So are there actually neighborhoods without HOA's? (Houston, Sugar Land: top neighborhoods, for sale)

[Ellen Pitts]

We're considering a move from Raleigh, NC. Here, the new neighborhoods all have HOA's but many things built before the 80's don't. Also, restrictive covenants expire after 25 years unless the neighborhood gets a majority together to reinstate them. So there are plenty of options to choose from if you don't want an HOA.

Many of the non-HOA neighborhoods are actually very popular and some are in the top neighborhoods for maintaining and increasing property value. We have a lot of artsy type people here and the good unrestricted neighborhoods are usually inhabited by these who enjoy gardening (and balk at the restrictions placed on it by HOA's), and many keep chickens. Pride of ownership really shows. Is it really true that the majority in Houston only take care of their properties if they are forced to? We have an annual tour d' coop when people open up their yard to others interested in urban homesteading. It's a city-wide thing and really popular. Tour d'Coop Henside the Beltline (http://www.kalmialandscapedesign.com/tourdcoop.htm - broken link)

But from what I'm reading about the HOA's, the Houston area isn't very with the times in this aspect. Local food and urban homesteading are a huge thing in many areas of the country. Is it really as hard to find properties where this will be possible? We are planning to live in the Spring area if dh get's this job. We would like a neighborhood where neighbors are friendly but the laws are relaxed and people still care about there homes anyway. Does this exist?

[modster]

Originally Posted by pegotty

We're considering a move from Raleigh, NC. Here, the new neighborhoods all have HOA's but many things built before the 80's don't. Also, restrictive covenants expire after 25 years unless the neighborhood gets a majority together to reinstate them. So there are plenty of options to choose from if you don't want an HOA.

Many of the non-HOA neighborhoods are actually very popular and some are in the top neighborhoods for maintaining and increasing property value. We have a lot of artsy type people here and the good unrestricted neighborhoods are usually inhabited by these who enjoy gardening (and balk at the restrictions placed on it by HOA's), and many keep chickens. Pride of ownership really shows. Is it really true that the majority in Houston only take care of their properties if they are forced to? We have an annual tour d' coop when people open up their yard to others interested in urban homesteading. It's a city-wide thing and really popular. Tour d'Coop Henside the Beltline (http://www.kalmialandscapedesign.com/tourdcoop.htm - broken link)

But from what I'm reading about the HOA's, the Houston area isn't very with the times in this aspect. Local food and urban homesteading are a huge thing in many areas of the country. Is it really as hard to find properties where this will be possible? We are planning to live in the Spring area if dh get's this job. We would like a neighborhood where neighbors are friendly but the laws are relaxed and people still care about there homes anyway. Does this exist?

Honestly, not so much. What happens in the further out areas is they go trashy and in the urban areas the houses get torn down and every tree scraped off the lot and townhomes and concrete put in place of them.

[ToyYot]

Hmmm...would prefer not to live next to chickens, HOA all the way for me.

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by pegotty

We're considering a move from Raleigh, NC. Here, the new neighborhoods all have HOA's but many things built before the 80's don't. Also, restrictive covenants expire after 25 years unless the neighborhood gets a majority together to reinstate them. So there are plenty of options to choose from if you don't want an HOA.

Many of the non-HOA neighborhoods are actually very popular and some are in the top neighborhoods for maintaining and increasing property value. We have a lot of artsy type people here and the good unrestricted neighborhoods are usually inhabited by these who enjoy gardening (and balk at the restrictions placed on it by HOA's), and many keep chickens. Pride of ownership really shows. Is it really true that the majority in Houston only take care of their properties if they are forced to? We have an annual tour d' coop when people open up their yard to others interested in urban homesteading. It's a city-wide thing and really popular. Tour d'Coop Henside the Beltline (http://www.kalmialandscapedesign.com/tourdcoop.htm - broken link)

But from what I'm reading about the HOA's, the Houston area isn't very with the times in this aspect. Local food and urban homesteading are a huge thing in many areas of the country. Is it really as hard to find properties where this will be possible? We are planning to live in the Spring area if dh get's this job. We would like a neighborhood where neighbors are friendly but the laws are relaxed and people still care about there homes anyway. Does this exist?

This is not North Carolina. Unless you adapt your mindset, your relocation will not be successful (I've moved all over; if you continually compare your new location to your old one, you will hate it, as I hated Nashville).

