article: why HOAs continue to be popular

[SC Maintenance]

Crazy neighbors are crazy neighbors - you can have them anywhere.

I have lived in HOA's for 20 years. My kids have always had Olympic size + pools for our long hot summers for a few bucks a year. Our current place has that and miles of hiking trails through our private buffers, plus one way in and out.

There is no code enforcement in the South outside of HOA's. Too easy to end up on the nightly news for towing some single mother of 12's car that has had 4 flats for a year.

Also if you correlate in our district at least - the schools fed by HOA's have high scores. The schools fed by the general population have low scores. Its been a few years, but I used to track it. I doubt its coincidence.

If you can find a place that has all this without an HOA - grab it and don't ever move. Seriosly.

I would avoid small HOA's. If you figure that 20% of the population is nuts, then a larger HOA gives you a chance that they don't all end up living there.

Its not for everyone. Now that the kids are older I don't care about pools or schools - so I might consider no HOA next. But it was sure nice till now.

 

[Passport1]

I pay dearly for that 'security' There is only one entrance to get in/out. A couple of well armed men could defend it if the barbarians want to come and rape, burn and pillage. If an EOTWAWKI happens, I could escape to my island house too. Sure the residents would block both bridges. Only way in then is by boat. Barbarians don't have a navy.

 

[zzyzzx]

The article caught me by surprise. If in fact the author of the article is correct, I never would have guessed in a million years HOA popularity has a increase in demand/ on the rise.

Article comes as propaganda from homebuilders trying to justify HOA's that very few people want.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I agree. If you are turned off because you do not like that someone washes their own car in the drive way and leaves the garage door open or they do not like the color of someones shutters you belong in an HOA. It comes down to how tolerant people are. It seems to me, in general, every generation gets a little more tolerant of people and things. You do not need an HOA to prevent loud wild parties to 1AM.

Where I live,If some one does not mow their grass or take care of the outside yard, it is often because of a hard ship. The neighbors just help them out and show some grace, In an HOA, would someone just *****? I guess they paid for the right to do that. I never lived in one and from all of the pieces I have read, I doubt I would. What happens if someone has financial issues and does not pay their dues? You are all on the hook I guess? I suppose they are not going to have the money to paint their house or pay for other services the HOA requires.

Also, a good buyers Broker would make sure their client understood the rules of an HOA. If they do not they are sloppy or want the sale closed fast for personal reasons.

I live in a HOA. I can wash my car as long as I want. Neighbor actually washes his in the street. Your garage door can stay up if your "actually working in it or in the yard". Still one neighbor leaves his up all the time and no one here complains so no one knows.

If my neighbor needed his lawn mowed I would just do it. You can have good or bad neighbors anywhere. Violations from the HOA give you a time period to fix things. I am told if you don't get it fixed they call first. I have seen requests on the HOA facebook page if anyone can help out please call this number - there laid up or whatever. It usually gets taken care of.

Its a community like any other - its what you make it. Ours is professionally managed - so code enforcement is by a paid property management company. Karen can complain to the paid property manager all day long. The property manager is up for re-appointment vote once a year - so if they play Karen themselves they would soon be gone.

You can make up as many one off's as you like. Doesn't mean every place is like that. As mentioned, you just need to read the rules before you buy and decide if you can accept them. I would also read your state laws on HOA's, and I would only buy in a HOA that is professionally managed. Trust me - people in the HOA don't want people living there that don't like HOA's either.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Never been in an HOA never going to be!

 

[SC Maintenance]

Article comes as propaganda from homebuilders trying to justify HOA's that very few people want.

Please articulate? Home-builders goal in life is to build and sell homes. Setting up HOA's costs a lot of money - as they typically need to fund its start, often several million dollars for large developments. They would only do this if people wanted those things otherwise there would be no profit in it.

 

[zzyzzx]

Please articulate? Home-builders goal in life is to build and sell homes. Setting up HOA's costs a lot of money - as they typically need to fund its start, often several million dollars for large developments. They would only do this if people wanted those things otherwise there would be no profit in it.

No. Homebuilder only do this because local governments require them to create HOA's.

 

[SC Maintenance]

No. Homebuilder only do this because local governments require them to create HOA's.

There not required in South Carolina, nor in my county. But most new developments have HOA's.

There popular because people want amenities, but they don't want to share them with all the deadbeats that over-run the county controlled amenities.

 

[MaximumMini]

My previous residence had no HOA. My new residence has no HOA.
Previous residence was urban. New residence is very rural.

The rural setting is phenomenal (or was until recently). No other houses in sight, just beautiful nature and quiet....
EXCEPT....

