Homeowner Assoc's: love 'em or hate 'em

[racer12306]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
How do you know if your neighborhood has a homeowner association?


Since you are asking, you probably don't.

There is generally a monthly or annual fee.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Way back in the 70's I made the mistake of buying a condo on the water in Tampa. After about 2 years of fine living my Wife and I got a knock on the door. The Association had assessed us 6 grand for roof repairs. This despite the fact we paid a fee every month.

Needless to say we found a way to pay it. But the point is that the assoc. was grossly mismanaged by idiots with zero experience. I got involved in the next election and made sure we got a qualified PROFESSIONAL management company involved.

Anyone who knows roofs knows you will periodically need a new one! That's why they are supposed to maintain reserves!

But IMO the folks who want to be on the Board are precisely the ones who should not be...

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I wouldn't want to deal with one. Luckily for me, I'll never have enough money to buy a house in a HOA neighborhood!

If I want to do an oil change on my Jeep in my driveway - I should be able to do so. If I want to buy a pickup truck and park it in the driveway, I should be able to do so. I should not be restricted on what plant I have in my yard. I should not be restricted to what colors my curtain can be. If I fly a flag, no one should try to tell me I can't.

 

[Mr Nice]

Many folks on the Association are shady and get / give kickbacks to contractors they hire.

 

[aquariuscsm]

HOA life imo seems like it would be like living in a neighborhood chock full of the Gladys Kravitz types (the nosey neighbors from [censored]!). Always in everyone's business and causing a lot of childish drama.

 

[LoneRanger]

Simple solution if you don't like HOA's, don't buy a house in a HOA neighborhood. But if you do, abide by the restrictions and covenants; if you don't we'll refer the matter to the attorney for the HOA. HOA's when properly administered, can wield coercive power via their lawyer. But why should it need to come to that? Just take care of your property and keep things reasonably in order and smooth sailing. I don't get why some folks want to move into a HOA community and be the neighborhood slob.

 

[whip]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Simple solution if you don't like HOA's, don't buy a house in a HOA neighborhood. But if you do, abide by the restrictions and covenants; if you don't we'll refer the matter to the attorney for the HOA.

It seems so simple.........

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Simple solution if you don't like HOA's, don't buy a house in a HOA neighborhood. But if you do, abide by the restrictions and covenants; if you don't we'll refer the matter to the attorney for the HOA. HOA's when properly administered, can wield coercive power via their lawyer. But why should it need to come to that? Just take care of your property and keep things reasonably in order and smooth sailing. I don't get why some folks want to move into a HOA community and be the neighborhood slob.



Yes, certainly. The important part is to READ the covenants thoroughly, if necessary have a attorney explain or get
clarifications from the HOA if you have any questions.

With the lack of quality of people today, HOAs are a necessary evil so to speak. As long as it is reasonably managed they will keep your neighborhood from becoming a dump and lowering your own property values.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: racer12306
Since you are asking, you probably don't.

There is generally a monthly or annual fee.


And what do you get in return for that monthly or annual fee?

 

[Lapham3]

Association fees/dues can cover different things based on the bylaws involved. Typical items can be water/sewer, common area lighting/electric, lawn care/irrigation, snow removal, exterior maintenance, pools/tennis court maint, ect. A portion generally goes into a reserve fund for future large capital expenses that are chiefly roof replacement. Condos can add building heat and elevator maint.

 

[LoneRanger]

I just bought a small condo as a local investment property. It is in a small complex of condos on the end of a large residential subdivision. The subdivision is moderately upscale and has a healthy and active HOA. The condos have their own association and the fee covers all exterior upkeep, grounds (grass and landscaping) maintenance, and trash pickup. As a landlord, I won't have to worry about exterior stuff including roof leaks or etc. Makes it nice!

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Simple solution if you don't like HOA's, don't buy a house in a HOA neighborhood. But if you do, abide by the restrictions and covenants; if you don't we'll refer the matter to the attorney for the HOA. HOA's when properly administered, can wield coercive power via their lawyer. But why should it need to come to that? Just take care of your property and keep things reasonably in order and smooth sailing. I don't get why some folks want to move into a HOA community and be the neighborhood slob.



