HOA fees in Texas? (Dallas, Fort Worth: to rent, townhouse, neighborhoods)

[shaxs]

Hello Everyone,

My girlfriend and I are seriously considering moving to DFW area after we get married and she graduates college next year. I was originally born in Waco, lived in Carrollton, Fort Worth, ect until 2nd grade. I have great memories of Texas. We currently live in San Diego, which is great, but we can't afford to live as nicely here. We also want to move to a more conservative, family-orientated, more Christian atmosphere.

Anyways, we have been looking at houses. I currently pay $1800 a month to rent a 4 bedroom house in a not-so-nice area in City Heights. Its a 40-50 year old home. I also pay $750 a month for an office in Downtown. So, between those two payments, I can afford a nice house in Texas with my own study (so combining the two). One thing we don't have a lot here in San Diego is HOA fees for houses.

Looking at listings like this one, http://www.mlsfinder.com/tx_ntreis/r...e&npp=10&sr=21
It shows:

Hoa: M
Hoa Billing Frequency: A
Hoa Dues: 420

So, are HOA fees monthly or Annually? Those two entries there kind of confuse me

Thanks for the help!

-Jason

P.S. I will probably be posting a lot more now, so Hi and thanks for the great forums!

[onrway2clt]

I couldnt view your listing but the A in frequency should be annually. The highest hoa fee i have ever seen is about 100 per month.

[shaxs]

Okay good. Texas is looking better and better everyday!

[socketz]

HOA dues here are annual. As NY2Dallas said, the highest I've seen is still under $100 a month.

For instance, Stonebridge Ranch is just under $700 per year. I believe it is the highest out here....however, it includes more ammenities than I have time to list here (ie. man made beach, pools, country club, 14 lakes, 5 parks, dance lessons on the weekend for my little girl, the list goes on).

As a comparison, where I lived in CA charged $960 a year and all we got was a small pool that was often too cold to swim in. My mother in law paid almost $300 per month for dues in the same area. Point is, you get MUCH more for your HOA dues out here....I wouldn't sweat them.

ps. my wife currently works in City Heights. All I can say is OMG this will be a massive change of lifestyle for you. For $2500 a month, you can live very well out here in an upscale community. Good luck.

[bobparr]

Hoa: M
Hoa Billing Frequency: A
Hoa Dues: 420

Hoa: M = mandatory
Hoa Billing Frequency: A = annual

There are some areas where the HOA is a few dollars more than $100/mo. However, this is in a gated community has a couple pools, lazy river, and a privatge 9-hole golf course.

The average should be somewhere between $400-$600 per year.

[socketz]

"However, this is in a gated community has a couple pools, lazy river, and a privatge 9-hole golf course."

Ahh, Lakes of Legacy in SW Frisco right ? Almost forgot about that one.

Here's an example of the kind of thing you see regularly as a member of the Stonebridge HOA:

===========Start

Adult
Big Bass Tournament
Saturday, February 24, 2007
WHERE: LAKE STONEBRIDGE

(Located at the Beach & Tennis Club)

ENTRY FEE: $10.00 per person.

(Cash Only) Must be at least 18 years old to enter.

PRIZES: 1st Place – 80% of all entry fees. In case of a tie, prize money will be split.

WHO: Stonebridge Ranch residents only. SB photo I.D. is required.

CHECK – IN: Check-in at the Beach & Tennis Club from 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

After check-in fishermen can proceed to any part of the lake to fish, except through

the beach club gates or on private property.



TIME: Tournament will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.



RULES: Fishing is permitted from the bank only, wading, tubes and boats are

NOT permitted. Only artificial bait is allowed (no live bait). The big bass will be

determined by length not weight. The fish will be measured with the jaw closed and

the tail pinched to obtain maximum overall length.



WEIGH-IN: Final weigh-in will be held at 12:00 noon although fish may be brought

in the judges’ table to be measured at any time during tournament hours. Fish

must be brought in alive. Participants will be given a stringer and weigh-in bag.

Participants will only need to bring their ONE biggest fish to the weigh-in.

[bobparr]

Ahh, Lakes of Legacy in SW Frisco right ?

Very close. Heritage Lakes.

[juliema]

I know we're an anomaly, but our HOA dues are absolutely outrageous. We pay close to $700 a year and literally get nothing for it. We have about 20 acres of green space they mow and a bunch of shoddy built retaining walls that have cost the neighborhood in the millions of dollars. There's talk of some day putting a play area in for the kids, but I'll believe it when I see it. Never ever again will I buy in a neighborhood with an HOA.

[shaxs]

Originally Posted by juliema

I know we're an anomaly, but our HOA dues are absolutely outrageous. We pay close to $700 a year and literally get nothing for it. We have about 20 acres of green space they mow and a bunch of shoddy built retaining walls that have cost the neighborhood in the millions of dollars. There's talk of some day putting a play area in for the kids, but I'll believe it when I see it. Never ever again will I buy in a neighborhood with an HOA.

While we don't have HOAs for *most* single family house neighborhoods, you will look to pay around $350,000 for a 2 bedroom townhouse and around $300 a month for HOA. Its ridiculous. I have a friend who moved to downtown and his HOA is $525 a month!