That is too funny. Our HOA here in CO sponsors a garage sale once a year in April. The hope is always, "will it be a nice day". It usually is, but there have been a few cancellations due to snow over the years. They put an add in the local paper and post signs that have maps. It is shear insanity from about 06:00 to about lunchtime. Then the real bargain hunters come along and want you to give your stuff away. I have to admit I have given into the $1 offer for something you have priced at $5 just so it doesn't go back into the house. The real fun is when a little kid is eying something that mom just won't buy and you give it to them. They are thrilled and mom just sighs. I guess I have an ornery streak. ;-)
You've got to love those communities like Bruce's that won't allow them. if you read the article E posted, it was that very question from a woman who told me they didn't have garage sales in Sun City Grand. I guess it's not proper or dignified enough for a community of that stature. Of course with the rate of increase of their rec center fees, they may need to start allowing them so people can afford to pay those ever escalating hikes (said tongue in cheek). I remember when my folks moved here in the mid 90's and they (like everyone else) hauled all kinds of crap along with them from Minnesota (gotta get your monies worth and fill that uhaul). 9 months later they came to realize the winter coats, boots, and all of the antiquated kitchen stuff wasn't something they needed. As they unloaded box after box of unwanted paraphernalia, they wisely decided to have a garage sale. The set up is a real pain in the butt, by Thursday they were raring to go. People were pounding on the door early and often and my father (who wasn't the most patient human being on the planet) saw the opportunity to make a buck or two and let them in. He called me that night and was ecstatic. He said they just kept coming and just kept buying. By the sales end they had made close to $2000 and he said they bought stuff he would have been embarrassed to throw out. They had the occasional garage sale back in Minnesota, but never anything like this. It was enlightening and invigorating, so much so he felt an immediate need to go scratch his (and my mothers) itch. Translated, they jumped in the car and headed off to Vegas to satisfy the need to gamble away any and all proceeds (plus some of the kids inheritance). It's one of the things that makes Sun City so enjoyable eh? There are lots of age restricted communities that do not allow anything. Sun City's CC&R's are pretty simple to follow and aren't prohibitive to the point of becoming boring. We were built by regular folks who wanted to enjoy life and the pursuit of happiness, not by a group who wanted to regulate you into fitting perfectly into the box with everyone else. Just a quick note Emily: The word press blog was a hoot to do. All I had to do was jump on my bike, ride about town and find endless stories to write about. The beauty of the blog was I found more pleasure out of writing it than those found out of reading it. It's what retirement is all about, finding things you like doing and then go do them.
I also enjoyed the Blog about garage/etc. sales. Isn't there a limit as to how many garage sales you can have in a year? There is a house on the south side of Talisman just west of Boswell that seems to have a garage sale quite often. I know because I go by there on my way to Sun Dial.
You are spot on Peg and I too have noted that sale. When I was at SCHOA we did deal with owners who had excessive numbers of sales. It's been awhile but I think the state has limits (six or so per year...not sure) because they look at them becoming vendors who would need a license and pay taxes on the proceeds if they exceed that number. That was always a pretty successful tactic, because no one wanted to have to suddenly deal with the state if they could avoid it. As most of you know, SCHOA does not go around "policing" problems. They respond to complaints from neighbors. In the case of excessive numbers of garage sales, neighbors should document dates and then let SCHOA know. Names are always kept confidential btw.
The rule in our small house is that for every sale item purchased and brought into the house means a current item must leave!!
Six a year does seems about right to me. In my city some people tried to do them most weekends. I think they were buying and reselling used clothes. It did make the place look junky to have racks of clothes rolled on the sidewalk every weekend. City put a stop to it and now allows 2 per year. They don't really enforce it though...a neighbor would need to complain.
aggie we have that same rule in our house,when my wife buys new stuff the old stuff leaves the house and ends up in the garage.
Bpearson that is for sure,but when she fills it up it gives me something to do.we will be in sun city this oct looking for a place of our own and I will get a two car garage,so it will take longer for her to fill my side up.
Don't forget to have them take the Visitor Center bus tour. I go to the thrift stores on Peoria. Last week I discovered 25 cent greeting cards in one of them. Since I am "Sunshine Person" for 3 groups, I stocked up. They are just as nice as the ones at the Dollar stores for 50 cents. Whoops! Now I hope everyone doesn't get all of them! I deliver my condo association cards in person. The other groups pay for stamps, but sometimes I deliver in person.
