One thing that can have a big impact on housing costs is Home Owner Association fees. Years ago, these were unknown, or only available in the most high end housing areas, but nowadays, it seems all of the newer subdivisions have HOA fees associated with them. Condos and townhomes also have HOAs. In some cases, HOAs can be good, because the fees cover much, if not all of the costs associated with landscaping and exterior maintenance. That can save not only time, but money, and can help ensure that the homes in the neighborhood will be maintained to a certain degree, and that your property will retain value. Not having to maintain the outside of your home or lawn can save time and money, and HOA fees also usually cover ongoing costs of maintaining any neighborhood amenities such as playgrounds, pools, and tennis courts. However, not everyone wants an association telling them which paint colors are acceptable, and how high their lawn can be, or which types of foliage can be planted. Also, the HOA fees are often much higher than the cost of hiring a mowing service. How do you feel about HOAs? Do you think they're worth it? Would you buy or rent a home in a particular neighborhood because it had or didn't have a HOA?
I have mixed feelings about HOA's I like that they keep the neighborhood a certain way. The person that does not like to keep their home up will not be allowed to let junk collect in the yard, the old broken down cars in the driveway. I do have concerns that the HOA cost can be too high for some people to maintain and the unpaid HOA fee's can put a lien on your property.
Yes, I definitely agree with you on that, @Pat. One thing I like about this area where I live is that there is no HOA, and we experience both the upside and downside of that fact. There are some trashy people living in the area, which none of us likes, but we also don't want someone coming in and telling us how to manage our properties. I watch a lot of HGTV, and one thing I wish they would do when showing condos and townhomes, as well as homes in areas with HOAs, is to specify what those fees are, and what is covered. It seems in some places, the HOA covers routine maintenance and groundskeeping duties only, and in others, additional expenses are covered, such as cable and electricity. One thing that makes me really against HOAs are the liens @Pat mentioned, especially because some elderly, disabled, and also deployed military members have faced these issues, and in some cases, lost their homes.
I wouldn't like having to pay a HOA fee. To me it's saying if you don't follow our rules and/or regulations there are going to be additional charges tacked on as well. To look at it a different way, if the fee is broken down in monthly payments it's probably not that bad. Personally, I like to take care of my own property and here the city sites homeowners with issues that @Diane Lane mentioned which could lead to fines if not addressed within the designated time frame. It's really an individual's preference though based on what is covered or not. They have to pay someone keep the properties maintained.
It seems to depend on the family structure, budget, and in some cases, travel. I know many people I've worked with over the years prefer to pay an HOA to take care of the exterior, especially since it usually covers snow removal up north, and lawn care up north and down south. Those who travel often don't want to be bothered with having to be concerned with whether the yard is mowed, etc. A lot of vacation condo owners are happy to pay for routine maintenance and also professional management, so they can participate in rental programs. One thing I really don't like about HOA neighborhoods is that they tend to be cookie cutter. Many times, the homes all look the same or similar. HOAs often determine a small range of exterior colors that can be used, which types of plants can be planted, and other things, such as whether fences are allowed, and if so, which types and how high the fences can be.
This article from the local news station came to me via email this morning. This type of issue is causing a lot of problems for neighborhoods regarding their Home Owner Associations and what is and is not allowed within the communities. This is one thing I would not like, so I'm glad we don't have an HOA here where I live. We have deer and other creatures that roam freely throughout the neighborhood, and I and some others would be upset if they were removed, although there are others living here who would happily hunt and eat them, despite them being tame.Log In
For some people, it's useful. A friend of my mother lives in a condo, and they do all they upkeep and landscaping and provide security and such. She's lived there a long time, and her HOA fee is reasonable. For her, it works. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to live someplace where other people can tell me what to do with the house I paid for. I find that a lot of the people who run these things are control freaks and busy bodies as well. Some of the rules are incredibly strict, and they can even tell you what you can and cannot do inside. This is not for me. The biggest thing I don't like is the fees. It seems that they have become quite unreasonable in a lot of areas. I know many people that had no idea what they were getting into and are now unhappy. On a home improvement show I watch, one of the places the people were considering charged hundreds of dollars for the HOA fee. Who needs that on top of their mortgage and other expenses? I would go out of my way to avoid a HOA when looking for a home. I don't think what they provide is usually worth the cost (and I just don't like them anyway).
Well, as you pointed out, some of the aspects are good like snow removal, in my case, dock maintenace fees, and some grass cutting of the roadside areas, but I think the drawbacks are a bit annoying. There is always someone who has some kind of complaint and the HOA starts to bug you about it. The next place I live, I am going to investigate how involved the HOA is in the community...because some of them are a royal pain, especially in the more urban areas.
