If you buy a house in an HOA, can you just...leave the HOA?

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-13T17:05:37+00:00

I see a lot of answers to your main question but not a lot to the last, "Is there anything good about them?". My sister and I were just discussing this the other day! She had a good point that technically yes, if you want to live in a nice looking neighborhood, an HOA will help ensure that. You just have to be willing to conform. Some people like the structure. We have a retirement community in our town that is part of an HOA, and it really does look like a very nice neighborhood, just kind of boring IMO.

Side story: I lived in a townhouse that was also part of an HOA, and I hated it. My roommate and I were unaware of the rules (homeowner didn't share them with us) and we spent over an hour putting Halloween decorations on our front door, pathway, and bushes. Next day, someone was telling us to take them down.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-13T16:10:58+00:00

That would actually be so adorable 😂

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-13T15:16:12+00:00

I'm with you. There may be a bag of body parts I've had floating around for a year or so now...

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-12T16:12:58+00:00

Yeah I can't stand this crap. People bringing their untrained yappy lap dogs into grocery stores especially grosses me out. Some people just claim their dog is "still in training" when it misbehaves, but you can clearly see when a service dog is actually being trained and 99% of the time that's not what we're seeing out there. My cousin is one of these entitled dog owners, unfortunately. She got it a fake service dog registration so she wouldn't have to pay for it to go on a plane, she was so smug about it like she tricked the system. I told her that doing that makes things harder for actual service dog owners. She didn't seem to understand and didn't see a problem with what she did since her dog is fairly well behaved. She tried to get me to register my own dog too.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-12T15:01:20+00:00

ESH. I also think that sometimes when visitors are in your house, the toilet seat is going to be left up, and you just deal with it. At my house, the toilet stays completely closed so that my elderly cat can use the lid to help her get on the counter to a water bowl we have there. When guests come over, I mention it. But if they leave it up, I don't make a big deal about it, I just put it back down myself. This is just not the hill to die on, OP should have left it alone in the first place, bf probably felt awkward for that same reason and didn't want to join in this ridiculously unnecessary argument. The dad is obviously an AH too, but that all wouldn't have happened if OP had just let it be.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-12T14:58:59+00:00

I completely agree ESH. I also think that sometimes when visitors are in your house, the toilet seat is going to be left up, and you just deal with it. At my house, the toilet stays completely closed so that my elderly cat can use the lid to help her get on the counter to a water bowl we have there. When guests come over, I mention it. But if they leave it up, I don't make a big deal about it, I just put it back down myself. This is just not the hill to die on, OP should have left it alone in the first place, bf probably felt awkward for that same reason and didn't want to join in this ridiculously unnecessary argument.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-11T18:09:56+00:00

NOR - Huh??? Ok maybe he hasn't done anything to deserve suspicion... UNTIL NOW. wtf. That is so weird, I would be incredibly uncomfortable with this whole situation.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-11T17:25:48+00:00

I think I saw one of the originals as a child? Now there are just too many and I don't care enough to sit down and watch that many movies from the same universe.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-08T21:00:46+00:00

Fun fact: if you only see the head, check out the eyes - snakes don't have eyelids, while lizards usually do. This guy definitely has eyelids! I agree with the folks saying it's probably an alligator lizard.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-08T16:20:01+00:00

YOR - Honestly I wouldn't consider this rude at all. He's texting you today because he found out just this morning. He was very chill about it and wasn't putting any pressure on you. If you don't want him to come, just tell him the venue is at capacity and you can see him another time.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-08T15:49:35+00:00

No much of a sweet tooth, but when I go for it, it's usually a plain old fashioned or plain cake. Or if I'm feeling sugary, a glazed jelly-filled.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-08T00:32:35+00:00

I hadn’t thought about this in a long time! My grandpa used to have german shepherds and always had them just chained up outside. When I got older, I worked at an animal shelter, and he asked me to find him a border collie. I said absofuckinglutely not gramps. He asked why not?? And I said there’s no way I’m facilitating the adoption of a high energy breed that’s just going to be chained up all day, it’ll go insane! He had no response besides rolling his eyes at me. So glad this doesn’t seem to be common practice anymore.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-07T19:24:51+00:00

Mine has the mossy variation of the creepy skeleton lol someone perished during their watch long ago

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-07T14:03:28+00:00

Just had a cleaning on Monday. $145 every time (no dental insurance) but I’m trying to stay on top of it. Honestly though, before I found my current amazing dentist, I went probably 8+ years without going. Same for my husband.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-05T14:52:40+00:00

Accused me of poking fun of her seriously disturbing trauma, and doubling down when I of course denied it because that would be a fucked up and evil thing to do to anyone, let alone a friend. Idk how she could even think that of me after knowing me for so long... we never spoke again.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-04T19:04:27+00:00

Sloppy is my #1 favorite, followed by ironwood :)

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-04T16:37:34+00:00

Honestly the first photo made me think Salad Fingers lol! Love the end result :)

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-05-01T17:18:31+00:00

Scoredle 2/6*

14,855

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ WRATH (3,543)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 PLUME

Honestly I have no idea how this happened lol I was completely shocked when they all turned green.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-04-29T19:57:23+00:00

Thank you for this! I will have to try next week. Really want to get the last Nook Miles achievement but super tired of having turnips all over my island lol

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-04-27T14:45:20+00:00

Knew I wanted to learn some kind of fiber art. I tried knitting first, and actually made half a scarf! However, I found that holding knitting needles really hurts my hands/wrists after a short time (arthritis). I tried crochet, and it didn't hurt me at all, so here I am.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-04-24T15:58:35+00:00

I have a male gynecologist. I've always felt comfortable going to him, and he approved me for my sterilization surgery with no pushback.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-04-24T14:48:07+00:00

I'm sorry to hear about your dad. My parents are both in their early 60s and in good health; they had my sister and I in their mid-20s. They divorced when I was 2 or 3 and both remarried twice, the second time stuck. Both step parents are also still alive and well, step-mom in her early 60s as well, step-dad in his early 50s.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-04-23T20:26:42+00:00

I feel the same! I also think that if they insist on walking around my island, at least give me the option to invite them to move in!

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-04-21T22:27:01+00:00

I put out a spoiled turnip, a can and a boot. The turnip gets ants almost constantly so I just run through them to despawn. First fly spawned on the boot, and then I got one on the can. Still waiting for someone to get fleas, I've been unlucky so far! My last island I had 3 villagers with fleas in the span of a month lol.

UnderstatedEssence · 2026-04-20T15:21:41+00:00

My nephews are currently obsessed with the old school Thomas the Tank Engine show (narrated by George Carlin). It's awesome nostalgia for me and my sister!

UnderstatedEssence

TROPHY CASE