Advice is one of those funny things—you should always listen to it when someone is willing to give it. But in giving it, you need to remember that not a lot of people are going to appreciate it—whether or not they need to hear it… and whether or not they asked for it in the first place. Of course, the people who are most in need of advice but refuse to listen anyway are just people who are determined to learn things the hard way. Ensuring that you've done the proper paperwork and taking necessa…

Older generation of neighbors decide to hang up U.S. military flags on younger couple's property, ‘I could see the smoke rising from his ears’

Your mailbox is a disgrace, and needs a fresh coat of paint, they said. Your flowerbeds are looking a little dull, get a gardener, they said. HOA likes to say a lot of things, and if you don't listen, well, you get fined. That's just how it is, and there isn't much you can do about it. The HOA members are always grumpy, miserable-looking people who have their noses high in the air and think that they're better than everyone else. They don't have much to be proud of in their life, so their lawn…

When you purchase a home, unfortunately, the neighbors come with it. And you never know what to expect. Are they going to be extremely friendly neighbors who bring over a welcome basket when you first move in, or are you going to get the neighbor who keeps to themselves, leading you to think they could be a possible secret spy but you'll never find out because they never come out of their house? Either way, either other is better than getting stuck next to an entitled Karen who will call the co…

The general conception of a 'successful life' consists of a few things a person should achieve in their life, with the main ones unsurprisingly being – starting a family, having a successful career, and owning a home. While we can argue about all three of these concepts and their actual value to someone's life, let's take a moment to focus on the idea of owning a home. Surely we can all understand the benefits of owning your own house – you don't have anyone to answer to, you can do whatever yo…

It's getting stormy out there for the renters of the world. With a flimsy roof above our heads, dozens of replacement tenants waiting in the wings, and greedy landlords looming over us until the lease is up, the housing situation is getting more and more uncertain. When you're working two jobs and can hardly make ends meet at the end of the month, the last thing you want to hear at the family gathering is constant nagging about homeownership.

So like… Are the roaches the landlord painted over gonna pay rent too or what?

Property lines are sacred. Even in the frontier days when cowboys were hijacking their neighbor's land over a sack of potatoes, the two most important things about land ownership were that you had your name on the deed and that the property lines were drawn extra dark on the map.

Buying and selling a house is a complex affair where all these little legal obligations need to line up perfectly so that, even at the most basic level, at least everyone can move in and out of their current residences at the same and necessary times. Of course, there's a lot at stake, so it's a stressful time, and that's before you factor in that there are plenty of dishonest folk out there, both selling homes and otherwise involved in the process, which makes it essential to be on guard and n…

Everyone has a dirty little secret hiding somewhere on their property—sometimes it's that project car that hasn't moved for months (and that probably will never be finished), and sometimes it's your neglected fountain in your backyard that has become less of an aesthetic water feature and more of a mosquito breeding ground. And it's only natural to be vaguely annoyed by these oversights on the part of your neighbors, as—when you're locked eternally into a plot of land in (relatively) close prox…

“Pressure or creating a sense of urgency is a very effective negotiating tactic. One should be reasonable and allow enough time, but never allow too much time. You did well for holding your ground, now the real fun begins.”

Being cautious and conscientious about where you're buying property is extremely important. Ensuring that you're aware of any zoning, environmental hazards, or other possible issues ensures that you're going to not only make a good investment but enjoy a peaceable existence in your new home as well. Future-proofing is important too. Of course, you can't control all eventualities, but the last thing you want to do is get caught out, unaware that you were buying next to a plot of land that could…

You never think the worst case scenario could happen to you, until it does…

Isn't it great when karma gives you a front seat?

First-time home buyers have over-inflated confidence in their DIY skills

Having an HOA board member as your next-door neighbor can definitely make you feel like you're constantly being watched. It seems like the kind of thing a homeowner should be made aware of prior to signing anything. Think of it as feeling like your boss is hovering over you all day every day, waiting for you to make a mistake. However, instead of this being in your office, it's in your home. This Reddit thread was posted by a homeowner who received an aggressive email from their HOA Karen neigh…