Best place for homes without HOA fees? (Glendale: house, neighborhood)

[pandaundercover]

Originally Posted by Low slow

Thanks Ponderosa, I'll look at those areas. I am not totally against a HOA, it just depends on the cost and how restrictive it is. I've looked at the CC&Rs for some of them though and wow, are they restrictive -- it'd remind me of living in military housing again with all those restrictions! Besdies, I don't see the sense in paying $65-85 a month for "amenities" that we will probably not use since we will have our own pool and workout room. We can sell the motorhome I suppose...

Ha. Our HoA does not cover 'amenities' like that and it's pretty high. It was advertised as only $47 a month, but as soon as we were signing the 200 page 'you bought your home' documents, it was more specifically stated that the HoA was actually $97. Apparently, here in Surprise Farms 2, there is $50 going towards "HoA insurance".. just IN CASE I happen to TRIP on the sidewalk and break my leg, I guess that "insurance" will pay for my tripping. (Doubt it would work that simply though). Then the other $47 pretty much just covers the cost of front yard/community landscaping and the parks... I seriously don't think it covers anything else. If we had a community pool, I'd be pretty excited and feel the cost is more justified, but no, we don't. So, seriously, I think we just live in era will everything is taking our money from us to pay for stuff we don't give a crap about it, because they CAN. With that said, GOOD LUCK. If your HoA covers stuff like a pool and gym, I'd say, that's rather awesome, cause most of us are probably being financially raped by HoA.

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by pandaundercover

Ha. Our HoA does not cover 'amenities' like that and it's pretty high. It was advertised as only $47 a month, but as soon as we were signing the 200 page 'you bought your home' documents, it was more specifically stated that the HoA was actually $97. Apparently, here in Surprise Farms 2, there is $50 going towards "HoA insurance".. just IN CASE I happen to TRIP on the sidewalk and break my leg, I guess that "insurance" will pay for my tripping. (Doubt it would work that simply though). Then the other $47 pretty much just covers the cost of front yard/community landscaping and the parks... I seriously don't think it covers anything else. If we had a community pool, I'd be pretty excited and feel the cost is more justified, but no, we don't. So, seriously, I think we just live in era will everything is taking our money from us to pay for stuff we don't give a crap about it, because they CAN. With that said, GOOD LUCK. If your HoA covers stuff like a pool and gym, I'd say, that's rather awesome, cause most of us are probably being financially raped by HoA.

Why don't you go to an HOA meeting and find out how they are spending your money? Or at least read the financial statements that they send you annually.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by pandaundercover

seriously don't think it covers anything else.

What do your CC&Rs say about this? Surely you read them in their entirety before buying in that development, right?

As for the o/p, there are lots of home in the area that are not within an HOA, and you've gotten some good suggestions here so far.

[pandaundercover]

Originally Posted by Kimballette

What do your CC&Rs say about this? Surely you read them in their entirety before buying in that development, right?

As for the o/p, there are lots of home in the area that are not within an HOA, and you've gotten some good suggestions here so far.

Oh, I'm sure it covers other stuff. Stuff that residents don't care about. Some things we have no control over. We can vote for those sitting in the HoA committee, but they're going to make all the choices, and most of them has been stuff that has been irritating the homeowners. I did read much of the CC&Rs when we bought this house, but it was nothing to consider living elsewhere, b/c it was likely going to suck no matter where we bought out house in the entire west valley. It's mostly just a nuissance of our money being misused and having little control. Needing approval to have the American Flag hanging in the front of our house? Insult. Only allowed to having Christmas lights up for a month? Lame. Needing approval to have more than 2 trees in your backyard? Shouldn't be their business. And it's not like I'm diggin a pool.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by pandaundercover

Oh, I'm sure it covers other stuff. Stuff that residents don't care about. Some things we have no control over. We can vote for those sitting in the HoA committee, but they're going to make all the choices, and most of them has been stuff that has been irritating the homeowners. I did read much of the CC&Rs when we bought this house, but it was nothing to consider living elsewhere, b/c it was likely going to suck no matter where we bought out house in the entire west valley. It's mostly just a nuissance of our money being misused and having little control. Needing approval to have the American Flag hanging in the front of our house? Insult. Only allowed to having Christmas lights up for a month? Lame. Needing approval to have more than 2 trees in your backyard? Shouldn't be their business. And it's not like I'm diggin a pool.

Then I suggest your next home purchase be in a non-HOA area. Do you have any suggestions for those, since that is what the o/p asked about?

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Kimballette

Then I suggest your next home purchase be in a non-HOA area. Do you have any suggestions for those, since that is what the o/p asked about?

