Episode 20

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Published on:

1st Nov 2025

When the Watchdogs Fail: A Warning for Homebuyers in HOA Communities

In this eye-opening episode, Cheryl Spangler exposes the shocking truth behind one Virginia homeowner association that failed to protect its own community. What started as a simple townhome purchase turned into a discovery of animal cruelty, sewage backup, and dangerous living conditions—while the HOA focused instead on enforcing exterior paint colors.

Cheryl dives deep into how HOAs are supposed to operate under Virginia law, where they often go wrong, and what every homeowner or buyer should do before trusting an association to safeguard their investment. This isn’t just a story about one property—it’s a warning for anyone living under the watch of an HOA.

If you’ve ever wondered who’s really protecting your neighborhood, this episode will make you think twice.

Connect with Cheryl:

📧 hello@cherylspanglerteam.com

📸 Instagram: @cherylspanglerrealestate

📘 Facebook: @liveinoldtown

💼 LinkedIn: cherylspangler

🐦 Twitter/X: @cherylshowlive

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About the Podcast

PROJECT NOTES
Protect Your Time. Preserve Your Capital.
PROJECT NOTES with Cheryl Spangler

Real wins. Real failures. Real lessons from the trenches of building real estate businesses and wealth.

Most podcasts share polished success stories after the fact. Project Notes is different. This is what's happening RIGHT NOW—the messy parts, the wins, the stuff that bombed, and the uncomfortable truths nobody else talks about.

Hosted by Cheryl Spangler, a real estate broker, project manager, and soon-to-be builder who's in the trenches every single week—scouting properties, managing contractors, coordinating renovations, listing homes, building systems, and learning as she goes.

What You'll Get:
• Real project updates from active deals happening now
• Actual strategies and systems that work in today's market
• Honest lessons from failures—what went wrong and what to do differently
• Behind-the-scenes decision making on properties, renovations, and investor management
• No fluff or theory—just practical insights from someone doing the work

This is for people who want to see the real process, not just the polished results.

New episodes weekly. ~Cheers, Cheryl

Connect with me on
YT @goodsiderealestate
IG @cherylspanglerrealestate
FB @liveinoldtown
or on my website directly at https://www.cherylspanglerteam.com/podcast
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About your host

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Cheryl Spangler

Weekly real estate lifestyle blog and podcast focused on people, places, events and hidden treasures within Northern Virginia. Find our things you never knew existed about the community you live and work. Engage with people that could change your life. Save money, invest in yourself and find opportunities in our content. No topic off limits!