Ideas to Address RV Parking

[PapaRomeo]

I am a 12 veteran of RV camping in a class B motor home. I am presently looking to relocate to the eastern Ohio area (Mahoning and Trumbull Counties) and am working with a real estate agent. Important to my lifestyle is being able to park my camper on the property that I purchase (the agent knows this).

I am having difficulty finding camper parking restrictions so as to avoid purchasing in a restricted area. I have researched the community zoning ordinances, however many properties independently have covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R's) attached to the deeds which are frequently filed separately from the warrantee deed and buried deep in the county records and forgotten by the owner. Only a full title search would reveal them.

The real estate agents I have worked with usually have simply asked the owner or the listing agent or pointed to community ordinances assuring me that "There shouldn't be a problem." I do not trust this kind of response as the real estate agent does in fact have a deeper agenda which is to sell a house. I would like to avoid going to the effort and expense of making an offer (writing a purchase contract) and securing the due diligence (inspections, title search etc) only to find that camper parking is restricted on the property of interest.

Does anyone have experience in this kind of problem?
Does anyone have ideas or suggestions how I might navigate through this issue?

[Walaby]

Just remember, even though you hire an agent to work for you (Buyers agent), in the end, he's working for himself, and trying to make the commission. Yes, he is there to represent you and help you get a good deal etc.. but you need to still remember, at the end of the day, his pay is based on the commission from the sale. So, is he REALLY motivated to get you the rock bottom price that he can get you? I say no, not really. He's more motivated to find the property you want, that you're happy with, at a price that seems reasonable, and maximizes his commission.

He will work with the sellers agent to come up with a fair, mutually beneficial offer, that both make money on. But, make no mistake, he's not interested in getting you the BEST price.

Mike

[Bumpyroad]

My HOA has a web site that has various sub parts; Officers, by-laws, protective covenants, before you build, directory, minutes/forms.
any prospective buyers can search these topics at their leisure.
bumpy

[Jim_Shoe]

I live in a development with a HOA. But we aren't fanatics about it. Usually, if you miss the annual meeting, you get elected to the board. 🙂 The original developers established the HOA because there were a few lots either too big or too small to meet zoning regulations. And the covenants were pretty standard boilerplate. Among the rules, no RV parking on the street for more than 24 hours.
Once a simple majority of lots were sold, the homeowners got together and altered the rules. Among them, RVs had to be parked behind the front line of the house for storage, but we can park on the street for 24 hours for loading or unloading.
As for me, I already owned a warehouse building about 3 miles from home with 3 12'x 12' doors. No neighbors and no windows. A place to park my 'C' and Jeep toad and still have room enough to build a very nice bar with cable TV and full bathroom facilities and a juke box that plays old 45s. Its known by me and my friends as "The Clubhouse".

[creeper]

Mr.Mark wrote:


Creeper, if a HOA will not provide this vital information, shame on them. I would write into the contract the sale is contingent on a copy of the minutes.

It is SO important to know the health of the HOA. Is there enough money in reserve to handle the common area's? Are the owner's getting ready to get hit with an assessment? Has their been fraud on the board?

If the minutes are not provided, I would not consider moving into that HOA.

MM.

Like I stated, you're not an owner you're not entitled. Just think if an HOA had to provide a copies of all that to each looker. We've NEVER been asked from a home shopper for a copy of our minutes, nor would we provide it to them. But, maybe we would for a $100 fee. Hmmmm...

A realtor is free to ask if we have ample reserves and we would give them that information.

[creeper]

Bumpyroad wrote:

if they refuse to provide them I would assume that they have something to hide and would never buy there.
bumpy

Not hiding, but you're not a resident and it takes time and expense to provide all that material. We don't provide excretive board minutes even to residents as they contain personal matters and homeowner finances.

We'd never spend the time and expense to a home "shopper".

[rockhillmanor]

Where I finally found my winter property all the houses are on 2+ acres. No hoa's no ccr's.

I am sooo glad I 'kept looking' and didn't give in to having to store my RV. IMHO the most beautiful part of Florida with crystal blue springs. I am not out in the boonies although it gives you the feeling your are. And fairly close to a wonderful town serving all my needs.