Not too many places in Houston where you can keep chickens in town. (Nobody messes with the voodooiennes in the Fifth Ward...).

This is a big city. It acts like one.

Because there is no zoning here, most of the subdivisions are within deed-restricted HOA's. The older neighborhoods are either very expensive (River Oaks), "yuppified" (Rice-Military/Montrose), "transitional" (east of downtown), or "inner-city" (Fifth Ward, S.E. Houston).

BTW, I don't want my neighbors keeping chickens, either.

[modster]

I am not 100% sure, but I think there may be some city ordinances against keeping chickens. I could be wrong about that.

Garden Villas has really large lots and a civic club with some level of restrictions, but nothing as all-encompassing as the newer HOA ones.

[nana053]

I found a few. I am sure you can find more.

In Spring

Results Realty Buzz: No deed restrictions and no HOA in Spring TX!!


In Pearland

2125 Alexander Ln, Pearland, TX 77581 - HAR.com

1108 Breckonridge Cir, Pearland TX 77581 Home for Sale - Yahoo! Real Estate (http://realestate.yahoo.com/Texas/Pearland/1108-breckonridge-cir:b5756759c8e47b537d890677e75c91b - broken link)

In Sugarland

Connie Chan, REALTOR® - Sugar Land, TX 77479 with Fort Bend Homes

In Houston

24211 Hard Wood Dr, Houston, TX 77336 - HAR.com

[Ellen Pitts]

All you chicken haters, do you understand what we're talking about? Not a big chicken farm or anything. Just a few birds, much less messy and stinky than your average dog. Here are some pics of a nice urban designed coop: Catawba ConvertiCoops offers chicken coop plans, kits, and coops

I know that there will be benefits and drawbacks about different areas. I have lived in South Florida (both east and west coast), NoVa, Charlottesville, VA, Denver CO and Raleigh, NC. There are great things about all those places. But we all have things that rank very high on our list of how important they are in our lives. For me, knowing where my food comes from is at the top of the list. Weather, fun activities, restaurants and the like are not things that touch our conscience when we make decisions about them. For me, food is a moral issue and therefore, my feelings about it don't change based on my location.

Thanks for all the input!

[crone]

Spring is a wide spot in the road east of I 45. The Spring area covers many square miles. Depends on where you can find about 1/4 acre, but there are tons of places where you can have chickens. There are cows and horses all over the place. Debbie Riddle, the state rep has a home with horses on the place. She gets a big tax break because her land is agricultural. Lyle Lovett's mom's place is many acres on Spring Cypress road. You just need to get here before Exxon gobbles it all up. I'm on your wave length regarding knowing what I'm eating. My momma raised chickens in the middle of Laguna Beach Ca. There are a few real estate agents on this forum who work Spring. They help you find a place.

[Backspace]

Originally Posted by crone

Spring is a wide spot in the road east of I 45. The Spring area covers many square miles. Depends on where you can find about 1/4 acre, but there are tons of places where you can have chickens. There are cows and horses all over the place. Debbie Riddle, the state rep has a home with horses on the place. She gets a big tax break because her land is agricultural. Lyle Lovett's mom's place is many acres on Spring Cypress road. You just need to get here before Exxon gobbles it all up. I'm on your wave length regarding knowing what I'm eating. My momma raised chickens in the middle of Laguna Beach Ca. There are a few real estate agents on this forum who work Spring. They help you find a place.

I own a home in Spring which is 6 miles West of I45, Spring is huge and not just East of 45. I live in Conroe and we live on 4 acres of land, we have 13 laying hens which provide enough eggs for the entire street, a few of my neighbors have other things which we share so we already have fresh eggs, corn, potatoes, tomatoes and even avocados around the house.

[fnh]

Just outside of our HOA-restricted, no-chicken neighborhood is an older neighborhood whose HOA does allow a small number of chickens. We are in northwest Houston inside the beltway. The homes there are older but well-kept, and my near-neighbor in this adjacent neighborhood told me that her HOA simply asked her to get rid of the rooster. I was surprised because I never heard it, and we are within shouting distance. I do prefer having an HOA b/c the homes remain better tended over time, but I'm sure you will find one that allows small numbers of poultry fowl in the patchwork that is Houston. It would be fun and educational to raise chickens. I wish our neighborhood allowed it.