Villages at Western Oaks HOA (San Antonio, Austin: foreclosures, rental homes, how much)

[LookingatFL]

Hi Everyone,

We are thinking of purchasing a home off of Beckett near the park. It is in The Village at Western Oaks HOA. I am reading the deed restrictions and HOA rules.

I'm a bit concerned over all of the regulations. Can anyone tell me if this HOA is very gung-ho or are they more relaxed with a live and let live attitude. We aren't the type of people to park junk cars in our yard, but I am also not the type of person who wants people measuring my grass or objecting to my planing a flower, or being really concerned with whether or not my garbage is at the curb 5 minutes early.

Thank you for your help.

[RoadWarrior12]

I think there's a couple regulars in the forum that live there, so you might get some meaningful responses. I'd still recommend talking to a couple of neighbors to round out the data set though.

[Trainwreck20]

We live in VAWO, and I suppose it can vary a lot by where you live (i.e. is you neighbor is a self-proclaimed HOA enforcer), but I wouldn't even know there was an HOA if they didn't put up meeting signs every other month. The requirements are pretty normal 'baseline' HOA reqs. - garbage cans out of sight, get arch committee approval for construction, don't let your grass die/grow too high, etc. The bulk of the restrictions apply to new construction, which is a moot point now.

The only action that I personally know of related to the HOA is when the guy next to us was selling his house, and the neighbor on the other side of him had left the country for the summer and his yard had turned to dirt. He complained, and the HOA sent out a letter and the owner had to make the yard look better. I have heard that there is at least one 'complainer' a couple streets over, but don't know anything about it personally.

We have done some major landscaping and did not bother to get approval (not sure if we 'needed' it or not), and most people take garbage out the day before garbage day (out Sunday for Monday pickup), and take them in when they get home from work Monday; however, many people put them out early (Friday, maybe) when the go out for the weekend, or pick them up a day late on rare occasion. I have never heard of it being an issue.

Oh, you get what you pay for - the fees are ~$200/yr.

[LookingatFL]

Thank you Trainwreck20. That makes me feel better. I've been reading the HOA docs which only say get ARC approval for just about every category. I keep wondering what ARC uses to make their decisions and whether or not it is difficult to get approval. You have put my concerns to rest.

Our HOA is the same $180 per year, so I wasn't expecting much... I just didn't want trouble down the road.

[hillcountryheart]

I have to say - it's your neighbors who determine how much trouble you have with any HOA. The stronger the rules, the more rope they have to hang you with; but if you get a neighbor from hell, good luck.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by LookingatFL

Hi Everyone,

We are thinking of purchasing a home off of Beckett near the park. It is in The Village at Western Oaks HOA. I am reading the deed restrictions and HOA rules.

I'm a bit concerned over all of the regulations. Can anyone tell me if this HOA is very gung-ho or are they more relaxed with a live and let live attitude. We aren't the type of people to park junk cars in our yard, but I am also not the type of person who wants people measuring my grass or objecting to my planing a flower, or being really concerned with whether or not my garbage is at the curb 5 minutes early.

Thank you for your help.

I just moved to VAWO, and I also manage several rental homes in the neighborhood. We've never had any trouble with the HOA.

[LookingatFL]

Thank you Austin-Steve.

I also drove the neighborhood and asked residents who I saw outside and received a good report. That puts my mind at rest. I really appreciate that they took the time to answer my questions.

[Teddiegough]

I read the replies to your question about your neighborhood HOA CC&R governing documents enforcement. And it sounds like your HOA Board is good and reasonable.

However, one point: you are always one vote away from an living in HOA hell.

Case in point: the San Antonio townhome community I live in.

A new board president was put in office in 2010 (seemed like a nice, normal person). However, the 1st thing she did was write 14 pages of Rules & Regulations (R&Rs) (not authorized under the CC&Rs), about everything from pets to garbage to parking, to garage sales, to emergency maintenance, to pool use, to club house use, etc, etc, etc---. after over 40 years of living perfectly well without R&Rs.

Then the next 2 presidents decided they wanted to start fining (also not authorized under the CC&Rs).

As just an example of how draconian and silly this has become, all 72 townhome residents were told in the last newsletter that their front door colors must be one of 4 colors chosen by the architectural committee. Now the Board has not painted or replaced the front doors in over 40 years (Board responsibility---monthly maintenance assessments are 400.00, plus special assessments). Over the past 40 years most of the residents have either painted or replaced their front doors. But now residents will be fined for having "non-complying doors".

Even though fines are NOT authorized in the CC&Rs and R&Rs are NOT authorized in the CC&Rs, the Board is going ahead with fining. And in Texas, there is nothing you can do about it except sue---which is very expensive.

(Incidentally, the same time that R&Rs & fines were initiated, the Board hired a one the largest Community Association Institute (CAI) law firms in Texas. The CAI is a trade organization for HOA attorneys and management companies. Also, this particular CAI law firm handled around 10% of all HOA foreclosures in Harris County from 1985 to 2007.

PS. Now we are reminded in our "neighborly" newsletter that we cannot put a flower pots outside our doors without asking for the Board's permission first.

So bottom line advise---don't buy into an HOA!

[G Grasshopper]

I have no doubt that the above can happen, especially in a smaller development. But Western Oaks, Circle C, etc. have a long track record of reasonableness. They are large organizations and large communities who are in not as much danger of one person ruining it all. I know there are people who participate on CD and have had terrible experiences with HOAs. They have a right to their opinions. But there are lots of people who live perfectly well in HOA communities and never have any problems. I think you are doing the right thing by asking residents about their experience; they are the ones who would know.

[hillcountryheart]

Circle C reasonable? You jest. It's down to your neighbor. If they complain, you get harassed by the HOA constantly.