Homeowners Association problems

[zulater]

I'll never live with a HOA. Too many busybodies telling you what to do with your property and making you pay extra to live there. Sure there's a good one here and there but from the issues friends and relatives have had it's not worth it.
Like others have said you have to look at your by-laws and talk to the board.

 

[Dr. HK]

The benefit of a HOA is you personally dont have to do allot of upkeep. In addition it keeps your investment from losing value. It also beautifies the area.

 

[redneck1861]

I live in a HOA, but I guess it is really different than most peoples. There is only 6 houses, everyone out here has 120 acres. We do have dues every year, but is is only $250 a year and that is just to keep gravel on out road

 

[bashed1]

No, there's no way to decline to be a member of an HOA if it's mandatory for all property owners in the addition, as that requirement is attached to the deed of the property you purchase within the addition. Best solution, if you don't want to be subject to covenants of such an HOA, is to sell your house and move or not purchase the property in the first place. Existence of such an HOA must be disclosed to each buyer at closing, and you sign an acknowledgement of same during closing.

 

[WhiteyMacD]

How many people gripe about HOAs but never go to HOA meetings?

What, you say your HOA doesnt have meetings? Then you need to rally up some of your neighbors to demand meetings.

We had some issues in our HOA until about 7 households rallied together and put the guy running the HOA to the coals. Now we spend our HOA money how we see fit, we take input from our neighbors, no matter how involved they are, and we try to work with every to ensure things are handled fairly and appropriately.

To the OP, dont start off hateful. Just go talk to them F2F and see if you can get the fee dismissed.

 

[mhphoto]

The benefit of a HOA is you personally dont have to do allot of upkeep. In addition it keeps your investment from losing value. It also beautifies the area.

You can sugarcoat it all you like. The abuses of power and the leniency within the laws are ridiculous and uncalled for. I know that not all of them reflect the horror stories that we've all heard (ours isn't), but the history of abuses is there. I don't care what bylaws were broken, foreclosing on someone's home because of something so ridiculously arbitrary as the door color, or something as simple and patriotic as flying the American flag (both have happened), is un-American.

And I understand that when you move into a neighborhood with a HOA you are entering into a contract with them to abide by their laws. I just don't think that they should have that power in the first place.

 

[Dr. HK]

There are AHoles out there that abuse power. It is not the HOA but the individual on the board. If you dont like how they are doing things run for the board. That is exactly what I did. I hated the board so I created a proxy and went door to door for support to throw then goons out the door. Good thing I did because I am positive the state would have came and took over the HOA. We spent over $100k in legal counsel and saved the association literally 10x that amount.

 

[zulater]

The benefit of a HOA is you personally dont have to do allot of upkeep. In addition it keeps your investment from losing value. It also beautifies the area.

M'eh, I do the upkeep to my property. What else is there to upkeep? IMHO a house is not an investment, sure it increases in value but you're still going to live in it and unless you sell it and move to a much much much smaller home only for a year or two, then die, you aren't going to retire on it.

 

[Talacker]

The value of an HOA is that it keeps your neighbors from doing something that negatively affects your property value.

 

[Danny Tanner]

We were serious about another house until the realtor stated that the HOA fees cover lawn maintenance, front and back. Part of the excitement of owning a home, for us anyway, is the responsibility of taking care of it. Plus, we don't want a group of dudes waltzing around our backyard every Saturday morning. Another reason of many we bought a house is for the privacy.

Here, though, our HOA fees are only $249/year. They take good care of the entrances and green belts. We have a neighborhood pool which is a fantastic pool with lifeguards on duty at all times. They offer kids swimming lessons there, they hold annual "Meet Your Neighbors" parties there with live bands, food, and prizes. They do Easter egg hunts and Santa Claus visits, too. They have a somewhat active Facebook page where people can comment on this and that. The board members will also post what the monthly meetings are going to cover.

Our president is a pretty cool dude, too. He loves to talk Cubs baseball and he's always out at the pool with an ice chest of Miller Lite.

We were worried about moving into a HOA neighborhood, but so far after almost 2 years we've yet to have any issues with them. It's only been a short time, but so far all of the horror stories have been proven false for us, though I'm not doubting them for other neighborhoods.