What are HOAs? (rental, home, transfer)

[Prinny]

Originally Posted by foma

the rental thing seems silly to me

the hoa would rather see an empty, forclosed home than a filled one? perhaps, in some situations, that may be better!

We agree w/ that! The very people on the HOA changing the CC&R's may very well one day need to rent out their homes and oh well. I'm just glad we got out and our place rented. Or another scenario, a lot of older people live there. Someone passes away and then the homse sits vacant cause the family can't rent it out and the property is going through probate. AHHHHHHHHHHH So many things they just haven't really considered becasue they just don't like renters.

[Prinny]

Originally Posted by nitram

HOA's are made up as a whole of ALL the residents of the community. I was under the impression that when the rules (CC&R's) are to be changed, a majority vote, or approval, of those residents were needed to make the changes.
Ours is that way, is yours?

They have been talking about changing the CC&R's for several years now and the newsletters that we get monthly says that the CC&R's are at the attorney's and they are rewriting them and so there is no vote on this one. They stated in our newsletter that all homes owner occupied were going to stay that way and rentals could stay rentals until they were sold. I wouldn't think that would be a good selling point that someone (Can't rent out their property) This according to the newsletter.

[EDnurse]

Some HOA's are good and some, like mine, seem to be run by people who are on meth.

About two years ago, they sent me a letter stating that I had to pay a fine and ask for approval (with drawings and all) for the extended cement driveway that I had on the west side of my house.

Well, I have rock on the west side of the house. I don't have an extended driveway anywhere. They did not believe me. Finally, my neighbor, who's on the "architectural committee", told them there was no driveway.

And no, they did not apologize.

[BluesGal1]

Before buying ask if you can sit in a meeting. I was a member of ours. You will always have a bossy person and a whiner person. But you will get a good or bad feeling just sitting through one and understanding what they feel are items of importance to be dealt with.
Landscaping is always a fun one! They can't all agree on what color flowers they want out at the entrance! But I found the people mostly caring and nice. Many are retired and need something to do. I enjoyed ours very much! (Scottsdale Ranch) ~

[collinsl]

Thanks to all who replied.

[silvermountain]

It always seemed to me that there were two pulling forces that ruined an HOA community.
1.) There are people who use HOA's as insurance to increasing property values. Whatever they can compel that will make the neighborhood (and thus their home) more valuable, they are all for. The HOA could want the streets paved in gold, and they would be for it because they are only going to pay a few more months of dues, and stick everyone else with the full capital expense and maintenance.
2.) You have the outlaws and freedom fighters. They want to build a 60 ft observatory on their roof, and let their friends and cousins park their broken cars in their yard.
3.) You have everyone else, who want a nice home and neighborhood but still want to be able to enjoy it.

The big problem comes when rules are changed and / or enforced selectively. I've written before about how my street was the first one the City of Mesa garbage truck came to in the morning. The HOA said no trash cans out before 6 am. The city said the trucks would come no earlier than 6 am. But, the trash man did come before 6 am, almost every week. Fines for me for putting the trash out at 5:30; or when I knew I would sleep in, the night before. Yes, fines even for putting trash out at 5:50. Also, if you were friends with the board and architecture approval committee, petition granted. Same proposal (deck for example), and a newcomer or gasp!...someone critical of the board....denied. The most frustrating thing was the lack of flexibility, selective enforcement, and the retired busy-body who honestly enjoyed reporting violations so much that it was unhealthy.

Yes, I am sure the neighborhood looked better than it otherwise would. However, it was also much more expensive than it otherwise would be. The President's children liked to vandalize the sprinklers in one of the greenbelts, especially during HOA meetings when mommy and daddy left them alone. 3 different increases in monthly dues (nearly doubled) to pay for water used, erosion, and labor and materials for new ones).

I have also said, my parents live in a wonderful gated community where their assessments are very reasonable, and things seem to be great. I think alot of it depends on the HOA board, and the property management company (personal experience with embezzlement by one in particular).

[tablemtn]

Personally, I think HOAs are fundamentally offensive to American notions of freedom and liberty as expressed in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

But some folks seem to like 'em.

[Houston3]

Originally Posted by nitram

HOA's are made up as a whole of ALL the residents of the community. I was under the impression that when the rules (CC&R's) are to be changed, a majority vote, or approval, of those residents were needed to make the changes.
Ours is that way, is yours?

That probably depends on what state you live in. I have a small place on a lake and they changed ours with out asking me. They have a board there and they can vote to change anything they want to even if you don't like it.

[Houston3]

Originally Posted by collinsl

Thanks to all who replied.

I'd say stay away from them if you can....they are for rich people that can afford to hire someone to do everything for them..

[mobiusaz]

Originally Posted by nitram

HOA's are made up as a whole of ALL the residents of the community. I was under the impression that when the rules (CC&R's) are to be changed, a majority vote, or approval, of those residents were needed to make the changes.
Ours is that way, is yours?

HOA's get their authority from the homeowners. If the CC&Rs state that the HOA board (or president or whatever) can change certain rules and restrictions, then they probably can. It's really a matter of what your CC&Rs say. If the proposed change is inconsistent with the CC&Rs, then the homeowners would have to vote. In short, it really depends on what your CC&Rs say. Certain things are left up to the discretion of the board. You wouldn't want to have to take a community vote everytime you needed a new landscaper. But is a rental restriction within their authority? That depends on your specific CC&Rs.