I feel like HOA's are a major threat to the health of neighbourhoods all across North America. It's so easy for them to be influenced by corruption, stereotyping and even racism. I've heard accounts of fines issued for things such as not have all your blinds all up or all down, having incorrect shade of paint, having visitors park on the street, no motorcycles (even from visitors) and so on. It's horrible. Cities and towns have by-laws to enforce all the rules that actually matter that are relevant to public safety and general well being. I would never move to a neighbourhood that had this modern day gestapo.
Depending on the type of lifestyle one wants to live, HOA's can be beneficial or a nuisance. My husband and I are hard core DIYers. We love doing our own yard work and home improvement projects. We love having a large vegetable garden, fruit trees, and the freedom to raise chickens. We love being able to have our son's toys in the backyard and not have to worry if they are breaking HOA rules. If we had an HOA, none of these things would be possible. We would avoid HOA's at all costs, because it would be a waste of money for us. All of that being said, I do see how HOA's can be beneficial for people who do not like or who are unable to do their own outdoor maintenace. For example, my husband's grandparents have a condo with an HOA, which is great for them because they do not have to worry about not being able to keep up the exterior or the lawn. This is great for older people who cannot physically keep up on the maintenance of owning a home.
It seems as least most, if not all of us are on the same page with regard to HOAs. I think in the past, they probably weren't as necessary, because most people were civil and polite, and tried to keep up their properties. If they weren't able, they would often have children living at home or visiting, who would happily run the mower, or even someone from the church who would step in. It seems these days, many people don't particularly care to spend time maintaining the exterior of their homes, and are o.k. with letting junk sit around on the lawns, letting the lawns become overgrown, or leaves pile up. The yard next door used to look pretty messy, not with regard to grass length, which was the one thing he actually took care of, but more so with piles of old and unused equipment, grills, boats, etc., lying around. His wife died and he's about to get re-married, and his girlfriend moved in a while back, and they're now taking better care of the property. There always seems to be one in every neighborhood that lets the property slide, but my neighbor's site was never that bad. I remember watching Army Wives and thinking the base police were excessive in ticketing the residents about the height of the grass and toys lying around, but they are the ultimate form of HOA, and after watching so many home improvement shows, I've learned that such strict regulations are pretty common. As mentioned above, the paint color issue is one that really gets to me. I also have seen shows in which owners weren't able to make desired changes to the interiors of their townhomes, because of the HOA, and that would really bother me.
Some are definetly more rigorous than others. I know one near Northern Virginia that required approval if you wanted to put in or take out a bush...I mean really??? I think HOA"S have their place..but when they start to harass people or micro manage they are no good. Before I buy a new place, I am going to find out the level of involvement of the HOA. They aren't that annoying in this community..but our subdivision is basically in the woods...It is hard for people to even see all of the homes.
With certain restrictions I think it's a good idea. My HOA is only there for the maintenance of the building. It keeps everything neat, painted and we agree on general improvements of the building with each other during the annual meeting. When a HOA is starting to take away the freedom of choice I believe it's a bad thing.
I don't even agree with the government telling me what to do with my property, I sure as heck don't want a bunch of snobs telling me what I can and can't do with my home lol. I think they're awful. When you buy a property, it should be yours.. but it never truly is and this is yet another example of that. I'd rather live in a tent lol..
How do you feel about HOAs?I certainly have mixed feelings about Home Owner's Associations. On one hand, I like that they maintain the club house and the exteriors of houses. On the other hand, setting restrictions or limitations to how my house looks, that is an extreme downside of it. Here in our village, we don't have HOAs and sadly, our playgrounds and courts aren't maintained. We do have sweepers though but that's about it, grass still grows too long in these places.Do you think they're worth it? To some extent, yes, if they can get the job done. But if their fees are too high, then no. You can just hire your own sweeper or mower to work for you. Would you buy or rent a home in a particular neighbourhood because it had or didn't have a HOA?Hmmm... I don't think that's a major factor in my decision making but it can have some part of it. If I particularly love the place and it has high fees for HOA, then I won't mind it. But if I'm a little doubtful of the place and then add to that it has high fees for HOA, then yes, it can affect my decision.
Over here, the homeowners association aren't really that strict with what we do to our house or lawn, so no worries in that department. They just collect fees from us so that they can pay for the guards that guard our area and for other village activities.
We have a HOA in our village. The monthly dues is about $8 and we get a discount of 1 month if we prepay in full for a year of dues. Aside from saving 1 month worth of dues, we also get the car sticker for free that's worth $5. What's good in having a homeowner's association is the management of the village. We have security guards at the gate aside from the roving guards to check on the entire village twice a day and twice a night. At least it is a deterrent against thieves although there are still cases of robbery. In fairness to the dues, it is a minimal expense in exchange for our peace of mind especially at night.