It makes me smile though as I drive thru our area as most of the cars have out of state plates! Yup, birds of a feather flock together.......most of us all ex snowbirds who found a place to roost WITH our RV's!. :C

[frankdamp]

We live in a community with a HOA and a lot of waterfront property. About every third house has a boat and trailer on their property, usually on a third driveway which extends down the side of the house. We paved a third driveway section for our RV. When parked, the RV did extend past the corner of the building, but was 15' from the street. Our next-door neighbour had a 5th wheel, as does the family four doors away.

Any changes to our HOA have to be ratified by the residents. There have been a couple of revisions in the 16 years we've lived here, but nothing very significant.

[mowermech]

" I would not want a huge RV parked in my neighbors driveway, out on the street of a subdivision..."

In most municipalities "on street" parking is very limited, and it does not apply only to RVs. ANY vehicle parked on the side of the street is limited, quite often to 72 hours. Municipal law often states the vehicle can be towed (at the owner's expense) if left sitting too long.
As for the driveway or beside the house, it is MY land, I pay the taxes, I will park wherever I want on the place where I now live. My neighbor has nothing to say about it, just as I have nothing to say about his multiple boats, RV, ATVs, Tractor, or horses and mules.

[Cloud_Dancer]

"If the RV-parking restrictions are specified in your HOA contract, you are tatooed." I heard this from a lawyer.

But, I don't have a "dog in the fight". Heck, I can't afford to live in a HOA community (nor do I prefer THAT lifestyle).

[rockhillmanor]

Regarding the so-called Ohio decision. First one needs to read the ACTUAL legal document NOT a Good Sam rendition of it.

It all depends on how the 'developer' of a subdivision files when creating the project. Unincorporated or Incorporated etc. It is also at this time that the developer creates what they want and don't want within their development. It is filed with the Secretary of State. And will supersede local/state law enforcement, and prevent their involvement.

Here to tell you, you WILL find HOA's in Ohio that will be upheld. :W

I am an RV owner I feel the pain of trying to find a home where you can park it.

But, if I 'had' to live in the close confines of a subdivision I would not want a huge RV parked in my neighbors driveway, out on the street of a subdivision and/or along side of the house etc., 24 7's.
Just saying.

I too was very frustrated trying to find property where I could bring my RV. The key to it is 'land'. Large acreage where your neighbors are not subjected to having to look at it day in and day out.

[Bumpyroad]

steveh27 wrote:
I repeat, the OP is asking only about OHIO, where the State Supreme Court has ruled that communities have no right to deny rv parking on owners' private property. This went all the way to the US Supreme Court. Here is some reading:

http://webcontent.goodsam.com/goodsamclub.com/parkingrights/euclid_oh.pdf

can communities impose certain restrictions on the parking however? such as behind house, not visible from street, in garage, etc.?
bumpy

[PapaRomeo]

Thanks steveh27 for that pearl of information. I will tuck that away and hopefully will never have to turn to it.

All these ideas and thoughts are helpful. Thank you all. As I proceed, I must consider the whole house and community, as well as my other housing needs and desires. RV parking is only one aspect of the whole process. HOA's are pretty much out of the picture. Predicting what a community will decide in the future is useless except for an idea of general trends. Knowing what the "buyer's agent" is and is offering and representing is useful information.

With all the insight you all have presented, I can better keep my head up, eyes and ears open and make decisions that are right for me.

Thanks PapaRomeo

[steveh27]

I repeat, the OP is asking only about OHIO, where the State Supreme Court has ruled that communities have no right to deny rv parking on owners' private property. This went all the way to the US Supreme Court. Here is some reading:

http://webcontent.goodsam.com/goodsamclub.com/parkingrights/euclid_oh.pdf

[Bumpyroad]

ncrowley wrote:
There are communities with CC&Rs that allow motorhome. They are just a lot harder to find than those that prohibit motorhome. I live in a community with CC&Rs that allows RV garages and allows parking of the RV/boat/trailer on the side of the home. It is a very nice neighborhood where people have a lot of toys.

yep, parking the RV behind the front line of the house is a fairly common requirement.
bumpy