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So do you actually fantasize that you're saving any substantial money? Take a look at what the typical HOA dues money goes for and realize that you'll be spending that for yourself in your single family home:
Water usage
Gardening service
Pool service
Trash pick-up fees
Insurance on exterior of building
Roof repairs
Exterior painting
Exterior repairs
Electricity for exterior lighting
Tree trimming
And that's just off the top of my head. There are probably things I've forgotten.
1. i don't have anything to worry about if anything happens, being in the hoa takes care of it.
But you have no control over how quickly things get done.
2. dont have a yard i have to mow. driveway is shoveled for me and i just dont have the hassles of having a yard.
I love having a garden and I love outside work.
3. better bang for your buck. i can get more square feet and a better deal with a townhome.
Yes...in some cases.
to me its a no brainer.
I am not disagreeing just pointing out that people like things for different reasons. I would love a condo or a townhome if I worked or traveled a lot. I might not like it if I was raising a family. HOA's can be good and bad. I love the idea of an active community but only when I am old enough
So do you actually fantasize that you're saving any substantial money? Take a look at what the typical HOA dues money goes for and realize that you'll be spending that for yourself in your single family home:
Water usage
Gardening service
Pool service
Trash pick-up fees
Insurance on exterior of building
Roof repairs
Exterior painting
Exterior repairs
Electricity for exterior lighting
Tree trimming
And that's just off the top of my head. There are probably things I've forgotten.
Fantasize? Hardly.
Do you like special assessments, which could cost tens of thousands of dollars?
Do you like to pay HOA fees for the rest of your life even after the mortgage is paid off?
Do you like paying HOA fees for "common" areas you hardly ever use?
Do you like liens by your HOA?
Do you like board Nazis looking for violations?
Do you like nosy neighbors looking for violations?
Do you like someone telling you what color you can or cannot paint your house?
Do you like asking for permission to change/modify/improve your own home?
Do you like litigation if you disagree with your HOA?
Do you like HOA with low reserves?
Do you like HOA that hires their "own" contractors?
Do you like HOA boards that "select" their "own" president?
I have way more questions. But you get the point right? Whatever floats your boat.
Fee are a financial question - control issues are something else.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dragontales
Fantasize? Hardly.
Do you like special assessments, which could cost tens of thousands of dollars?
Do you like to pay HOA fees for the rest of your life even after the mortgage is paid off?
Do you like paying HOA fees for "common" areas you hardly ever use?
Do you like liens by your HOA?
Do you like board Nazis looking for violations?
Do you like nosy neighbors looking for violations?
Do you like someone telling you what color you can or cannot paint your house?
Do you like asking for permission to change/modify/improve your own home?
Do you like litigation if you disagree with your HOA?
Do you like HOA with low reserves?
Do you like HOA that hires their "own" contractors?
Do you like HOA boards that "select" their "own" president?
I have way more questions. But you get the point right? Whatever floats your boat.
Now you've decided to change the topic. First it was fees, a financial question, to which I responded by pointing out that HOA fees mostly go for things you'd be paying for anyway. Now you are talking about control issues, which have been debated ad nauseum on this and other forums. This thread is about townhouses, in which you don't need any permission to "change/modify/improve your own home" because in a townhouse this would mean the interior. You are free to do whatever you want in the interior. Can you imagine a row of adjoining townhouses with each one a different color? (This would be one long building with little parts each of a different color). It would look like a shanty-town and would negatively affect everyone's property values. Don't like this? Well, you did the right thing and did not become part of it. Given your emotionally loaded language, I'm surprised you even looked at townhouses during your search.
Location: Living near our Nation's Capitol since 2010
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I am actively looking for my next home to buy. I would NEVER consider a townhouse. Why? because I have lived in townhomes three times in my life...including the place I currently rent. I loathe it.
1) I love to garden. I have a postage sized back yard here.
2) My neighbor plays piano constantly and I hate the music
3) Parking is first come, first serve and when I get home from work late (after 8PM), I may have to park in the next block.
4) HOA fees are totally ridiculous...higher than I think they should be by about 40%
5) I absolutely HATE the fact that I only have windows on one wall of each side of the unit.
