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Old 12-29-2006, 01:11 PM
 
30 posts, read 203,815 times
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I wanted to get some input from people in the suburbs on their actual experiences with Homeowner Associations. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
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Old 02-02-2009, 02:46 PM
 
33 posts, read 132,523 times
Reputation: 23
Angry Input first hand

Quote:
Originally Posted by dallasnative View Post
I wanted to get some input from people in the suburbs on their actual experiences with Homeowner Associations. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

I live in a gated community, mind you the community does not have a complete gate all the way around, people can walk in. The people in the office that you pay for their salaries with your dues treat you like crap, they talk down to you or tell you if you don't like it you can leave, obviously not everyone has that option. I believe I have seen your posts else where, how is this for association, outrageous sewer fees that is making people walk away from their houses. The association says they have nothing to do with the fees, the water company says its the association, the alderman and states attorney says the two are privately owned and there is nothing they can do. 1 homeowner has not had water in 14 months the water was cut off 14 months ago not in use but still charged $75 per month since. now bill is $2900 can't fell on tough times and can't afford to catch up, water company will not work with him to pay it off. Another homeowner had water shut off and on the same day DCFS was called because her kids were sleeping in the living room and had no running water, this was called in by the meter reader of the water company, but the water company is still in business. Nothing can be done because it is a privately owned company.
Rules are changed as they go so what you sign when you move in is changed every few months and your never given an updated copy, Board members get preferential treatment, they can have fences decks around their pool etc... they are considered grand fathered in even though it states no fences, even if your were here the same amount of time this does not apply to the homeowner. They spend your association money and tell you what it is applied to in their newspaper, but no proof of what they actually spent it on just what they want you toee , they provide amenities but the homeowner has to pay for all of them there are no perks to the homeowner for living there, even though they recieve $125k per month on dues this is calculated per house for 12 months. You can vote or fill out surveys, but again they sugar coat them and post in the newspaper what a positive feed back they got, when many homeowners did not have alot of good things to say. They ask you to vote and give them your ideas but if the board does not want change, everything goes the way they want it to go.
Your dues pay their salary and homeowners benefit how. I can keep going on and on. Homeowners have no rights with privately owned associations.
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Old 02-02-2009, 03:25 PM
 
6,686 posts, read 13,898,454 times
Reputation: 5592
HOA's can run from being very good to very bad. In some cases they are run with zero tolerance outside the rules. In some cases they are very helpfull and let common sense be the overiding factor. In most cases they serve a very good function for the overall look of the community. Just know that when things bad it can snowball in a hurry. Just make sure you read, understand and be willing to abide by what is in the bylaws. Once you move in you can't change them to meet your need.
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Old 02-02-2009, 03:31 PM
 
Location: Aurora, CO
8,590 posts, read 14,749,848 times
Reputation: 15338
People love to complain about their HOA but they always forget that:

a) the HOA bylaws and covenant are provided at the time the house is sold and all the rules & regs along with the amount of the dues are there for you to read. If you don't like them don't buy the house

- becase -

b) nobody forces you at gunpoint to buy in a particular neighborhood, but if they have an HOA, you're legally obligated to abide by the rules once you do.

It's a case of caveat emptor.
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Old 02-02-2009, 03:37 PM
 
Location: A little suburb of Houston
3,702 posts, read 18,148,775 times
Reputation: 2090
My favorite experience was when the local HOA snoop went into my parent's back yard to see what was under a tarp (it was a classic car). The snoop got bit by the dog though not too badly. The snoop ended up sending a letter about the car being stored (more on that in a minute) and called animal control and tried to file a lawsuit about the dog. Animal control did nothing as the dog was vaccinated and defending property. My parents called the police and filed trespassing charges against the snoop which did in his lawsuit for damages. About the car...it was registered, insured, and still runs to this day. My parents protested the letter by quoting the HOA's own rules back at them. The rules allow a vehicle or boat to be stored behind the fence as long as it is registered and runs. The HOA dismissed the issue.
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Old 02-17-2009, 11:45 PM
 
33 posts, read 132,523 times
Reputation: 23
Default untrue

So not true.....
Everything is not always black and white as the bylaws I signed at the time of moving in is not the same as proclaimed now, they change the rules on a monthly basis or when ever they feel like it. as they seem to make rules as they go.

homeowners have not recieved an updated versions of their bylaws nor have they signed anything new since moving in.

I even had a lawyer look at the rules and regs when I moved in and that they basically say nothing was written in total detail, it was more like read between the lines. they don't tell you everything, but that which you want to hear so you purchase in their wonderful community, then you realize it isn't what you originally signed up for and then are stuck. I don't mind keeping up the property as everyone should. First of all there is no outlet that helps homeowners in this association when their rights feel violated as a result of abuse of power and they can do what ever they want. they are private companies and the government needs to regulate what they are able to do because so far they feel they are above the law and certainly agreed that they get away with way more than they should.

When you purchase for the first time and look into what you feel is everything but then realize they didn't disclose everything then what...i'll tell you what... your stuck. I wish I would have seen this site before I moved in because it is straight from the people who live in the community not the association that wants the dues to keep it running and to pay their salaries. Notice how their newspapers and websites only state wonderful things and not how it truely is.

