What are HOAs? (Surprise: renters, HOA, house)

[collinsl]

Hi all,
Sorry if this sound like a stupid question, but what are HOAs, what powers do they have, and can you leave them?

[ibarrio]

1. Home Owners Associations.
2. To fine you when you do anything detrimental to the community (leaving weeds out front, painting your house pink, adding on to your home without permission). They also upkeep any lakes, parks, pools, etc...
3. As an individual..no. As a community...most likely not.

[foma]

If the house you buy is part of an HOA, then no, you can't be exclusive of it. I don't know if a neighborhood can vote to expire an HOA, however.

HOA's can be good and bad. They are usually set up to make sure homes in the neighboorhood look nice. to prevent eyesores and the like, as the previous poster mentioned.

My Mom's HOA pays on a yearly basis but we've noticed the neighborhoods we looked into pay a month fee. HOAs can be bad in that the power can "get to their heads". I've never experienced that happening but have heard of others who do not like them.

I'm not sure to what "extent" they're power is but I"m pretty sure when you sign the deed or whatever, you also agree to the terms of the HOA so definitely from a lega standpoint, actions can be taken against you if you are not compliant.

Good luck!

[Prinny]

We have rental property that is under an HOA and we can't stand our HOA!

The bennies as far as the care for the place is great! That cannot be complained about. It's some of the rules on the CC&R's that are ridiculous and the fact that our HOA is trying to rewrite the CC&R's.

Like, we have rental property, the association does not like renters at all. They can't stand them. So what they are doing now is trying to make it so that people who own homes who currently live under the HOA that have rentals can retain their rentals, but anyone in the future may not. We are safe since we are have our property as an investment and our current home we made sure there was no HOA and everyone in our neighborhood keeps up the homes.

Now, what our HOA is doing is not fair because say in the future someone wants to rent out their place because they say, will go out of town for a year or something comes up, they won't be able to do so. They are rewring the CC&R's and there was never even a vote for the homeowners on this issue.

So my opinion on HOA's. I would say it depends on the HOA. SOme are good and some are too controlling.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

You can request a book that has the HOA rules and regulation in them to see if the area you are considering is a good fit for you. Many do have the same provisions within the rules for what you can and can't do. Also some offer more than others but then you will pay more for that service. I know that in Surprise the Marley Park HOA cost 3 times what the Surprise Farms HOA cost. But then you are also paying for Digital Cable and internet service for your home. Marley seems to want to limit the amount of dish antanas in the area and by offering the cable service that helps out. That brings me to another point, some HOA's don't want you to have a dish unless it is hidden from view. For us we are happy with what is offered and are OK living under the rules and regs of the HOA. But then we won't be there officially till the end of the month.

[Prinny]

Call me bitter....... Our HOA is trying to change the CC&R's. That I have a problem with. Considering when you make a purchase and you have one set of standards, then they change them on you years later, I don't like that. Doesn't sit well with us.

Our HOA has done other things as well. Me, I just don't like em, and am very happy that my current home doesn't have one. We pay the HOA fee's on and read our newsletter and play by the rules but don't have to live there, so I am happy!

[mesamom]

People buy into HOA neighborhoods because they like the way the neighborhood looks. All it takes is one homeowner to make the neighborhood look bad. It's pretty simple...if you don't like HOA's, don't buy in the neighborhood. I, for one, will never live in an area that does not have an HOA.

[MotleyCrew]

All HOA's seem to have their quirks. Ours is obsessed with bushes touching other neighbor's bushes. Sort of like your peas are touching your carrots so you have a little fit. We just trim and keep on trimming. Makes them happy, so I am happy. Other than that, we like our HOA. The HOA where we have a town home is equally pleasant to work with. Thank goodness they have not changed the rules for rentals, that would really be a pain in this market.

[foma]

the rental thing seems silly to me

the hoa would rather see an empty, forclosed home than a filled one? perhaps, in some situations, that may be better!

[wit-nit]

HOA's are made up as a whole of ALL the residents of the community. I was under the impression that when the rules (CC&R's) are to be changed, a majority vote, or approval, of those residents were needed to make the changes.
Ours is that way, is yours?