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God forbid you'd have to live someplace with an HOA!! Run...run for your lives!!!
It is getting harder and harder to find a home not in an HOA no matter what state you live in. My HOA just decided that as of Aug. 1, no one can have For Sale signs. First offense is a $100 fine..you get 10 days and then another $100 and so on. I am tired of it all..I don't need the added expense of the fees either. I can understand an HOA saying no junk cars in the driveway, keep your lawn looking nice and don't let the house get run down but these HOA's get power hungry and try to control everything. I guess if you have children and want access to a pool, you don't have much choice.
God forbid you'd have to live someplace with an HOA!! Run...run for your lives!!!
Ha Ha Ha!
Seriously, you can hope that maybe they will put up xmas lights in common areas (check your HOA covenants to be sure that you are allowed to put them on your home!). I wouldn't expect them to organize block parties or other events without calling for special assessments to cover it.
We don't like HOAs either. Too many problems with them not doing their job.
OP, it depends on the neighborhood you live in. Some of them do have organized block parties, etc, and some don't. I would say the newer and more upscale the n'hood, the more likely you are to have more parties and organized neighborhood events.
I live in Jersey (born and raised) and I don't believe HOAs are prevalent here. Having been in the military, I've lived in several other states and never came across them before until searching for housing in NC. Every realtor I have contacted thought my request odd when I said, "No HOAs." And even after saying so, one realtor sent me 25 pages of listings, all housing with HOAs.
To me they represent loss of freedom and added fees. On the other hand, I see how they can be beneficial, especially for newly relocated families with young children (and we fall into this category). I am more against them than my fiancee. I've read nightmarish news articles about HOAs run amok. Life is complicated enough without an outside force dictating what I can and cannot do on my own property. To me, that's the whole point of buying a house, having an HOA would remind me too much of apartment living. But again, I understand why others gravitate toward HOAs. Different strokes ...
I think few people understand the possible consequences of living with a HOA. Relationships with neighbors can be strained under general circumstances but enter an HOA, and the rights of the homeowner can be trampled upon. I simply don't want my neighbors being able to exercise the right to fine me, or in extreme cases, foreclose on my property.
Granted, I am not interested in painting my home neon green. Nor are we the type of people to blast music through the night but, I want to retain as much control as possible over my privately owned property. Isn't that the point of homeownership?
Who runs the HOA? Is is the people who live there? Who sets the fees and determines if they get raised, is there a vote?
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