6) The community where I live (pretty upscale) is not friendly or neighborly.
Now you've decided to change the topic. First it was fees, a financial question, to which I responded by pointing out that HOA fees mostly go for things you'd be paying for anyway. Now you are talking about control issues, which have been debated ad nauseum on this and other forums. This thread is about townhouses, in which you don't need any permission to "change/modify/improve your own home" because in a townhouse this would mean the interior. You are free to do whatever you want in the interior. Can you imagine a row of adjoining townhouses with each one a different color? (This would be one long building with little parts each of a different color). It would look like a shanty-town and would negatively affect everyone's property values. Don't like this? Well, you did the right thing and did not become part of it. Given your emotionally loaded language, I'm surprised you even looked at townhouses during your search.
Emotionally loaded language? Again, Hardly. I won't lose any sleep over a discussion on the internet. Trust me.
I changed topics? What, I am not allowed to expand on the HOA topic? It would be utterly foolish to discuss HOA without talking about restrictions and rules. I hope you understand when I talked about "change/modify/improve" the home I am referring to the exterior, NOT the interior. I know you can do what ever you want with your interior. Come on now! Give me more credit than that. Of course I am talking about the exterior.
So do you actually fantasize that you're saving any substantial money? Take a look at what the typical HOA dues money goes for and realize that you'll be spending that for yourself in your single family home:
Water usage
Gardening service
Pool service
Trash pick-up fees
Insurance on exterior of building
Roof repairs
Exterior painting
Exterior repairs
Electricity for exterior lighting
Tree trimming
And that's just off the top of my head. There are probably things I've forgotten.
Most HOAs do not cover these things for free standing townhomes. Electricity for exterior lighting? How is the HOA going to pay for that? The exterior lights are not metered seperately from the rest of the house? If you are talking about common areas than those aren't single family home expenses anyway. The town picks up your trash and you pay that through property taxes etc. And exterior painting? Are you telling me the HOA will pay to paint your house?
Apparently, words mean something different in your area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdm2008
Most HOAs do not cover these things for free standing townhomes. Electricity for exterior lighting? How is the HOA going to pay for that? The exterior lights are not metered seperately from the rest of the house? If you are talking about common areas than those aren't single family home expenses anyway. The town picks up your trash and you pay that through property taxes etc. And exterior painting? Are you telling me the HOA will pay to paint your house?
I am talking about townhouses, not free-standing homes. In California, the word "townhouse" means a shared-wall unit which is owned individually from the ground to the roof, i.e., nobody is above you or below you, but someone is on either side, unless you have an end unit. Where I live we have 26 units, 13 in one row and 13 in another. The exterior painting and repairs are the responsibility of the HOA; this is the normal situation. The exterior lighting, yes, is on separate circuits which are separately metered. To us in California, the term "free standing townhomes" is a contradiction. If yours is free standing, then it is a single family home, not a townhouse.
I am talking about townhouses, not free-standing homes. In California, the word "townhouse" means a shared-wall unit which is owned individually from the ground to the roof, i.e., nobody is above you or below you, but someone is on either side, unless you have an end unit. Where I live we have 26 units, 13 in one row and 13 in another. The exterior painting and repairs are the responsibility of the HOA; this is the normal situation. The exterior lighting, yes, is on separate circuits which are separately metered. To us in California, the term "free standing townhomes" is a contradiction. If yours is free standing, then it is a single family home, not a townhouse.
By free standing I mean the townhouse is attached to the ground ie(not a condo in a large building with 30 units and 5 floors.
I am talking about townhouses, not free-standing homes. In California, the word "townhouse" means a shared-wall unit which is owned individually from the ground to the roof, i.e., nobody is above you or below you, but someone is on either side, unless you have an end unit. Where I live we have 26 units, 13 in one row and 13 in another. The exterior painting and repairs are the responsibility of the HOA; this is the normal situation. The exterior lighting, yes, is on separate circuits which are separately metered. To us in California, the term "free standing townhomes" is a contradiction. If yours is free standing, then it is a single family home, not a townhouse.
So your telling me the HOA will pay to paint your house is that correct and maintain a garden for you, free of charge(not outside your HOA fees)?
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Fee are a financial question - control issues are something else.