Some (I would use many banned words here) moved into a house about 1/4 mile away and now every freaking Friday night and Saturday night the (use imagination) low lifes have parties and have an amplifier (must be at least 1000watts) with obvious drinking and insane loud Spanish talk through the weekend. It is unbelievable how loud they can talk. I guess they've been deafened by the music.

My home is so well insulated with concrete block and double pane storm windows that we barely hear thunder in the summer.. but when these fools 1/4 mile away start their crap, I can hear and FEEL it inside my home.
We moved here in retirement SPECIFICALLY to get away from this in the urban setting.

When I call the Sheriffs department they usually reply that "Florida has no noise laws for residential properties, so call us back if they are still loud after midnight. " So I call after midnight (crap still going) and drive to the end of the road...no deputies ever come out.
What the heck? No noise laws for residential properties? That's insane. So if I'm criminal and I want your home I can just set up 24/7 125db noise next door until you give up and move?

So in this respect, I wish there WAS an HOA.
Now, I am going have to retain a lawyer and file a lawsuit since this has diminished my quality of life, property value and ability to sleep.

I cannot believe our brain dead corporate bought Florida legislators actually just passed a law making a frame around your tag a CRIMINAL offense.....but do nothing to protect your quality of life from imbeciles and refuse to pass noise laws to protect people from such disrespectful morons.

But laws to empower surveillance and government power....PASSED FIRST TIME!

The NET result of this will not be to stop criminals. Instead this will cost many more innocent lives. Here's why. Criminals do not care about your laws. Since they might not get away with obscuring a plate, now they will have to either steal more license plates and risk the owner reporting it before they can commit their crime, or.....murder the driver ( and possibly the entire family) so they cannot call and report the vehicle stolen, just to get a vehicle they can use to commit their crimes. This will not slow criminals down one bit. But it puts thousands of innocent Floridians lives in jeopardy. The lack of common sense in politicians is appalling.

Key provisions of Florida HB 253 include: (Went into effect October 1st, 2025)

• License Plate Obscuring: It is now a second-degree misdemeanor to knowingly alter, cover, or obscure a license plate, which includes using decorative frames, tinted covers, or reflective sprays. This offense was previously a non-criminal traffic infraction.
• License Plate Obscuring Devices:
  • Purchasing or possessing a device specifically designed to hide or flip a license plate is a second-degree misdemeanor.
  • Manufacturing, selling, or distributing such a device is a first-degree misdemeanor.
  • Using one of these devices to commit a crime or evade law enforcement is a third-degree felony.

 

[opus1]

Both of my places were covered by some sort of association; townhouse had a condo association, and my single-family house has a HOA. Fortunately, I've had good experiences in both. My current HOA covers some architectural rules on the property, and does maintenance on the retention ponds, the bike/walking paths that run through the development, and maintaining the berm that separates us from the main road. There is a provision in the covenants that allows us to vote to dissolve the HOA, but that would then trigger a SSA line item on our property taxes to have the city take over that maintenance. The last time that subject came up, a rough-estimate for that line item was around 4.5x what our annual dues are, and then we'd have to deal with city timelines for work to be done vs the current board calling the property manager and getting things done. We just had our annual meeting and the board apologized for having to increase our dues after holding the line for a couple of years. They went up a whopping $9.00/year.

I do agree that people need to go into this with open eyes and asking lots of questions. I did those things and that's why I have no complaints. Yet.

 

[zzyzzx]

Some (I would use many banned words here) moved into a house about 1/4 mile away and now every freaking Friday night and Saturday night the (use imagination) low lifes have parties and have an amplifier (must be at least 1000watts) with obvious drinking and insane loud Spanish talk through the weekend. It is unbelievable how loud they can talk. I guess they've been deafened by the music.

Have you considered calling ICE?

 

[Wireman1987]

Over the years there have been dozens of discussions on BITOG about HOA horror stories. Regularly I read like horror stories on the internet and often see news broadcasts with HOA horror stories. Yet, the linked article below states HOAs are more popular and in demand now than ever.

The article author's thesis on why HOAs are in such strong demand by homebuyers:

"The reason is simple: The HOA is the last legal mechanism Americans have to artificially recreate something the country once produced organically — a high-trust society."

A few more paragraphs from the article"

"People want neighborhoods where streets feel safe, houses stay maintained, and neighbors behave predictably. We call these places “high trust” because people do not expect those around them to violate basic standards. Doors remain unlocked, kids play outside, and property values rise. Americans once assumed this was the natural condition of ordinary life. It never was.

High-trust societies are not accidental. They emerge only under specific cultural conditions. Trust forms when people can understand and predict the behavior of those around them. That requires a shared standard — how to act, how to maintain property, how to handle conflict. When those standards come from a common way of life, enforcement becomes minimal. People feel free not because they reject limits, but because the limits match their instincts and expectations.