My issue with HOAs has nothing to do with them enforcing rules on home owners who don't keep up their properties...no one I know wants to live next to dumpy neighbors...my issue with them is for the over the top, ridiculous rules, such as you can only paint your house certain colors, or your grass can only be so high, or you can't have a vehicle parked in your driveway unless it has current tags, or you can't do maintenance on your vehicles in your own garage, or your flower bed in front of your house can only be so wide...and yes, HOAs do have ridiculous rules like this and it's exactly why I will never live in an area that has one...

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
And what do you get in return for that monthly or annual fee?


This will vary greatly depending on the neighborhood. I can use my folks' neighborhood as an example. I know the model well, because we're potentially looking to relocate to the same area in Florida (St Johns County) and this is a common neighborhood model down there.

Common neighborhood association fees (not condos) buy:

(1) Upkeep of horizontal facilities in the neighborhood. This includes landscaping in the medians, curbing and road shoulders, walking/golf cart paths, tennis/pickleball courts, soccer fields, entrance signage and landscaping, a gate guard if a gated community, etc.

(2) Upkeep of vertical facilities. Things like the club house, the gym, the kids' water park, the playgrounds, kids' activities, etc.

(3) Assurance that your neighbor will not be parking his rusting '83 Chevette on blocks in his driveway, assurance that your lawn won't be infested with seeds from the 2' tall dandelions from the yard next door, assurance that you don't have to listen to your neighbor's air tools because he's running an auto repair business out of his garage.

(4) The potential for a neighborhood full of people who are motivated to keep the place up because they have some skin in the game, and not simply because that's where they landed.

Any or all of those factors may be big plusses or minuses for you, depending on your situation. If more appeal to you than not, then you may consider moving to a neighborhood with an HOA. If none of it interests you, then don't.

One of the biggest appeals of these types of neighborhoods is people are financially invested in them, so they have the motivation to keep them up. My folks' neighborhood is a genuinely happy place because people WANT to be there. They've PAID to be there, because they WANT to be there. It's as close to the camaraderie you used to feel in military housing as you'll get without actually being in military housing. Folks feel a collective purpose to keep what they have looking nice.

You don't have to have an HOA for that. But it seems to help.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: earlyre
While I understand why they exist, if I was looking at a house, and an HOA is mentioned, end of tour, show me another place, one without some lame bord telling me what I CAN'T do on my own property.


+1

No thank you to HOA's.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
And what do you get in return for that monthly or annual fee?


Someone telling you what you can and can't do on your own property. It's just basically an overpriced apartment complex. I never even knew such a place existed until recently. Imo you're basically giving up your freedom and privacy.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Simple solution if you don't like HOA's, don't buy a house in a HOA neighborhood. But if you do, abide by the restrictions and covenants; if you don't we'll refer the matter to the attorney for the HOA. HOA's when properly administered, can wield coercive power via their lawyer. But why should it need to come to that? Just take care of your property and keep things reasonably in order and smooth sailing. I don't get why some folks want to move into a HOA community and be the neighborhood slob.



My issue with HOAs has nothing to do with them enforcing rules on home owners who don't keep up their properties...no one I know wants to live next to dumpy neighbors...my issue with them is for the over the top, ridiculous rules, such as you can only paint your house certain colors, or your grass can only be so high, or you can't have a vehicle parked in your driveway unless it has current tags, or you can't do maintenance on your vehicles in your own garage, or your flower bed in front of your house can only be so wide...and yes, HOAs do have ridiculous rules like this and it's exactly why I will never live in an area that has one...


Speaking of the flowerbeds,they also tell you what color your flowers have to be,what types of shrubs and trees you're only allowed to plant,and some won't even let you park your work truck where other people can see it! I guess they feel having a job is "beneath them"?

 

[MCompact]

I subscribe to the belief that if you can't take a leak in your front yard then your neighbors live too close.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
I subscribe to the belief that if you can't take a leak in your front yard then your neighbors live too close.


^^Agree!!

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
I subscribe to the belief that if you can't take a leak in your front yard then your neighbors live too close.


I'm of the same thought!

 

[exranger06]

My mother lives in a neighborhood with an HOA. I don't know what the rules are, but they're apparently pretty lax. I repair my vehicles in the driveway all the time, sometimes leave them up on jackstands for a few days or even over a week, and make loud rackets with air tools and hammers and no one ever complains. There is a pond down the street with some land and park benches around it. I think the HOA is mostly to maintain that land.