[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by riveree

HOAs have become commonplace in Florida, but they seem flawed in their very design. Now that the market is cracking at the seams, the flaws of HOAs are magnified. If it gets bad enough, I can see neighborhoods agreeing to disband their HOAs entirely and become non-HOA neighborhoods....we may see this in the near future.

Well in fairness doesn't this go back to the housing bubble and people getting put in homes they had no business buying to begin with?

Several subdivisions have disbanded HOA's over years. But imo it only means you stop paying dues...the underlying problems with irresponsible owners don't change. And get worse since with NO RULES AT ALL you get substandard renters, disgusting things like toys and trash piled up outside till trashday, the stupid unbelievable "canvas car ports" (something I never saw up north LOL) and 10 people living in a home built for 4.

Nah....I'll stick with the half baked HOA.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

Well in fairness doesn't this go back to the housing bubble and people getting put in homes they had no business buying to begin with?

That definitely created more problems and put pressure on the HOAs (with homeowners not paying their dues, distressed properties, etc.).

But isn't this the time when HOAs are supposed to "solve all our problems" and force those distressed-looking properties into shape? Isn't that what the builders promised us? Weren't we all "sold" on the idea that if a neighbor stopped mowing his lawn, the HOA would take care of the problem?

Oh and what what that thing the builder/realtor told us about HOAs "protecting the value of the homes"? Yeah, that didn't exactly work out either .

I'm just saying, I understand the premise of the HOA and in some neighborhoods - especially if you have a lot of amenities that need maintenance, someone needs to be at the helm - but HOAs are far from perfect and can actually be quite problematic. When you buy into an HOA neighborhood, you are tying yourself to your neighbors legally and if some of the neighbors start to fall, they can drag the others down with them.

[SFlorida]

We were on summer vacation and no HOA fees were paid for a few months, but upon our return we paid all the past amount and current HOA fees. The management company stated a letter was sent out by their attorney and the attorney fees were included in the amount owed for an addtional $465. The management company applied most of our payment towards the attorney fees. Currently, the management company is applying late charges on the unapplied balance of the HOA fees. Also, it turns out that the lawyer for the mangement company is the wife of the owner of management company. Is this a conflict of interest? Can the mangement company apply the payments to the the attorney fees first?

[Guamanians]

Originally Posted by riveree

That definitely created more problems and put pressure on the HOAs (with homeowners not paying their dues, distressed properties, etc.).

But isn't this the time when HOAs are supposed to "solve all our problems" and force those distressed-looking properties into shape? Isn't that what the builders promised us? Weren't we all "sold" on the idea that if a neighbor stopped mowing his lawn, the HOA would take care of the problem?

Oh and what what that thing the builder/realtor told us about HOAs "protecting the value of the homes"? Yeah, that didn't exactly work out either .

I'm just saying, I understand the premise of the HOA and in some neighborhoods - especially if you have a lot of amenities that need maintenance, someone needs to be at the helm - but HOAs are far from perfect and can actually be quite problematic. When you buy into an HOA neighborhood, you are tying yourself to your neighbors legally and if some of the neighbors start to fall, they can drag the others down with them.

Yes that sounds like a great deal.
I've got an idea... Lets put sensible local laws in place that police can enforce. Thats what our representatives are for. Our tax money goes to cops who should be earning their paycheck. They can stop at krispy kreme on their way home.