HOA dues (Leesburg: HOA fees, insurance, condo)

[lovemy4kids]

Anyone know if $210 per month is too high for HOA dues: pool use, cable, internet, picnic access. What's the going rate in NOVA?

[EricD]

your HOA includes your internet? I've never heard of that...

Mine is $55 a month in Caroline, but that includes trash pickup twice per week, they maintain all of the common areas (parks, gardens, medians in the roads, plowing the roads if it snows, road repair), walking trails, and starting next year a community center with pool and all that stuff

So in short, to me $210 a month seems high... but I'm not in Northern VA either...

[5stones]

That seems extremely high!
I too I have never heard of cable and internet included??

We pay 35/month. Includes: trash and recycle P/U, lawn waste P/U(branches etc...) Pool,tennis courts and use of community bldg for a small fee. 3 playgrounds, snow removal, maintence of common grounds..grassy areas and the walking trails.

We live in Leesburg. Ours is low, we are LUCKY!! But the most we saw when looking was like 150 in TH in ashburn and that included the sports Pavillion membership. so it was worth it.

[Blacksburg1]

I pay $195 a month in SW Virginia. Which includes ALL exterior maintenance, water, septic, and insurance that covers the structure (log cabin) and a 2 million $ liability policy.

If you're getting cable/internet with all that, doesn't sound too outrageous.

[jb124]

Originally Posted by lovemy4kids

Anyone know if $210 per month is too high for HOA dues: pool use, cable, internet, picnic access. What's the going rate in NOVA?

If it includes pool, cable, and internet, that seems pretty fair. I assume you're talking about a townhouse, since condo fees are generally higher, depending on how close in you are. It probably also includes groundskeeping and trash/recycling too.

Odds are Insurance is a big part of the HOA fee. I know mine has gone up noticeably over the past few years and they tell us it's because insurance rates have skyrocketed since things like Hurricane Katrina. It's also possible they are funding some common area improvements or the reserves.

You are entitled to view the 'condo docs' which are required for any HOA in the state. They'll tell you exactly where the money is going. They should give you a copy of these docs to review before you are locked in to any purchase.

[HEATHER72]

Well you have to look at the HOA fees and compare them to what you are getting and what you are willing to and can pay a month.

We pay $157 a month for cable, internet, trash service, snow removal, access to the pool house, trails, parks, etc. Considering we had been paying $105 a month for the same cable & internet before, this isn't so bad. I'll gladly pay to have the piece of mind knowing that my neighbor can't paint his house bright pink and have umpteen broken down cars in the front lawn

[DavidS827]

Originally Posted by HEATHER72

...my neighbor can't paint his house bright pink and have umpteen broken down cars in the front lawn

For that reason alone, I will never live in a neighborhood without an HOA!

[lovemy4kids]

I'd say $157 is reasonable to prevent bright pink houses! Thanks.

[lovemy4kids]

It sounds like this is the going rate for HOA dues.