Franklin Lakes HOA

One other point Mike. Before moving here to Franklin Lakes we owned a home in Crown Point, Indiana in a gated community called Lakes of the Four Seasons. You may have heard of it. Yearly association dues were $1600. Speedboats and water skiing are allowed on Lake Holiday. There was a beach, a community pool at the clubhouse, which had a bar, restaurant and banquet space. They have an 18 hole golf course and their own private security dept. 10,000 people live there. Guess what, they allow above ground pools. And the people there have class as well Mike, even the ones with pools in their backyards as I did when I lived there.

Sorry for the delayed reply - as we were out of town...

1st - The quote you are relating to is really from a website (RealEstate.com) -  It is not mine!  So don't try to make me out like an elitist...far from it.  Just be reasonable in your attempt to make something that I am not.  No, I am not saying that all people who purchase such pools (above ground) are classless.  You know yourself that these are cheaper and not as attractive.

2nd - I am still on the Franklin Lakes Homeowers Board of Directors.  I was the President for the last three (3) years; there is a total of nine (9) members.   The reason for resigning was due to a heart ailment, which I am thankful I survived.  I am proud to be representing you and the 284 homeowners.  The Board Members are very fine people, and I know that they are not "narrow minded" as you stated - and - they are not "out of touch with the people they are suppose(d) to be representing" - far from your darker, negative perspective.  It is too bad that you did not read the covenants before or during the time of your purchase (see your comment below in an earlier E-mail)...

"Had we known that they didn't allow pools here, we would have never bought this home, even so that it had everything we were looking for.  I blame myself and our realtor for not doing all our homework. But the rule itself might very easily draw away

Blue Heron Park is known as Blue Heron Lake by me. Thats what its called around here where I live.  Since you did such a great job telling me what I don;t know, I thought I would let you know that some of the people you represent call it by that name. You can landscape around the outhouse until the cows come home Mike, but at the end of the day, every day

it will still be an outhouse. Many times, I might add with the doors swinging wide open in the breeze. You're right, I did not know they didn't allow pools here. I had left that research up to my realtor, but shame on me for not making sure. I would never have bought a home in Franklin Lakes had I known. I noticed your lack of response to Lakes of the Four Seasons. Extremely successful homeowners association. An association that listens to the people who pay the dues. Every board member came to my home shortly after I moved in to welcome us to the community. What a concept. Total 'class', wouldn't you agree ? I wouldn't know a Franklin Lakes board member if I walked right past them. Our block in Franklin Lakes has many younger families, with young kids. They would love to put a pool in their yard for their kids.

As far as you saying that above ground pools are " cheaper and unattractive", I must correct you. We spent $3000 for the pool we had, and it was a beautiful pool.  Add on the landscaping I did around it and the deck I built for it as well, total cost was $4000 and it was beautiful, not "cheaper and unattractive" as you say. There are many different designs, styles and price ranges for above ground pools. Maybe thats another thing you didn't know. As you are generalizing an above ground pool as in your words "cheaper and unattractive". That is just not a true statement at all Mike. Couldn't be farther from the truth. Maybe you should put a disclaimer in your posts when you are quoting. I wouldn't post something here unless I believed in it 100%. I'm glad to hear that you think that all of us previous above ground pool owners have some class afterall. And its great to hear that your health has gotten better. I'm sure there are some very good people on the board, it's just the above ground pool rule is just so archaic. Another point you are totally overlooking, they are not permanent structures. They can be easily taken down, disassembled, and sod/grass seed replaced immediately. Too bad the outhouse can't be taken down and disassembled, thats a permanent structure. Maybe you can talk to the Blue Heron people and tell them to please close the doors. Its bad enough we have to look at it every day, let alone with the doors flapping in the breeze. You will never see me at an 'annual meeting', or any type of Franklin Lakes meeting Mike. We're moving to Arizona in 5 years or less anyway. I see absolutely no point at all to go to a meeting to voice an opinion on something, given the fact I already know what the answer will be in advance. Just a total waste of time in my view. The one positive thing I can tell you is that 4 homes sold on our block this spring/summer. Maybe you didn't know that. Thats a positive thing, one of them being an empty foreclosure. Hopefully the market here will be good in a few years when we sell. I figure if I can get a potential buyer past the outhouse, I have a chance. Regards..

I am not a fan of above ground pools, unless of course they are filled with hot strippers!

But... If I could trade that rule for the one that allows neighbors to park in front of my yard and the one that allows dogs to bark all night (why don't they just use the outhouse and go home quietly?), I would do it in a second.

Seriously though, an association should not use one rule to add relevance to another. Mike mentions that several times. You would obviously not need a fence for an above ground pool!

Finally, property prices are owners' business. Some people do things at the house so they can actually enjoy them. Prices go up and prices go down. With Indiana's appraisal based, non capped (the new law caps taxes on the same value, but not higher appraisals) tax laws, the lower the value the better. So if I add a garage, it's for myself, not the appraiser or my neighbor.