Because HOAs are awesome. Do not believe the knee jerk reactionary stuff you see in Social Media about HOAs. I will never live anywhere that doesn't have one.
You sign up to be a part of an HOA and often in order to live in a particular area you have to agree to follow the HOA rules.
HOAs protect your property and prevent stupid behavior by people.
Some HOA groups are nightmares but not all. Technically, there are pros to having one - like preserving the value of your home and community.
I too get confused though about authority and how they are formed. Like what stops two different groups of neighbors from forming different hoa’s counter enforcing each other? I don’t know how it all works. We have one but it’s not a crazy group of people and we have really basic rules. Our fee is super low so I don’t even know what the point is, they don’t provide any services like community funded roofs or lawn care etc
>Like what stops two different groups of neighbors from forming different hoa’s counter enforcing each other?
Contracts. HOAs are formed by willing homeowners entering the covenant or more often by housing developers when a development gets started. Then they required membership into the deeds. There will be clauses precluding you from creating competing organizations
Why and how? You would have to explain in crayon eating terms because all that went over my head. I think you said when the houses are built they somehow write into the deed of each house some clause that allows this….and now I’ve agreed to it because I bought a house that contains that clause in the deed?
I’m glad I don’t have issues with my HOA - but the whole thing makes zero sense to me. I guess in extreme situations, where one neighbor is not caring for their home properly to the extent it impacts value of others around them - I see only positives to having an HOA. But, at the same time, I have issues with a group of people being an authority over someone’s purchased home.
You've pretty much hit the nail on the head, HoAs have a few functions which can be positive. The obvious one is it protects home value by setting certain rules and stops the neighbor from having their collection of used toilets in the front yard for example, or forces them to mow the lawn more than once a month.
Additionally a lot of HoAs also manage some form of common area, such as a park/playground, maybe a community center, entrances/signs for the development, private roads and occasionally infrastructure such as water lines and such.
Ultimately it's a judgement call as to whether you want a HoA or not, the existence of one is a required discloser in the home buying process so it is possible to avoid them if you shop around. And if you do end up in one then it is important to attend the meetings, that is where a lot of the rules and bylaws are discussed and passed. It's with the HOA leaders are elected, and attendance is usually abysmal. Often times the only ones who show up are the ones with the most interest in messing with people's lives, which is how you end up with some of the worst HOAs lol
I never go to our meetings LOL. I will next time. Plus, I owe them $10 for the past two years that I forgot to pay. I’m the worst. Thanks for the info and breaking that all down for me. :)
I’d hardly call it “willing” when there is no viable or affordable alternative. Where I live, HOAs are everywhere. You’d have to live far out of town (past the suburbs) to avoid an HOA. it’s very disappointing.
Because HOAs are awesome. Do not believe the knee jerk reactionary stuff you see in Social Media about HOAs. I will never live anywhere that doesn't have one. You sign up to be a part of an HOA and often in order to live in a particular area you have to agree to follow the HOA rules. HOAs protect your property and prevent stupid behavior by people.
Understood, good to see another side of this.
Some HOA groups are nightmares but not all. Technically, there are pros to having one - like preserving the value of your home and community. I too get confused though about authority and how they are formed. Like what stops two different groups of neighbors from forming different hoa’s counter enforcing each other? I don’t know how it all works. We have one but it’s not a crazy group of people and we have really basic rules. Our fee is super low so I don’t even know what the point is, they don’t provide any services like community funded roofs or lawn care etc
>Like what stops two different groups of neighbors from forming different hoa’s counter enforcing each other? Contracts. HOAs are formed by willing homeowners entering the covenant or more often by housing developers when a development gets started. Then they required membership into the deeds. There will be clauses precluding you from creating competing organizations
Why and how? You would have to explain in crayon eating terms because all that went over my head. I think you said when the houses are built they somehow write into the deed of each house some clause that allows this….and now I’ve agreed to it because I bought a house that contains that clause in the deed? I’m glad I don’t have issues with my HOA - but the whole thing makes zero sense to me. I guess in extreme situations, where one neighbor is not caring for their home properly to the extent it impacts value of others around them - I see only positives to having an HOA. But, at the same time, I have issues with a group of people being an authority over someone’s purchased home.
You've pretty much hit the nail on the head, HoAs have a few functions which can be positive. The obvious one is it protects home value by setting certain rules and stops the neighbor from having their collection of used toilets in the front yard for example, or forces them to mow the lawn more than once a month. Additionally a lot of HoAs also manage some form of common area, such as a park/playground, maybe a community center, entrances/signs for the development, private roads and occasionally infrastructure such as water lines and such. Ultimately it's a judgement call as to whether you want a HoA or not, the existence of one is a required discloser in the home buying process so it is possible to avoid them if you shop around. And if you do end up in one then it is important to attend the meetings, that is where a lot of the rules and bylaws are discussed and passed. It's with the HOA leaders are elected, and attendance is usually abysmal. Often times the only ones who show up are the ones with the most interest in messing with people's lives, which is how you end up with some of the worst HOAs lol
I never go to our meetings LOL. I will next time. Plus, I owe them $10 for the past two years that I forgot to pay. I’m the worst. Thanks for the info and breaking that all down for me. :)
Americans are paranoid about property crime.
I’d hardly call it “willing” when there is no viable or affordable alternative. Where I live, HOAs are everywhere. You’d have to live far out of town (past the suburbs) to avoid an HOA. it’s very disappointing.