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Beware that when you buy into an area with rules that you like and see the point in having that sometimes the builder can pull out and HUD take control of the homes unfinished or sold and then the rules you thought would be there to protect your investment vanish.I saw this happen. Within a year the neighborhood became cluttered with junker cars and broken down boats on the front lawns......Sure glade at that point I didn't buy into the place.
Beware that when you buy into an area with rules that you like and see the point in having that sometimes the builder can pull out and HUD take control of the homes unfinished or sold and then the rules you thought would be there to protect your investment vanish.I saw this happen. Within a year the neighborhood became cluttered with junker cars and broken down boats on the front lawns......Sure glade at that point I didn't buy into the place.
That is a possibility and has happened in some lower end developments (but not the norm.)
We all know not all HOAs are the same. For example, my HOA cannot regulate on street parking. It comes up at every meeting. It is the number one complaint, but not regulated by the HOA here. It sounds like other HOAs do regulate that, but I wonder if the streets are city owned yet. Another difference is that the city takes care of every other street light in this neighborhood. Our developer wanted more than the city pays for, so the HOA takes care of the remaining ones.
As far as the OPs question about dealing with an HOA, if you keep your lawn neat and relatively weed free, you should be just fine. Read over what exterior changes need to be preapproved and get copies of the forms to submit change requests.
Common sense usually is your best guide to stear clear of any problems.
I find it hilarious that the anti-HOA crowd would like to see "HOAs banned"... like that's not a complete contradiction to the majority of the arguments they use against HOA.
"I want to tell everyone they can't form an association because I don't like to be told what to do on my property."... um okies - I'm far from one of the biggest HOA fans out there, but that's just plain silly.
Do your homework before buying into a particular HOA (they are not all created equal) and, most importantly, if you're so against HOAs - don't buy in one! Looking to ban something you don't like is redonkulous.
I overheard at work last week.
"An HOA is where you pay someone to tell you how to live in your own home."
I know it's an oversimplification, but it made me chuckle.
I look at it as payment for a nice well-kept pool and very nice landscaping. As far as enforcing rules, they either pick and choose who has to follow them, or they do enforce them and people choose to ignore them or just pay the fines. No way to really know by just looking at the surface. We put our garbage can in the garage when they sent us a letter, but many, many of our neighbors haven't.
I overheard at work last week.
"An HOA is where you pay someone to tell you how to live in your own home."
I know it's an oversimplification, but it made me chuckle.
I look at it as payment for a nice well-kept pool and very nice landscaping. As far as enforcing rules, they either pick and choose who has to follow them, or they do enforce them and people choose to ignore them or just pay the fines. No way to really know by just looking at the surface. We put our garbage can in the garage when they sent us a letter, but many, many of our neighbors haven't.
Bet you wouldn't find it so funny to be threatened with foreclosure over such a thing....and the threats don't stop with "garbage cans".
There is rarely any obligation for the HOA corporation to maintain its own property. "Rules" tend to be created for the purpose of generating "fines", collection fees, and lawsuits for the benefit of the HOA vendors.
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