What is a PUD? (Austin, Round Rock: sales, real estate, HOA)

[springbean]

I know what a mud is, we live in one, unfortunately. I've seen some neighborhoods in a pud, is that similar to a mud?


Thanks

[jread]

Planned Unit Development - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[springbean]

Is it a taxing unit? I've also seen a pud as meaning "public utility district", is that different? Are taxes as high in a mud as a pud?

thx

[Rose Red]

My friend noticed when she came to visit that there are so many PUD's or subdivisions in Round Rock. I wonder why that is?

[centralaustinite]

I'm pretty sure around Austin it is a public utility district. It occurs when the subdivision is built outside of current city limits and utility area.

[FalconheadWest]

It depends on how the word is used in a sentence.

If you buy a property and notice at closing that you're signed a piece of paper that is a PUD rider, it's a Planned Unit Dev meaning there is an HOA, and they attached this rider so you know and understand you live within their rules.

If the sentence deals with utilities, it's Private Utility District.

You need to get further information.

[brad-NC]

planned unit development (HOA)

[HPC4500]

How do you eliminate a PUD in the City of Austin?

[mpunfun]

If you purchase a home, you are required to be given certain information, but sometimes it ends up missing from your closing documents because you have an inept real estate agent or a bad title company or the entity itself is not upfront and ethical or remotely interested in INFORMING a homeowner exactly what they are getting themselves into. Recently, one of my neighbors bought a house in our subdivision. She specifically told her realtor AND the seller's realtor that she did NOT want to purchase a house with an HOA or anything even resembling an HOA. She was assured at closing, that there WAS nothing of the sort. She WAS given a PUD but was told that it "means you are not in an HOA." The HOA section in her closing statement was crossed out AND she received no Notice to Purchaser that she was in a TAXING district. She also did not receive any deed restrictions attached to her closing documents. Shortly after moving in, she made some improvements to her landscaping and added a landscape fence. She was SUED. The case is now in court, pending trial. Be careful and make sure you understand everything you are signing and be especially certain that if you are in a taxing district, political subdivision, or a Limited District that you know EXACTLY what that means. The limited district has no obligation (apparently) to inform you of anything. Your realtor apparently does not have to make sure you know you are in a deed restricted community and I suppose a Title Company doesn't REALLY have to attach anything that clearly states all obligations attached to your title. They ALL get paid to do their job, regardless of whether or not they actually do it.

[IC_deLight]

Originally Posted by mpunfun

If you purchase a home, you are required to be given certain information, but sometimes it ends up missing from your closing documents because you have an inept real estate agent or a bad title company or the entity itself is not upfront and ethical or remotely interested in INFORMING a homeowner exactly what they are getting themselves into. Recently, one of my neighbors bought a house in our subdivision. She specifically told her realtor AND the seller's realtor that she did NOT want to purchase a house with an HOA or anything even resembling an HOA. She was assured at closing, that there WAS nothing of the sort. She WAS given a PUD but was told that it "means you are not in an HOA." The HOA section in her closing statement was crossed out AND she received no Notice to Purchaser that she was in a TAXING district. She also did not receive any deed restrictions attached to her closing documents. Shortly after moving in, she made some improvements to her landscaping and added a landscape fence. She was SUED. The case is now in court, pending trial. Be careful and make sure you understand everything you are signing and be especially certain that if you are in a taxing district, political subdivision, or a Limited District that you know EXACTLY what that means. The limited district has no obligation (apparently) to inform you of anything. Your realtor apparently does not have to make sure you know you are in a deed restricted community and I suppose a Title Company doesn't REALLY have to attach anything that clearly states all obligations attached to your title. They ALL get paid to do their job, regardless of whether or not they actually do it.

That's because the real estate agent, broker, title company, etc. all want to "make the deal happen". That's how they are paid. see, e.g., Chapter 3 of theHOAprimer


HOAs are a wonderful racket for the typical real estate sales person who will usually suggest that you should "move if you don't like it". Never mind of course that this will generate two more commissions for the industry at your expense, etc. The real estate agents want you to focus solely on "appearance" without regard to the legal entanglement which is not easily seen. Sometimes as in the case you described, the sellers will seek to actively conceal the existence of the HOA corporation or the liability that the HOA creates. They'll also tell you (falsely) that HOAs "preserve property values". Ha ha. One of the biggest frauds in real estate.

They aren't particularly interested in obtaining the restrictive covenants so that a buyer could actually make an informed decision. The title company will likely only provide a title commitment that i) specifically excepts restrictive covenants and ii) provides only references to where restrictive covenants might be found in the public records rather than actual copies of them. HOAs are not "districts" nor are they political subdivisions of the state. They are corporations that burden your property with perpetual liens that can never be paid off and involuntary membership. If membership was such a great thing it wouldn't be involuntary.