subdivision map? (Washington: for sale, real estate market, foreclosures)

[hammer head]

Originally Posted by Erma

Not all sub-divisions have associations. Many have civic leagues that include the people who live in the sub-divisions, monthly meetings etc. etc. Home Owners Associations (HOA's) charge a monthly fee, tell you what you can do and not do with your property.

Interesting. As a true Yankee that values my freedom at a high price HOA's sound militant. Not for me! Good to hear that not all subdivisions are HOA's. How does one figure out which are and are not? Will it be obvious when I start a housing search?

[yankee73]

It should be obvious. If a home doesnt have an HOA fee, you should be good to go.

[Erma]

I wouldn't buy in an HOA anyway and many people who aren't familiar with them get sucked into buying homes in them. As I've said in a previous post, no body is going to tell me what I can do with my home or my yard.

[Hokie]

Hi. Most neighborhoods down here have homeowners' associations. I dislike them very strongly. I consider them to be unAmerican. It is hard to find a home that isn't in one down here, but you can still do it. We have a neighborhood in Little Neck with one that actually has the power to tell the residents what size font they can use on their mailboxes for the street number. Some are worst than others. That said, here are some areas that are very nice that you can still find homes that aren't part of that:

In Va. Beach, Lago Mar (the older section, built mostly in the 1980), very nice, big homes, lots of trees, $400 to $600
King's Grant (the back section is especially nice but pricier), older homes, many brick, big yards, great elementary school, many original owners, parks, just great neighborhood, $350,000 to over $1M (waterfront), many homes are being renovated inside so you can find some that are like new, off the beaten path
Side streets in Little Neck, not the subdivisions, very nice neighborhood, same schools elementary school as the back of King's Grant
Some parts of Great Neck, nice area, a little busy $300s to 1M average probably in $400,000 area
Red Mill, built mostly in 1980s, transient, near Navy base, average probably $325,000, mostly vinyl sided houses

It is hard to find a neighborhood in Chesapeake that doesn't have one.

Your Deer Run example is correct. However, I think they subdivisions down here are usually way larger than what you finding being built up there. Some down here have well over 1,000 homes.

[Hokie]

I love what you said about being a true Yankee! It absolutely DISTURBED me to learn about homeowners' associations down here. It shocked my family back home. Nobody can believe that somebody can tell you what color Christmas lights you can put up on your home, how many flags you can hang out (some can only have one so if you want to hang an Easter flag the American Flag has to come down), and you have to get approval to do landscaping, even flower beds, before you can plant. It is extreme in some of the subdivisions so be careful. Some here require approval before you can put a pot or a decoration on your walk or porch. I'm not willing to give up my freedom and liberty like that. I'm too Bostonian, thank the Lord!

[citydweller]

I live off Little Neck myself but thankfully we have no HOA. Most folks tend to keep their property looking fairly good.

[jhrichmond]

Originally Posted by yankee73

It should be obvious. If a home doesnt have an HOA fee, you should be good to go.

Many, many subdivisions have HOA's but no fees. Your Realtor can tell you which do and which don't. I wouldn't live in a subdivision that didn't have one, but many people wouldn't live somewhere that did have one. Everyone's different. If you don't want one, you should probably look at neighborhoods established before the 90's.

[hammer head]

Originally Posted by jhrichmond

Many, many subdivisions have HOA's but no fees. Your Realtor can tell you which do and which don't. I wouldn't live in a subdivision that didn't have one, but many people wouldn't live somewhere that did have one. Everyone's different. If you don't want one, you should probably look at neighborhoods established before the 90's.

Huh. no kidding. Good thing I asked. I'll be sure to make a point of finding out beforehand. Thanks for your input. Have you noticed a price difference due to being in a HOA and not?

[hammer head]

Originally Posted by Hokie

Hi. Most neighborhoods down here have homeowners' associations. I dislike them very strongly. I consider them to be unAmerican. It is hard to find a home that isn't in one down here, but you can still do it. We have a neighborhood in Little Neck with one that actually has the power to tell the residents what size font they can use on their mailboxes for the street number. Some are worst than others. That said, here are some areas that are very nice that you can still find homes that aren't part of that:

In Va. Beach, Lago Mar (the older section, built mostly in the 1980), very nice, big homes, lots of trees, $400 to $600
King's Grant (the back section is especially nice but pricier), older homes, many brick, big yards, great elementary school, many original owners, parks, just great neighborhood, $350,000 to over $1M (waterfront), many homes are being renovated inside so you can find some that are like new, off the beaten path
Side streets in Little Neck, not the subdivisions, very nice neighborhood, same schools elementary school as the back of King's Grant
Some parts of Great Neck, nice area, a little busy $300s to 1M average probably in $400,000 area
Red Mill, built mostly in 1980s, transient, near Navy base, average probably $325,000, mostly vinyl sided houses

It is hard to find a neighborhood in Chesapeake that doesn't have one.

Your Deer Run example is correct. However, I think they subdivisions down here are usually way larger than what you finding being built up there. Some down here have well over 1,000 homes.

Hokie - this is great info. thanks! And I'm so glad to hear not everybody down there is in love with HOA's. Thought I was the odd man out and everyone would be giving me the evil eye or something. Sad though to hear that it might be hard to find a home that is not in one - especially in Chesapeake. Sounds like it will really limit my choices in terms of houses, locations, and ...it looks like price as well. The areas you mentioned all were in the 300's and up. Is there nothing to be had between 250-290?

[hammer head]

Originally Posted by Erma

I wouldn't buy in an HOA anyway and many people who aren't familiar with them get sucked into buying homes in them. As I've said in a previous post, no body is going to tell me what I can do with my home or my yard.

Erma - I'm curious. How do people get sucked in? Can you not get a look at the 'rule book' before buying in a particular HOA? That would make me very nervous. How does it work anyway - do the other homeowners have to approve of you or something before you can buy? (I'm guessing that's not the case but I don't know anything about HOA's, being from MA, and I guess anything is possible!)