garage driveway house for sale tenant resident malicious compliance reddit sell house offer
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