And yes I will complain, because when you abide by the rules they decide to change the rules on a wim. The perfect scam.
This is not a town house community it is suppose to be single family homes non rentals, but they allow people to purchase 9 houses and rent them to hoodlums and the home owners have to deal with the ramifications, or allow some to have fences and not others and then come up with a grandfather clause but does not pertain to people that have lived here for the same amount of time, what is good for one is good for all. But they get away with it. this is what I do not agree with.
There are so many issues and to many to list. I am sure some associations are legit and care about the homeowners but this association does what they want and votes by homeowners mean nothing.

They continue with a bad reputation and do nothing to change it.
it seems since the pitfall of forclosures has befallen candlewick lake the tickitable offences seem to have risen as well...hmmm less people but more tickets..do the math, it's not horribly difficult. But if choose to close a blind eye to the obvious that is your perrogative and i admire your "ignorance is bliss" cavalier attitude but i will choose to make my neighborhood a true "neighbor" hood and not a business enterprise you seem to think were better off with.

good evening
enjoy your contribution to "The Association"
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Old 02-18-2009, 12:22 AM
 
Location: Purgatory (A.K.A. Dallas, Texas)
5,007 posts, read 15,352,552 times
Reputation: 2463
I was absolutely against an HOA, period. However, my wife fell in love with a property that I really liked as well, that happened to be in an master-planned, heavy-duty HOA community.


Haven't had any problems so far. The rules are pretty clear and simple, and from people I've talked to, the HOA people are not rude or unfair, they just want to enforce a uniform standard for things to make sure it looks nice. I will say this, the grounds and properties are extremely well-kept, driving in looks very nice and inviting, and there are no cars / boats / RV's parked on the streets, no trash in front of houses, etc.

I ended up dealing with the HOA because I could see a tangible benefit in how well-kept everything is. Some places we looked had an HOA and yet, everything was unkempt and styles ran willy-nilly.

I don't know that I would buy another house in an HOA-run area, unless it was like where I currently live, and you can see what your monthly dues are going towards.
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Old 10-26-2010, 10:42 AM
 
1 posts, read 3,259 times
Reputation: 11
I just moved into an HOA Gated Condo Community and let me tell you the HOA there sux!!!!
As other's have mentioned the HOA benefits the HoA members not the community. Yes! we have a nice lawn, decent pool area with a gas grill, security 24/7. The Security basically lean against tenant cars, walk when needed, look into your apts with flashlights or into your cars with flashlight. The President of ours has had her registration tags out since Sept, got a ticket, but it's still parked in her carport without being current...does she get towed...of course not. Then the secretary of the HOA has a run in with a former board member and now he's taken over my carport by voting to have it reassigned, because he scared of the tenant he pissed off and has to have a camera on his truck at all times....Ridiculous!!!!!
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Old 10-26-2010, 06:10 PM
 
247 posts, read 563,838 times
Reputation: 190
In general, they are good. They keep the community looking good and looking "the same" pretty much all the time.

Some HOA's are more rigid than others - typically in the more expensive communities they are tougher. Like it made the news a few years ago that an HOA in Frisco or somewhere around there wouldn't allow a new "standard" pickup truck to be parked in the community, but they would allow luxury SUVs and luxury trucks (the Lincoln Blackwood is the only one of those to my knowledge). That is getting a little picky if you ask me.

However some are very good. You don't want neighbors leaving cars up on blocks, painting their house pink, not mowing their yard or storing appliances on their front porch - basically things that will lower your property value. An HOA will usually stop those problems.

Some people like the freedom to do whatever they want with their property, and if that's how you are, then you should probably avoid an HOA community. But if you want to keep your house 'to the most part' the same way on the outside from now on, as the day you bought it, then you will probably enjoy an HOA controlled community.

I personally think they're great.
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Old 10-26-2010, 07:57 PM
dgz
 
806 posts, read 3,381,397 times
Reputation: 705
I don't like my HOA either. I pay them $500 year and I don't feel like I'm getting anything from them. We have a gate and there's a community pool. If you have kids and you don't have a pool, then the community pool is probably worth something. But I've only received aggravation from HOA so far. My friends have difficulty using the gate. I've complained about it. Additionally, there was a little clump of grass that grew slightly over my curb and they sent me a 'notice' about it. The next step would've been a fine. And one disturbing things about HOAs in Texas... If for some reason, you don't pay your HOA fee, they can start foreclosure proceedings against your house. Yes, these people can do absolutely nothing all year other than take your fee, and yet they can go over your private property even if you've put a ton of equity down on it. There was a story just about a year ago about this happening to an vet who was in Iraq and his wife either forgot to make the HOA payment or whatever... and the HOA was trying to foreclose on his house. Fortunately, this caught the attention of the local media, and I think the HOA backed off. Unfortunately, I really wanted the house and the yard, and it's close to my office; so I couldn't find something similar that didn't have an HOA and a gate attached to it.
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