HOA Fees (Tamiami, Holmes Beach: condos, house, neighborhood)

[TamiamiTrailBlues]

I'm looking at some of these homes and they have HOA fees ranging from $3-$3000. Is this per month, or year? What does it cover?

[Vanwilder]

HOA fees do vary from development to development. It is very confusing if you have never dealt with them before. Your Realtor should help you get the exact costs nailed down before you look at a home to make sure it will be affordable for you. When you are looking at listings it usually does not state if the HOA fees are for a month, a quarter or year and thats where your confusion lyes.

I have found that HOA fees will range anywhere from $100 - $400 per month depending on what amenities your development may have.

These fee's are used to pay for the up-keep and utility's for the common grounds within your development such as Pool, Clubhouse, Tennis Courts etc. In many cases the fees will pay for lawn mowing and even your Cable TV in some community's. Also the costs of maintaining the exterior of your home such as paint and roof replacement on condos, town homes and villas.

The list can go on and on for what these fees will cover, so it is important that you ask a lot of questions while you are looking at homes. These are all questions that a good Realtor will be able to answer for you.

[TamiamiTrailBlues]

Thanks. I was looking into Palmer Ranch, but I sure don't want to pay any HOA fees. I can mow my own lawn, paint my own house, and clean my own pool, and I don't need a clubhouse.

I'm a member of a country club. Country music is what I love.

[photoman_6]

Be very careful. Many areas that would not seem to have an HOA actually do.
I was looking at a house in Beneva Pines and when I read the HOA documents backed out of the deal. Here's a two block area with no amenities whatsoever other than a sign on the main street and their regulations are very restrictive. For instance, they prohibited any sort of paved driveway or parking pad other than the existing driveway; no fences within 9 feet of a property line; any boats or rv vehicles had to be garaged ( how do you fit a boat and trailer in a garage?)and many others.
You also need to be very careful looking at the HOA's finances. What sort of expenses are they used for? How healthy are the reserves? What is the delinquency rate on paying the dues? All of these things could affect your pocketbook big time.
So make sure you read the HOA documents before you commit.

[smiledoc1]

Originally Posted by Vanwilder

HOA fees do vary from development to development. It is very confusing if you have never dealt with them before. Your Realtor should help you get the exact costs nailed down before you look at a home to make sure it will be affordable for you. When you are looking at listings it usually does not state if the HOA fees are for a month, a quarter or year and thats where your confusion lyes.

I have found that HOA fees will range anywhere from $100 - $400 per month depending on what amenities your development may have.

These fee's are used to pay for the up-keep and utility's for the common grounds within your development such as Pool, Clubhouse, Tennis Courts etc. In many cases the fees will pay for lawn mowing and even your Cable TV in some community's. Also the costs of maintaining the exterior of your home such as paint and roof replacement on condos, town homes and villas.

The list can go on and on for what these fees will cover, so it is important that you ask a lot of questions while you are looking at homes. These are all questions that a good Realtor will be able to answer for you.

We have a house here in Village Walk which is a subdivision within Palmer Ranch. Your description is perfect of HOA fees is perfect.

[Ladywithafan]

We bought a lot in Holmes Beach, North Point Harbor. The North Point Harbor sign sat on the west side of the property. Property came with condo documents even though it was all single family homes. It appeared that our lot did not look like it belonged in the community as to the way the sign was positioned & we were paying $2,500/quarter for HOA fees. This included the pool/tennis court, lawn care (not tree trimming, mind you, just grass mowing) & common areas in the road. When we built our home, we told them that if we were going to continue paying those kind of fees, it better look like we were part of the community. We had the sign moved to the middle of the road & eventually we cut the cost as no one liked paying the $2,500 to cut what little grass there really was......just read those documents & know what you're getting into...

[TamiamiTrailBlues]

I understand the protections an HOA can provide to a neighborhood, but monetarily, you should be able to elect whether or not you wish to pay for services or not, if you can do them yourself.

[FLBob]

Originally Posted by TamiamiTrailBlues

I understand the protections an HOA can provide to a neighborhood, but monetarily, you should be able to elect whether or not you wish to pay for services or not, if you can do them yourself.

If you don't want the amenities of a community with high HOA fees to cover the costs of those amenities. Look at deed restricted communities with optional HOA or a community with a mandatory HOA where the costs are only to maintain the common property.
When a community is gated with tennis and golf and pool and lush landscape and maintenance free living, the hoa fees need to cover the costs of all those amenities and all the residents need to pay so that the amenities can be maintained.

[BucFan]

be careful about CDD fees in addition to HOA fees - I think LR has CDD, doesn't it?

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by BucFan

be careful about CDD fees in addition to HOA fees - I think LR has CDD, doesn't it?

Yes, LWR does. Palmer Ranch does not.