Home Owners Assoc. (Atlanta, Roswell: HOA, condos, house)

[crystalblue]

Is Atlanta one of those cities where HOA's rule the land?

[Georgia]

Yes it is, and to be candid, unless you buy a home with 5 acres or more you will want one.

As I tell any and all possible newbies to ATL, "you ain't in Kansas anymore"

The surrounding areas of Atlanta are housing developments galore and even having a HOA it is practically impossible to keep your neighborhood rid of crud.

If your moving here my word of advice when checking into a HOA make sure it is tight, strict on the rules and regs, and make sure you check your possible new neighborhood out over a few day period from morning, noon, and night.

Always remember, you cannot pick your neighbors and with ATL's population growing at 130,000 plus per year (largest growth area now in the nation) you will get some real doozies.

[crystalblue]

im more concerned with the outrageous fees they all charge

they often make a semi-affordable home a stretch home

[BobKovacs]

I don't think you'll find the association fees in GA to be outrageous, like they can be in some states. Our fees are $650/year (around $55/month), and that includes two pools, tennis courts, a community center with a fulltime activities director, a fitness center, and a lake with swan paddleboats for the kids.

In NJ, it wasn't uncommon to be paying several hundred a month and having little or no amenities, so I know what you're concerned about.

Bob

[crystalblue]

there are some here in floriduh like that. add on 300-400 month mandatory. ouch!

[atlantagreg30127]

Typically the only HOAs you'll fine here that are in the hundreds of dollars a month will be in places that have the upper-end golf clubs, those that have security guards that staff entrance gates, or, it's the condos in the expensive highrise buildings. Most of the rest will be more reasonable in price.

Your best bet however before buying ANY home is to ask the realtor for a copy of the HOA and read *** every single word *** before you buy. Once you're in, it's dumb to complain about any of it, 'cause you should be knowledgeable of all the rules before you buy a place in any community.

[dlh891]

Originally Posted by crystalblue

there are some here in floriduh like that. add on 300-400 month mandatory. ouch!

I know what you mean. We have a 2/2 condo in Tampa that is $300 per month and it's not the best complex either.

On the other hand, our main home here is $450 per year and the neighborhood is kept up beautifully. We have a pool, tennis courts, club house and a small lake. I have another house here in the area and we have a pool, kiddie pool, tennis courts, sand beach, lake you can put a motor boat on, and boat launch for only $375 a year.

This is a different world than Florida.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by crystalblue

Is Atlanta one of those cities where HOA's rule the land?

No, it's easy to find a neighborhood that does not have a HOA.

[rackensack]

Keep in mind that HOA doesn't necessarily mean mandatory HOA, though it usually does for most newer developments. We've lived in two subdivisions, both built out in the late 70s/early 80s, that have optional HOAs -- both have swim/tennis facilities that are also optional. In neither case do the neighborhoods have deed restrictions/covenants, but both groups do a good job of using a carrot, rather than a stick, to promote community involvement and to maintain the appearance and value of the neighborhood.

In our old neighborhood in Gwinnett, HOA dues were only about $25/year -- that got you the monthly newsletter, social activities, etc. Swim/tennis dues were about $350/year (plus a $500 initiation fee if you allowed the membership to lapse and then rejoined -- we generally waived that for new residents joining within a year of their home purchase). Our current neighborhood, in East Roswell, has $200 annual dues (mainly because we have only about 60 homes, instead of the 250 in our old neighborhood -- everyone bears more of the costs), plus $300 annual pool membership (no tennis courts). Even though it's optional, our HOA runs near 100% participation, while we have well over 50% electing to pay pool dues. One positive aspect of our situation is that since we don't have deed restrictions, no one gets into the situation of upsetting their neighbors by enforcing (or violating) the covenants. The emphasis is on the positive things we can accomplish together.

So don't assume that the fact that a neighborhood has an HOA means that you'll be paying hundreds of dollars a month for other people to tell you want you can and can't do with your property.Check out whether it's mandatory or optional, and of course make sure you can live with any deed restrictions before you agree to them.

[Twinkletoes]

Agreed - HOA isn't necessarily a bad thing. Our dues are only $165 a year (would be more if you had to pay for pool membership). The $165 covers a summer cookout for the neighborhood and maintenance of the front entrance - grass cutting, flowers, irrigation, lighting. The HOA will only call you if you let you grass get a foot tall or park an 18-wheeler truck in your front yard. No big deal.