Whenever I think of paradise, images of Hawaii come to mind.  Miles and miles of beautiful sandy beaches, a never ending expanse of a deep blue ocean with gently rolling waves, lapping on the sand.  So peaceful, so serene, so relaxing.  It must be paradise. Even the thought of condominiums and homeowner associations are not enough to mar the image of paradise.  After all, how could people living in such an idyllic place, waste time on such stupid, irrational and immature petty squabbles that are so common in residential associations of all kinds?  Not only have my dreams been shattered but just when I thought I had heard it all, someone has to come along and prove me wrong.

Mary McAndrew joins us On The Commons.  Mary lives in Hawaii right on the water, watching the gentle waves lap on the shore and listening to the special music they make as the wash over the sands.  But she is apparently far from the paradise I envisioned.  She is a mother and a handicapped widow.  Mary bought a dilapidated condo, right on the water that needed some major TLC.  So she rolled up her sleeves and started transforming her unit into her dream home.  We talk to Mary about all the usual bumps in the road, the surprises behind the walls, the problems with the association, living next door to a board member (yes, you know how that goes), the threats, the fines and the lawsuits.  So far it is all par for the course, right?  So where does the moonshine come in?  You’ll have to tune in to find out.  That was a new one on me.

What is life like in your residential association?  Please take the survey and let us know.  

Do you have an HOA story you’d like to share?   We’d love to hear from you.