What’s Your H.O.A. Story?

Have you ever lived in a H.O.A. community? What was was your experience? Good and bad, pros and cons.

Was it anything like this?

Never lived in an HOA situation though living in a condo would be fine for me.

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I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.

Lived in a condo complex for three years. Couldn't wait to move. The little Hitler gang in our HOA made life unbearable.

If they do the yard work, it’s worth it. While not year round, it stays warm enough that you mow more months than not in NC.

I don’t know what people pay for mowing services, but it’s probably not less than $30 a week.

My husband’s lawn guy comes about every 2 weeks & charges $100. Which sounds expensive now that I think of it.

All depends on how much and what they do, I guess.

Right. It’s not like we have a huge front & backyard. Far from it. And he keeps some of the lawn in “meadows” so they aren’t touched at all. Will have to ask him if $100 is a good fee.

What did they get worked up about?

?

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"My Dionne Warwick understanding of your dream indicates that you are ambivalent on how you want life to eventually screw you." - Joel

"Ever try to forcibly pin down a house cat? It's not easy." - Captain Steel

"I just can't get pass sticking a finger up a dog's butt." - John Dumbear

I drove through the neighborhood I want to get in and happened to talk to a man on his driveway. He said they love it and that the H.O.A. takes care of all the yard work. There are other amenities and the fee is around $160-180/month.

At this point in my life, I’m fine with it, despite my frugality. I do value trading money for free time. Growing up, my parents spent all their free time maintaining the property. I’m not ready for that 😅

be aware of rules. friend is in an HOA and they seem to change regulations often. He recently had to install a small privacy fence around his AC unit. everyone did. he had to get permission to install a pool in his backyard and ask permission to cut trees. some require a limited option of paint and roofing colors.

This is more of a condo/townhouse type neighborhood as opposed to stand alone houses. I’m not big on decorations or worried about having a Brisk Salmon colored door. I am concerned about how you essentially sign away your rights and have zero legal recourse. In addition, having no control over the fees. If they decide the neighborhood needs another pool, you just kinda have to pay.

On the bright side, it should be fairly easy to sell. The realtor sent me a listing last Fri and it was under contract by Mon.

My HOA has a "Yard of the Month" contest that I'm convinced is corrupt, i.e. you probably need to know someone in the HOA and/or "make nice" with them to win, or at least be in the running.

I mean, one of the winners' yards is 90% pine straw. What kind of an award-winning yard is that?

H.O.A. politics fascinates me.

My sister-in-law owns a house in an H.O.A. neighborhood in south Orange County, California. She wanted to plant some flowers and small shrubs in her yard, and put down some pavers in her back yard to form a small patio. She was required to hire a landscape architect to draw up formal plans, at a cost of thousands of dollars, for submission to get approval. Absolutely asinine and insane. No way in Hell or on Earth I will ever live where there's an H.O.A.

Living in a condo with monthly HOA fees seems all right to me. None of the expenses of maintaining a house, yard work, & whatever else needs taking care of.