Deed Restrictions: What You Need To Know
Once you’ve found that perfect West Knoxville home, something such as you new West Knoxville neighborhood‘s deed restrictions can be easily overlooked if not forgotten. After all, buying a home in West Knoxville is enough of a process in itself. You’ve looked at countless houses, maybe made a few offers and counteroffers, going through the loan application process, and are in the process of moving. What is the importance of deed restrictions anyhow?
For the Sardo family of Houston, Texas, the deed restrictions in their neighborhood are making all the difference for their beloved family pet, Wilbur. Wilbur is a potbelly pig, who has his own webpage and Facebook Page that has over 5,000 followers. So, what is the cause of concern for this family and their beloved pig? The Homeowner’s Association is saying that having a pig, which they consider to be livestock, is against the neighborhoods deed restrictions and that the Sardo’s pet pig would need to find a new home.
The Sardo family received the first complaint from the HOA in April 2011 to which they responded back that Wilbur is a beloved member of their family and potbelly pigs are not typically considered to be livestock. In July, they received another letter from the HOA giving them 30 days to find Wilbur a new home. Since then, the Sardo family has started a petition and filed a lawsuit against the HOA so that they can keep Wilbur in their home.
So what does this mean for you and your West Knoxville home? Sure, you may not be considering moving your whole family plus one potbelly pig into that West Knoxville home. But, you could plan on building a fence? Or, do you know the specifics of maintaining the appearance of your home? Deed restrictions, depending on the West Knoxville neighborhood, can cover a whole range of topics including appearance and maintenance of yard or fences, types of storage buildings, exterior paint colors, vehicle and boat parking, trash accumulation, and what types of animals are allowed. While some neighborhood’s restrictions are more complicated than others, it is important that you make sure that there is nothing in your lifestyle that will be an issue prior to purchasing the home.
So where can you obtain the deed restrictions to your West Knoxville neighborhood? Your realtor or title company can help you obtain a copy. Or, you can verify with the seller to see if there is anything out of the ordinary in the neighborhoods deed restrictions. By being familiar with the deed restrictions in your new neighborhood, you will be able to avoid future problems with the homeowner’s association.