"Don't buy in an HOA". It's always the flippant answer, but the reality is that is harder to do than many appreciate. As the OP is learning, there are very few developments built in the last 20 years that do NOT have HOAs. If you want a modern home and neighborhood and other advantages the suburbs offer you are more than likely forced to buy in an HOA. There are precious few choices outside of aging neighborhoods or run down parts of town that do not have HOAs. People looking at Phoenix should be advised to consider the likelihood that use of their property will be regimented by an HOA and that alternatives may not be that easily found or attractive.

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by pandaundercover

Oh, I'm sure it covers other stuff. Stuff that residents don't care about. Some things we have no control over. We can vote for those sitting in the HoA committee, but they're going to make all the choices, and most of them has been stuff that has been irritating the homeowners. I did read much of the CC&Rs when we bought this house, but it was nothing to consider living elsewhere, b/c it was likely going to suck no matter where we bought out house in the entire west valley. It's mostly just a nuissance of our money being misused and having little control. Needing approval to have the American Flag hanging in the front of our house? Insult. Only allowed to having Christmas lights up for a month? Lame. Needing approval to have more than 2 trees in your backyard? Shouldn't be their business. And it's not like I'm diggin a pool.

Instead of complaining, perhaps you should get involved, run for one of the HOA elected positions, and try to do something about what you regard and "a nuissance of our being being misused and having little control."

Better yet, why don't you begin to look for another place to live. It sounds like you are quite unhappy where you are, and I suspect your neighbors would be happy to see you go.

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

"Don't buy in an HOA". It's always the flippant answer, but the reality is that is harder to do than many appreciate. As the OP is learning, there are very few developments built in the last 20 years that do NOT have HOAs. If you want a modern home and neighborhood and other advantages the suburbs offer you are more than likely forced to buy in an HOA. There are precious few choices outside of aging neighborhoods or run down parts of town that do not have HOAs.

If there were a market, I'm quite confident that the builders would be scrambling to produce these newer communities without HOA's. Personally, I understand and accept both sides of the argument. But evidently, the average consumer approves and demands HOA's, otherwise the builders would be offering something different.

(Sorry, mods, I know it's a bit OT.)

[ReadyFreddy]

the average consumer approves and demands HOA's, otherwise the builders would be offering something different.

I think the cities don't let them build without HOAs now. Though I do think most buyers are ok with them these days.

I found HOA meeting minutes online once and it was interesting reading. If I lived in a HOA and had concerns about the spending/decisions, I would sure attend the meetings and speak up.

[maverick974]

When I was looking for a house last year, I too looked into HOA's and wondered why nobody built developments without an HOA. One of the big reasons is because the cities no longer want to maintain the roads and infrastructure of new-build areas. The cities, counties and state will build the larger streets and maintain them but the roadways in your neighborhoods are maintained by the HOA. At least that's what I was told when I looked into it.
Once I started actually reading the CCR's of these places, it made it clear to me that an HOA was not for me. I totally understand the reasoning. Keeping the neighborhood in good shape but there are far too many restrictions for me, in some cases down to the kind of pet you can or can't have. I wouldn't have been happy in an HOA at all. I would have felt like it was an apartment with all the rules.
I ended up finding a wonderful older home (circa. 1983) near Ellsworth and Brown and I couldn't be happier. Nice neighborhood, great neighbors, huge lot, close to everything and I can do as I please. I certainly don't want to upset the neighbors so when I plan something, I ask the neighbors what they think about what I'm going to do. I don't necessarily need their approval, it's just nice to work together to make a nice place for us all without others telling us what we can and can't do.
Now that I've said that, I can answer the OP's question.
There are wonderful neighborhoods without HOA's. Just not new ones. If you are ok with an older house with a little character, look into older, well established areas. Lots of bad areas but also lots of very nice ones as well.
If you are considering Buckeye or Arizona City but want to be a little closer to downtown, you could look at the very east side of Apache Junction. Some very, VERY nice homes on acreage with gorgeous views of the Superstitions. Usually custom homes.
Stay away from downtown AJ for the most part but up in the hills just outside of town has some fantastic homes.
Just sayin'

[ReadyFreddy]

There are wonderful neighborhoods without HOA's. Just not new ones. If you are ok with an older house with a little character, look into older, well established areas.

I think there were mid-90s homes in my last subdivision in Mesa, non-HOA. That's not that old. They were probably built years after Mesa stopped allowing subdivisions without HOA but their subdivisions weren't. There are even some vacant lots still. So in theory someone could build new in non-HOA in an established, close-in area.

You can do a lot to update a house with the money you're not spending every month on HOA fees, too.