Every social order requires maintenance, but the amount varies. When most residents share the same assumptions, small gestures keep the peace. A disapproving look from Mrs. Smith over an unkempt lawn prompts action. A loud party until 1 a.m. results in lost invitations until the offender corrects the behavior. Police rarely if ever enter the picture. The community polices itself through mutual judgment."

The article caught me by surprise. If in fact the author of the article is correct, I never would have guessed in a million years HOA popularity has a increase in demand/ on the rise.

https://www.theblaze.com/columns/op...ions-werent-supposed-to-replace-civilization?

correct, artificial and fake neighborhoods.

 

[thastinger]

I wish my city neighborhood had one, there are too many absentee landlords and renters who don't care about keeping their places up.
In my 34 years of living there I ain't never seen a renter with a bag of mulch or grass seed.

 

[MaximumMini]

Have you considered calling ICE?

BOOM!

Brilliant!

 

[SC Maintenance]

I wish my city neighborhood had one, there are too many absentee landlords and renters who don't care about keeping their places up.
In my 34 years of living there I ain't never seen a renter with a bag of mulch or grass seed.

Of course - why would a renter care about keeping a property up. If the landlord won't.

Another HOA benefit - no short term airbnb type rentals.

 

[Cropduster172]

I have no problem with our HOA. The rules are reasonable as are the folks that make up the board. We live on a golf course and share some of the roads with the golf club. The HOA is the mechanism for communication with the golf club to address concerns...minor issues for the most part. HOA fees were $190/month 5 years ago when we moved here. Now $230...which buys landscaping, lawn care, leaf removal in Fall, roof gutters cleaned twice per year, snow removal and salting up to your front door, driveways sealed every other year, trash and recycling. Home values have increased and homes sell in less than three days once listed. Some haven't even been listed and sell privately. If the original siding is rotting, yes, you'll have to replace it with Hardieplank at your expense...that's how you maintain solid home values. You can wash your car in your driveway but you can't change your oil or do a brake job...fine by me.

As I recall, the realtor is required by PA law to provide buyers with a copy of the HOA rules prior to sale. It's a buyer's responsibility to review and decide accordingly.

 

[Brons2]

I'm ok with an HOA if they stick to the basics, i.e., protecting property value by keeping the exteriors of our homes looking nice. And maintaining the common areas, pools, etc.

Anything beyond that is unacceptable. Overly burdensome rules are unaccepable. Rules that prevent the parking of multiple cars for large families is unacceptable. And so forth.

 

[SeaJay]

I’m in the camp of preferably having an active HOA simply to protect the value of my home and property. I’ve never been in the position financially to afford a large sprawling lot to provide separation from other homes so I’ve always lived in neighborhoods. Attempting to sell a home is hard enough but if there’s no controls in place (HOA) then there’s different interpretations of how a yard is kept, home maintenance, cars parked in the street and-or non-running vehicles randomly sitting, multi-family situations that create noise etc., undesirable renters that bring an unwanted culture in a family oriented situation, and the list goes on. If these controls didn’t matter to me I would be an apartment complex as a carefree renter…but nope, I can’t abide by others’ noise and the hours they keep.

I used to live up North where there weren't many HOAs. Perhaps the cost of northern real estate meant that most owners behaved, keeping up their property without junked vehicles occupying the property. Down South we have a lot of HOA communities. Given the large number of HOAs I suspect they are needed here.

 

[K-Man]

The people who claim to like HOAs because those preserve property values are the first to cry and complain when their precious property values increase and so do the taxes and HOA fees.

Saw this very thing in Virginia Beach even in neighborhoods without HOAs. People complained when their taxes shot through the roof to match their property values. But appreciation in value is what they wanted; they just didn't consider the flip side.

This whole thing is one reason housing has become unaffordable for many people, by the way.

 

[SC Maintenance]

The people who claim to like HOAs because those preserve property values are the first to cry and complain when their precious property values increase and so do the taxes and HOA fees.

Saw this very thing in Virginia Beach even in neighborhoods without HOAs. People complained when their taxes shot through the roof to match their property values. But appreciation in value is what they wanted; they just didn't consider the flip side.

This whole thing is one reason housing has become unaffordable for many people, by the way.

I agree there is no benefit to a homeowner if the property values all go up. It just costs more for everything. That is an entirely different conversation, not based on HOA.

HOA fees are based on costs, not home values. Unlike taxes or insurance. Everyone in the HOA generally pays the same amount. The amount is base on the budget, which has to be approved by the board usually and again has nothing to do with home values.

Taxes are whatever they are. Some states cap them and some don't. Insurance is same.