HOA fee- prefer cheaper without amenities or more with amenities (home, neighborhood)

[HereinVA]

I think they both sound high for what they offer.

My community, HOA dues are $83/month for single family homes and include everything in your option #2 except the gym. We really love the pool, and also the community events that are held.

Couple things to think about.

1) The pool within the community--will it host a swim team? This can be a GREAT thing if you have kids that are swimmers. If you live in a neighborhood without it's own pool/swim team, some other local neighborhoods *might* allow non-residents to join. I know my neighborhood swim team has closed membership to non-residents.

2) Snow removal--you will want to be clear on what this means. In my neighborhood, it means they clear snow from the private streets (townhomes only) and community property, like the club house parking lot. It does not mean that single family homes get their driveways plowed or sidewalks shoveled.

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by GustavoFring

Your HOA includes Fios?! Is this an HOA or a Condo fee? If the former, what sort of magical neighborhood includes all of that! I remember paying about 170 for FIOS alone when I used to live in an area that had it..

I live in Brambleton. We were a test community for FiOS - fiber was laid before any houses were built, and we had sort-of decent internet and crappy TV for a few years until Verizon finally rolled out the product. Our fee includes FiOS TV Extreme HD package, FiOS Internet 50/25, and e-mail accounts and web space. We have to pay separately for set-top box rental, DVRs, etc. I pay a little over $100 per month more directly to Verizon for phone, DVRs, HBO, etc. We are not eligible for bundles but do we get our own support team. There is no opting out. You do see Dish/DirectTv dishes in the neighborhood because some people want certain sports packages not carried by FiOS.

For 2013, $94.48 per month (out of $170 per month total) is for FiOS, so $75.52 is for all the other stuff (pools, trails, trash, recycling, activities, parks, courts, etc.) Condos pay more, and homes with private drives, eyebrows, pipestems, etc. pay a little more because of snow removal.

[jillybean720]

hmm...I'd probably pass on both. I pay $56/month for a SFH, which covers access to the community pool, system of walking trails, tennis court, community events (just had our kids' Easter Egg Hunt this past weekend), 15+ tot lots...just no gym. Nothing else is included in our HOA fees, so we pay all our own utilities, trash, etc.

[michgc]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

Condos pay more, and homes with private drives, eyebrows, pipestems, etc. pay a little more because of snow removal.

Okay, I've heard of pipestems, but please tell me what "eyebrows" are?

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by michgc

Okay, I've heard of pipestems, but please tell me what "eyebrows" are?

We have several private drives that branch off public streets. The public street is their address, but they pay extra for the HOA to maintain the private drive and landscaping in front of the street. There are two in this image, one on Olmsted and one on Courtland Park:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Olmst...nia+20148&z=18

They are marked with a "one-way" arrow. People call them eyebrows.

[michgc]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

We have several private drives that branch off public streets. The public street is their address, but they pay extra for the HOA to maintain the private drive and landscaping in front of the street. There are two in this image, one on Olmsted and one on Courtland Park:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Olmst...nia+20148&z=18

They are marked with a "one-way" arrow. People call them eyebrows.

Ha! Interesting. I've never heard of that before. Thanks!

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by jillybean720

hmm...I'd probably pass on both. I pay $56/month for a SFH, which covers access to the community pool, system of walking trails, tennis court, community events (just had our kids' Easter Egg Hunt this past weekend), 15+ tot lots...just no gym. Nothing else is included in our HOA fees, so we pay all our own utilities, trash, etc.

We pay ours annually and it's about $750 for same. I think one difference with some of the higher priced communities is ours is self managed. We only hire out the pool operation and grounds maintenance. Once you bring in a management company the fees escalate.

[cully]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

We pay ours annually and it's about $750 for same. I think one difference with some of the higher priced communities is ours is self managed. We only hire out the pool operation and grounds maintenance. Once you bring in a management company the fees escalate.

A word to the wise, though. Watch self managed. Ours would be a lot cheaper if professionally managed. Several honorable ethical people have looked into it, even the last president. But the one guy who used to be on the board, used to be president and still controls with his friends and little followers constitute the majority. One board member has been able to renegotiate contracts and fix contracts poorly made but all the money pocketed, all the free work for dishonorable board members, the special assessment mostly pocketed (small sums little by little that add up but not enough to at one time to cause outrage) cannot be recouped.

Not saying yours is like this....just that they can be.

[JOinGA]

I walk across the street to swim morning laps in my neighborhood. The convenience is great and I always have the pool to myself. I could join a Y about 4 miles away, but that would involve driving, drying off, changing clothes, sharing a lane, etc. The easy access to the neighborhood pool is worth a lot for me. Also, if you plan to have kids, the neighborhood pool is where they will spend a lot of time in the summer with their friends and classmates. Only you can decide if it is worth it for you.

[DMom]

If a home is a situated further away from the beltway I would prefer something with amenities. Most people don't want to drive once they get home. They want easy access to local amenities.
However, if you are close to Beltway most of them preference for a yoga studio or a gym. I would stick with no amenities neighborhood.