Neighbor demands resident remove yard flamingo statues from her garden, claiming they are lowering the property value of the neighborhood, resident refuses to take them down: ‘I don’t live in an HOA as far as I am aware’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
May 5, 2025 7:00 AM EDT

The one fun thing about buying a property is that you get to do whatever you want with it, without answering to anyone or anything. You want to put a piano in the middle of the living room? Go for it. Love it when the interior design looks like it was created in the 18th century? No one is going to stop you there. It is your house, do whatever you want with it.

Unlike renting, when it is your place, you have full control over what you do with it. Except, apparently, when it comes to your front yard. As soon as other people can see what you decide to do with your garden, for example, they might think they have a say over what you do with it. If they do not like the decorations you chose for your house, they might try and say something about it, get involved in the decision. Well, unless you're living in an HOA, they have no say whatsoever. 

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  • This is what happened in the story below, where an entitled neighbor decided to complain about another's decision to decorate their front lawn with some cute garden flamingos. When the resident refused to remove them, it led to a whole neighborhood dispute, so scroll down to read the entire tale.

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    Cheezburger Image 10501293824
    via Jupiterimages

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    "AITA for not taking down my yard flamingos after neighbors complained?"

    I bought a house a couple years ago and I have been working on making it look nicer. I spent a lot of time redoing the front gardens, trying to make it neat and nice.
    via [deleted]
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    I a few weeks ago was at a greenhouse buying some plants for the garden and I saw two yard flamingos marked down on clearance. I knew they belonged in my
    via [deleted]
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    garden. They're not everyone's cup of tea, but I think they're a lot of fun. I set them up when I got home and a couple days
    via [deleted]
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    later my neighbor was knocking on my door. She was demanding I take down my flamingos because they're "extremely gauche" and "lowering the property
    via [deleted]
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    value of the neighborhood". I told her I am not taking them down because I like them, and the property value isn't going to be hurt by two yard flamingos. I also don't
    via [deleted]
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    live in an HOA and as far as I am aware, there are no town ordinances about yard flamingos lol She has posted pictures of my house, the street I live on,
    via [deleted]
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    and a close up of my flamingos in our towns Facebook group to complain about them. Some people agreed I should take them down. After that, another
    via [deleted]
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    neighbor came over to tell me to get rid of them. My mom also agreed I should take them down to keep the peace with my neighbor.
    via [deleted]
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    I like them, I smile when I see them when I pull into my driveway. I have no plans to take them down. AITA for not taking down my yard flamingos after some neighbors complained?
    via [deleted]
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    Edit: everyone keeps suggesting garden gnomes. I kinda hate those a lot but also I'd never say anything to someone with a yard full of gnomes. But I won't buy them.
    via [deleted]
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    Cheezburger Image 10501326336
    via eyecrave

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    Beneficial-Ad4047 NTA. Start theming them for holidays. For Mother's Day, give one of them a skirt and a bouquet of (fake) flowers. For Father's Day, give the other one a tie and a hat. For Memorial
    via Beneficial-Ad4047
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    Day and Independence Day, put them in some kind of patriotic or reverent or whatever kind of situation. Masks and bags of candy for Halloween, Pilgrim getups for Thanksgiving, Santa
    via Beneficial-Ad4047
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    hats for Christmas (and lights that follow their contours. All of this assumes that you're in the US, of course. If somewhere else, you get the idea.
    via Beneficial-Ad4047
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    [deleted] OP I was already going to put a Santa hat on them in the winter! And maybe a cloak or something around Halloween time. A skeleton of a yard flamingo would be my ultimate dream, if that exists.
    via [deleted]
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    hatterson NTA, it's your yard, you can do what you want. Although the only appropriate response is really to bulk order like 500 pink flamingos and absolutely cover your yard with them, so you should get on that.
    via hatterson
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    [deleted] OP lol I was thinking about how I should get a couple more. I don't want to be antagonistic or risk them getting stolen or vandalized, but someone mentioned baby flamingos and that sounds so cute. Idk if I could find them but maybe I could paint some rubber ducks pink.
    via [deleted]
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    Travellingone777 ΝΤΑ She and her buddies need to mind their own business.
    via Travellingone777
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    Check FB rules to see if she violated any. If you believe she did, report her. Ask your mom why she isn't telling the neighbor to be the one to "keep the peace" and why she doesn't have YOUR back. "Keep The Peace" - - - Sheesh
    via Travellingone777
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    [deleted] OP I did report the post, but seems like the mods just locked comments but left the post up. Facebook itself very inconsistent about removing things that are against the terms and conditions.
    via [deleted]
  • 22
    ameinias NTA. WHLhy do people think their aesthetics get to apply to their entire neighbourhood? Style is dad because these nags hate a hint of personality.
    via ameinias
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    [deleted] OP When I see a yard or house choice I don't like, I just move on. My theory is that as long as my grass is cut and I don't have trash in the yard, I don't care. And a yard would have to be really bad for me to complain.
    via [deleted]
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    I don't understand why they take my flamingos as a personal attack. I can't imagine being that bored of my own life I take offense by someone living their own!
    via [deleted]
  • 25
    MyPath2Follow NTA. Your house, you do what you want. If she's posting your house online tho I would consider calling the police.
    via MyPath2Follow
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    [deleted] OP I know the police won't do anything about it, I'd be wasting my own time. I reported the post on Facebook and the mods of the group turned off comments, but left it up. Annoying
    via [deleted]
  • 27
    Skyward93 NTA-Get a camera though. We had a sign with bells that our neighbors hated and eventually they started throwing it in our lawn. I'd start adding more flamingos every time they complain. Maybe some frogs. Gnomes. Have a little party.
    via Skyward93
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    [deleted] OP The petty part of me wanted to add more, but I also don't want to add fuel to the flame. I just want my two flamingos. One is standing, one is laying on the ground like a cat loaf. I love them.
    via [deleted]

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Tags

aita neighbors gardening house neighborhood garden yard neighborhood-drama neighborhood-stories reddit story petty yard work flamingo entitled property Reddit entitled people
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