Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I personally think HOA's are a scam. I see no good in what an HOA accomplishes, having lived in neighborhoods with and without them. HOA's have way too much power, the power to spend whatever they want, and the right to imposes extra fees any time they want. They can put liens on your house and also in many states they can foreclose for nonpayment of dues. HOA neighborhoods look like cookie-cutter housing, so boring. You can't even choose a different mailbox.
I am in a beautiful NJ suburban neighborhood with no HOA, and there are no problems with purple houses, junk, trash, or anything else. County taxes provide for maintenance of common areas in non-HOA neighborhoods. The bulk of a typical HOA budget is in hiring the HOA maintenance company! I think the politicians like HOA's because now the homeowner is double-paying.
Whoa...
Brookville, PA.
Sweet downtown.
Well preserved.
Dan Smith's candies!
Historic Oakwood and Boylan Heights in Raleigh, NC, both benefit greatly from Historic standards.
Ah yes, the Zen of Dan Smith's. Have to make a run to Brookville in a couple weeks so he'll get some of my money.
Brookville has done a great deal of effort on Main Street over the last 25 years, and amazingly the businesses have bought into it. Only one building isn't original, or close to it, and it was grandfathered. The original building under that mess of washed concrete is a dark brown stone.
I remember hearing a while back that Orlando/Orange County, Florida was now requiring HOA's of all new developments with more than X number of lots. The idea was that the local government effectively got to dump a fair amount of non-structural code enforcement activity on the HOA, saving the city/county government money.
You hit the nail on the head... the whole reason for the HOA's existence. Biggest scam ever.
You hit the nail on the head... the whole reason for the HOA's existence. Biggest scam ever.
I've seen the financials for the one I live in. The biggest chunk goes to the recreational amenities (pool, health club, playground, basketball courts, tennis counrts, clubhouse, events and activities). After that it's long term reserves. Then security related costs inclusing maintaining the gates and guard house and guard salaries. Then landscaping. Then property management. They get less than 6% of the dues.
Really? No public swimming pools in your area? No city parks? No places to go to meet with friends? No public tennis courts?
Where DO you live?
The loca "public pool club" costs almost as much as the monthly HOA fees. The next closest would be a 30+ minute drive to a Y. Not driving 30 minutes to go swimming...
As far as places to meet with friends, there are some coffee shops, but there are no places to that offer activities that you don't have to rent.
And there is a park, but it's not close enough for the kids in the community to walk to--it's about three miles from here, and much of the way has no sidewalks.
So it's a matter of having amenities I wouldn't otherwise have, and/or having amenities that are convenient to me.
Well, if I didn't live in a community with a HOA I wouldn't have a variety of recreational amenities--that's for starters.
There are three city recreation centers within easy distance from my home. All three include a weight room, aerobics exercise machines, baseball/softball fields, and indoor basketball court. The first rec center (5 miles) includes 1 mile walking/jogging trail with exercise station and picnic area. The second rec center (7 miles) has an indoor heated pool that can be used for laps, water aerobics, and other uses for about $25 per month or $2 to $3 per day. The third is the city's central office rec center located in our major park. The park includes 1.25 mile walking/jogging trail with exercise stations, children's playground, pond with wild life (fish, ducks, geese, etc), outdoor basketball courts, tennis courts, handball courts, and picnic areas including BBQ pits. The rec center includes an outdoor swimming pool (free) but closes next week for the rest of the year. This rec center also has low cost yoga, aerobics, and martial arts classes. First home I grew up in was not an HOA but we had a pool. We set up our own pool and used it when we wanted it. A pool can be highly overrated. I lived in an apartment with a pool and used it maybe two or three days the entire time I lived there.
They are just another layer of government, a pseudo government if you will, but has the power to take your money, take your rights, and even more power to do as they damn well please than local governments such as city and county.
There are three city recreation centers within easy distance from my home. All three include a weight room, aerobics exercise machines, baseball/softball fields, and indoor basketball court. The first rec center (5 miles) includes 1 mile walking/jogging trail with exercise station and picnic area. The second rec center (7 miles) has an indoor heated pool that can be used for laps, water aerobics, and other uses for about $25 per month or $2 to $3 per day. The third is the city's central office rec center located in our major park. The park includes 1.25 mile walking/jogging trail with exercise stations, children's playground, pond with wild life (fish, ducks, geese, etc), outdoor basketball courts, tennis courts, handball courts, and picnic areas including BBQ pits. The rec center includes an outdoor swimming pool (free) but closes next week for the rest of the year. This rec center also has low cost yoga, aerobics, and martial arts classes. First home I grew up in was not an HOA but we had a pool. We set up our own pool and used it when we wanted it. A pool can be highly overrated. I lived in an apartment with a pool and used it maybe two or three days the entire time I lived there.
I don't live in a city, but an area that's suburban bordering on rural. I would have to drive to any amenities like you are talking about, and as I stated previously, the only public pool within 30+ minutes of me costs almost as much in annual membership as the HOA dues do. The public basketball courts are too far for kids to walk to. Say what you want about HOA's, but many provide excellent recreational opportunities that wouldn't otherwise exist for the residents.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
