'I told him to go away and get a life': Nosy boomer freaks out when neighbor paints their house peach, refuses to move to an HOA community because he's lived there 15 years

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    AITA for telling my neighbor to grow up, get a life, and get the over the fact that I painted my house a color he doesn't like?
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    I bought a house in a community without an HOA I wanted my home to be MY home, and that includes making it look the way that I want. I also chose a neighborhood that already has fun, colorful houses instead of just plain earth tones.
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    I finally got to the point where I could repaint my house. I picked a soft peachy color with sage, blue, and soft and dark pink accents. Fun and colorful without being too out there. I think if you google "coolors blue sage peach" you'll see a similar palette.
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    My neighbor Paul hates it and has been complaining since we started the project. He also made his opinion known that he hates our front lawn (lots of wildflowers and sunflowers, fun garden flags, a Little Free Library, etc).
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    Each and every time, I've told him that I don't care. Truly, I don't. And I've suggested a few times that maybe he'd be happier in a HOA community that has control over everything and forces people into having earth toned homes. Paul got angry when I suggested that and said he's lived in his home for 15 years and shouldn't have to move. I told him okay, well you'll have to learn to live with a little color.
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    Last weekend I was putting in pavers that my niece and I had painted together. They're all things like ladybugs, turtles, birds, etc in fun colors. I adore them and my niece is so excited she gets to be a part of my home. Paul came over to complain yet again, saying it was all an "eyesore" and my niece was here, so I just told him "It's time for you to grow up and get the over what I'm doing with my house."
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    He got even pissier and told me that I have no right to talk to him this way, do I know who I'm talking to, etc. I told him to just go away and get a If he has so much free time to life. and moan about a colorful house, maybe he should get a hobby.
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    He stormed off, calling me a nasty piece of work. My niece was cracking up on the side. For the record, no one in my family is uptight, we really don't care about cursing. I know some people still clutch their pearls over it around kids (she's 15) but I'm sure she says worse.
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    Anyway one of the other neighbors came to tell me that he's been flapping his yap about how disrespectful I am to talk to him like that. She told me that she knows he's a pain, but that he has been in the neighborhood forever and it's worth being nice to him. I don't know. Is telling him to get a life that big of a deal? AITA?
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    NanaLeonie 22 hr. ago NTA. The house's color scheme sounds gorgeous - something we'd have here in our Inman Park neighborhood. My guess is your neighbor is more upset about the kitchy items in your front yard than the color of your house. Maybe you need some pink flamingoes.
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    FarImpression787 OP 22 hr. ago I just googled that, and yep. Very similar vibes, though I only WISH my home was a cool Victorian! old
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    Chaos-Pand4 22 hr. ago "Paul... it is Paul right? I wanna make sure that I know who I'm talking to. I'm gonna make a deal with you. Every time you're over here about my house or yard, I'm adding two pink flamingos to the decor. Every week that you go without , I will take one flamingo down... if I hear that you've been talking about me to the neighbors... duckana is coming out onto the porch. Questions?"
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    Careful_Badger4733 · 21 hr. ago I will put up a board in front, Trespassers & neighbour (name) are not allowed in this property.
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    mmwhatchasaiyan · 22 hr. ago Next time he comes by with a complaint: "Hi Paul, I put some serious thought into your criticisms over my house. I think we could come to an agreement where if you start to pay my mortgage and my bills, then I will happily adjust the aesthetic of my home to your liking. We could start Aug 1? Does that work for you? Otherwise, as the person paying the bills here, I'm going to continue doing whatever I want with my property, and will ask you to not approach me or my pr
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    forgeris 23 hr. ago NTA, some people just don't understand when you try to be polite with them, so it is not your fault that you told them to f-off, it is their fault. I bet other people would just fall down on their knees and praise this neighbor and do whatever he wants, yeah right.
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    I always am very polite, but if other people do not understand or don't want to understand I become very , this saves me a lot of time in future because these people know what I will tell them and they don't even try to pull more on me as it just doesn't work.
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    Telaranrhioddreams 22 hr. ago edited 18 hr. ago I have such a pet peeve of people then getting completely being incensed when you match their energy. He expects to come talk down to someone for their house choices but imagine if the roles were swapped, he would never put up with that! Some people never learned to not dish out what they can't take.
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    catskilkid 22 hr. ago NTA He comes harassing you and you need to be nice? Riddle me that one? If the neighbor who is suggesting you be nice has ANY suggestions on how to keep this blowhard out of you face/property, that would be more helpful then "kids its both your fault" advice. It may take two to fight, but he is the only one creating the situation. You can't walk away, it's your house, so he is actively seeking conflict BUT is offended that he is called out. You do you and you are NTA!
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    AltairaMorbius2200CE 20 hr. ago I'm kinda blown away by the idea that he's "lived here forever" if it's really only 15 years. A lot of my neighbors have been in their places for 40+ years! We're still some of the newer people in the area almost a decade later!
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    Trick_Delivery4609. 22 hr. ago NTA There was a reddit post where the OP painted it yellow and as soon as she went out of town, her neighbors contacted a company to paint it neutral. Huge drama happens after, police called, etc. So maybe put up some cameras, haha.
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    He sounds like he is a grumpy old man and does need a life. If he was my neighbor, I'd "kill him with kindness" as my mamma used to say. It is better to have neighbors who look out for each other than scheme against each other.

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