HOA Fees in tampa bay

[algia]

$800 is insane! I would never pay that much. We used to have $759 a year and that was ridiculous coming from $120 a year!!!

Do you even get to choose what "cable/internet"? or is it whatever they give you?

Originally Posted by Stewabby

We live in Grand Hampton and in the area of the community we live in we pay about $800 quarterly in HOA fees. This covers lawn maintenance, the exercise room, the pools, the park, painting of our house every (3?) years, cable and internet.

[Stewabby]

Originally Posted by algia

$800 is insane! I would never pay that much. We used to have $759 a year and that was ridiculous coming from $120 a year!!!

Do you even get to choose what "cable/internet"? or is it whatever they give you?

It's Brighthouse. Considering we'd be paying about $100 a month in cable and internet otherwise and another $100 a month in lawncare I think it is very reasonable.

[gulfer]

I looked at the Grand Hampton when I first arrived down here. Almost bought in there, but I couldn't get the owner to drop the price to what I felt was the going rate. Prices were still falling gradually and I didn't want to be underwater a year after I bought. But the HOA was reasonable for the services you received. Definately a beautiful area.
2 months after we bought the home owner wanted to do whatever it took to make the deal. It just didn't work out for us.

[algia]

I think the Grand Hampton set up works for those who will truly use the amenities...my gym is $37 bucks! and we like FIOS better...do our own lawn...so sure, if you "know" you'll use those amenities then I guess it pays, but if you don't then its a waste of money.

[Sunnydee]

You are very wise to consider the additional fees before you buy a home. We researched for two years before we found a home that met our criteria and price point.

Our HOA fee pays for the maintenance of the common areas, the community building, and the pool. It's a yearly fee of under $500. Some of the other neighborhoods we looked at also had CDD, Community Development District, fees. The CDD communities had more amenities, but we had read some horror stories about runaway CDD fees and unfinished amenities, when the market crashed and people defaulted on their homes, so we didn't want to go there. It was a good choice for us because we kept our expenses down, didn't pay for amenities we wouldn't use, and have been able to choose our own cable service, etc. Plus, as others have indicated, areas without any kind of HOA were less attractive to us because we quickly noticed there always seemed to be at least one house with cars on blocks in the front yard, wild paint colors, or grass knee high, and we didn't want to deal with that. Do your research and you'll be fine. Best wishes.

[Tim Tim Tim]

Originally Posted by algia

The "monthly" fees are usually found in condo's.

If you buy a house in a subdivision your HOA fees can be paid yearly, (or quarterly), and it doesn't include anything but the "common areas" maintenance.

ONLY In a condo you get the fitness, cable, water etc.; in a community you do not get those things. In Cheval you have to be a club member to use the clubhouse for fitness, or the Golf course etc.

The HOA is usually managed by a company like Green Acres, or managed by the homeowners after the community is done being built. Some communities continue to use the management company because its easier than hire an accountant and keep it "HONEST".
The HOA fee is determined by the builder when the community is being built, and the fee itself has to do with how much maintenance will be needed to maintain the property looking good.

ALL that said, you can find homes in areas that do not have an HOA....however, most of the areas that do not have HOAs look like crap. I am not one for policing homeowners, but in some cases they need to be policed because they have no common sense, and don't understand how the "property value" works.

Here's a good example up north where we lived, the entire street was well maintained, and manicured without an HOA...the owner of the house we rented had no understanding of what a "homeowner" is, or should be, or should act like. Our yard was the worst, and while it was this homeowners responsibility to prune her trees (per the city code), this person had no intention of doing so, endangering the street, and pedestrian traffic; not to mention the overall "look" of the yard. If that area had an HOA, this person would have received quite a huge fine for allowing the front yard to look like that.

Also, the HOA should be the least of your concerns when buying a property; most communities in Tampa have CDDs (Community Development District) which adds $2000+ to your tax bill. Cheval is one of them...so, when you do speak with a realtor ask about that as well.

There are actually several new communities that have fitness centers, community pools and playgrounds etc.. Its not ONLY condos and townhouses that offer those sort of things. Price wise, it can actually be worth it for some. Just paying the quarterly or yearly fee and swim, play or workout at your own expense without having to maintain any of it yourself.

While I hate the idea of being told what I can and cant do and not being able to park my company vehicle at home (wont fit in garage) its nice to have the amenities and neighboring yards and homes looking decent.

[resdoftampa]

Stay away from HOAs or other , these orgs are preditory since they have been short for so long ..
Great houses are harder to find without HOA ,in a good hood ,and some can be worth ever penny ...
Beware HOA is not your friend