What do HOA's do? (insurance, condo, townhomes)

[AJ1972]

I know every subdivision will differ.
However, places like Avonlea Crossing, etc.
Do they usually cover lawn service to your front lawn, etc.
What is covered? I'm new to this, and I'm sure it's different up there.
Thanks.

[OhioNative]

In a single family subdivision, it generally covers maintenance and upkeep of the swim/tennis and clubhouse areas, landscaping of shared areas, such as the landscape around entrance signs, and often payment to a management company for enforcement of coveneants (such as painting houses unapproved colors, poorly maintained landscape, cars parked on the street overnight, etc). Our subdivision also sometimes hires an off duty cop for extra patrols around the pool and clubhouse area as a deterrent.

[AJ1972]

Ok, thank you.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by OhioNative

In a single family subdivision, it generally covers maintenance and upkeep of the swim/tennis and clubhouse areas, landscaping of shared areas, such as the landscape around entrance signs, and often payment to a management company for enforcement of coveneants (such as painting houses unapproved colors, poorly maintained landscape, cars parked on the street overnight, etc). Our subdivision also sometimes hires an off duty cop for extra patrols around the pool and clubhouse area as a deterrent.

Your first sentence matches up with our HOA almost precisely. They also maintain a playground by the tennis courts for the kiddies.

For townhomes, an HOA can cover a lot more, but you also pay more for the privilege. For example, the HOA we were members of up in the Twin Cities was far more expensive than the single-family home one down here (the HOA dues were roughly $180/month versus $500/year), but they mowed all of the lawns and did all of the landscaping, maintained the private streets, driveways, and sidewalks including snow removal, and maintained the siding and roofs as well as other defined external elements of the buildings.

It can vary a lot even in single-family subdivisions.

[cityrover]

They send you angry letters that you just throw straigth in the garbage.

[AJ1972]

Oh you have NO idea what we deal with in South Florida. We call them condo commando's. First off, we pay $325 per month, and on top of that there are barely ever votes on assessments. They just assess and you pay. You don't pay, you're in big trouble. Boy do they love to assess too. "Oh, I think we should fix a sidewalk that loks totally fine. Lets assess everyone to pay like $900 for it."

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by cityrover

They send you angry letters that you just throw straigth in the garbage.

Most HOAs can take legal action to enforce the covenants that you agreed to as a homeowner by signing the contract when you moved into the neighborhood. Assuming they are properly organized.

Of course, a well-organized HOA is also unlikely to write an angry letter.

[GeorgiaTransplant]

Totally depends on the intent and the funding of the HOA. The more money people pay into it, the more they expect.

Some are extremely active and restrictive-policing if you put your garbage can out in sight, whether someone put up an unauthorized structure (one not run by the architectural committee), funding community area upkeep, playgrounds, and generally trying to keep the exteriors looking similar and harmonious. I lived in one like that in the Northwest-quite restrictive to the point they filed a lawsuit against a neighbor who simply had a contractor begin building an addition that had not been cleared with the architectural association (it would have been a siding completely dissimilar to anything else in the neighborhood). These are the ones that usually get out of control IF they are going to get out of control.

Some are not much more than an insurance and upkeep type association. Lived in one like that which basically banked money to repave the private roads every 10-15 years and hire some guys to mow and weed the common areas.

Everyone has a horror story about the active and restrictive ones-but in all fairness, those types of HOAs DO tend to ensure you don't get a neighbor who thinks painting their white brick house exterior shocking pink with an interior paint from a spray can and starting an old car collection on their front lawn is a great plan.

[cityrover]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

Most HOAs can take legal action to enforce the covenants that you agreed to as a homeowner by signing the contract when you moved into the neighborhood. Assuming they are properly organized.

Of course, a well-organized HOA is also unlikely to write an angry letter.

In super extreme cases of course.. but the usual bi weekly "weed your lawn" notices are just so that some dweeb in an office can feel important.. what are the called now.. "covenant enforcement SPECIALIST"

i almost had a heart attack from laughing when the saw the title of the yet next "agent". They get fired every 2 months so every time a new one comes they send a barrage of letters to show who's who.

Straight to trash, dont even read them.

The more attention you pay to them to more power you give them and the more harassment you will receive. Period

[KevK]

It depends on the HOA. Some of them do nothing but hire a property management company that takes care of the property and collects dues and fines. Others, such as mine, actually run and manage the day to day operations of the community by contracting out landscaping of the common areas and maintenance of the pool and tennis courts.
Occassionaly we have to issue violation notices of the covenants and rules but most of the time a friendly chat will get the job done or find out why it cannot get done (such as a resident that has a broken lawn mower not regurlarly keeping his lawn cut) and you work with the person to come to a solution.
I would not call the letters "angry" but they are matter-of-fact and point out the fact that you agreed to abide by the CCRs when you moved in.