Does anyone still like hoa neighborhoods?

Your "rights" to the use of your property are always restricted (zoning, building codes, noise ordinances); a HOA just adds additional layers.  And yes, some of us would like to be protected from a neighbor with bad taste or poor judgement who might do things that lower the quality of life (i.e., noise, odors) or lower property values (try selling a house if the one next door is painted day-glo pink).

We all make personal choices about the environment in which we live.  Living in a HOA is simply another social contract. (Don't judge- your tolerances may change with age and experience!)

Nice unicorn.

Thanks Jimmy! :).  True hoas are pretty neighborhoods what I ask is do you really thinks its worth signing your rights over to stranger for? And now that home sare going into foreclosure or people cant afford the payments what will they do to them in an hoa? Kick them out and sell their house back to themselves for a couple of thousand ? I have read of them doing that . The nightmares of people falling on hard times cant make the hoa dues and get foreclosed even quicker then any bank ... Why give away your protections ? Hoas would be alright if they didnt have foreclosure rights ... and needed to go through a lot of red tape before they could sue for any reason. Doesnt anyone else think they have too much power?Why trust them ?

Lisa

Sorry bad typing ... I can think just cant type lol

Lisa

I live in an HOA community and wouldn't have it any other way.  I don't have to worry about a neighbor deciding to pave over their lawn and use it for storing cars.

I have never heard of an HOA foreclosing on a home and buying it at auction for $2K.  

Not all HOAs are the same, obviously.  But remember that many people have enough net worth that foreclosure is not a real possibility, and HOA dues will never be a problem. And they couldn't care less if the house needs to be painted a bland color.

On the other hand, they might have a very real fear of being stuck living next door to a Harley mechanic or a house full of partying college kids.  They give up "rights" for a measure of protection -- which is something we all do, to some degree.

Gig who would really do that? You bought into the fear . And I have heard of them auctioning houses hoas foreclosed on some even claim it was  a setup a scam . I have some examples of bad hoas. Just a few examples there are more.

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/real-estate/HOA-horrors1.asp

http://www.hoanewsnetwork.com/media/news/hoa-sells-disabled-couples-home.php

Lisa

I live in an hoa with a horrible neighbor and they dont do a thing to protect me... She is very nasty and has a dangerous dog she lets run off his leash. It has nothing to do with house color. I would take an ugly house over her any day.

Lisa

Where I am, the HOA maintains the clubhouse, pool, tennis and basketball courts, as well as the ponds, fountains and the beautiful landscaping.  I appreciate having all of those things at my disposal.  I see the restrictions on paint color/parking really minimal and actually a benefit.  Like Jimmy said above, I don't want to be subjected to someone's auto painting hobby next door. 

before  I get taken down by PETA  let me say I have owned 2 large dogs  that were both well trained and almost always on a leash.   I spent years training both of them and  saw soooo many people that dont.    I love dogs but when they endanger people  because of lack of training  I draw the line.  The dog needs to be reported to animal control so  sooner or later she will get  tired of paying fines and either fix the problem or let the dog be put down.

on the HOA thing ....in my neighborhood there is one family that doesnt cut their grass , oil stains everywhere, one person used to drive  a truck that was rolled over in an accident and had plastic on the windows.  I keep hoping if they are fined enough that they will go ahead  sell the house and move back into the trailer from which they came.

Staresce: Looked at your links.  Most of these anedotes seem to be about people who couldn't or wouldn't meet their contractual obligations.  I don't think these form a good argument against HOAs generally, though, since you could compile a similar selection of anecdotes about dealings with city zoning boards or county building inspectors.

Frankly, most of the flak I hear about HOAs is that they won't enforce their own rules, or do so unevenly. In any case, like governmental agencies, they are imperfect.

I can only compare to look and atmosphere of a HOA area to the non-HOA area immediately adjacent.  In my town, living on the "outside" involves buying enough land to buffer yourself from potential "free-spirit" neighbors.  It's a trade-off.

I am currently buying a house with an HOA. We actually had a lawyer familiar with these contracts read everything over before we signed. If this is a standard agreement, they seem pretty fair to me. I am ok if they don't want me having chickens running around the yard...lol

The HOA thing sounds like a nightmare. A board made up of the local busy bodies telling you what to do. A question, does a foreclosure and auction on the court house steps remove the HOA contracts from a property? If I bought a home on the courthouse steps would I be forced to sign away rights to an HOA, or does foreclosure free the home?

The HOA thing sounds like a nightmare. A board made up of the local busy bodies telling you what to do. A question, does a foreclosure and auction on the court house steps remove the HOA contracts from a property? If I bought a home on the courthouse steps would I be forced to sign away rights to an HOA, or does foreclosure free the home?

Nope, you are still bound by the rules of the HOA. Selling a home or buying a foreclosed home does not release a home from the rules of an HOA. 

 Bottom line, if you want to be able to paint your home any color and put a car up on blocks, then an HOA community is not for you.  If you want to protect your property values but not allowing someone to run a car lot out of their yard, an HOA is for you.   

When

should say "by not allowing..."  I had our cat in front of the screen as I was trying to type.

I believe the HOA agreement stays with the property, must be disclosed to buyers (if it didn't, it would be too easy to evade). 

By all means, read the HOA contract and don't sign a contract you don't intend to honor.  Please. If you have a problem living with rules, I don't want you living next door to me.

Yes and if you dont want to sign all your home rights away to people who could turn out to be total jerks then the hoa is not for you lol....Again I ask in this atmosphere of the threat of foreclosures for so many how will people struggling to meet their payments be treated by their hoa?

Lisa

They wont  but the HOA cant do much against the bank.  We had one in my neighborhood last year and the bank sent a well written 4 page  letter that basically said ... go suck and egg !

signed : your friendly  bank attorneys

"the HOA cant do much against the bank."

Exactly.  If you can't afford your house, the HOA going to be the least of your problems.

You know I have looked at many neighborhoods with no hoas they were well kept and beautiful... imagine that people actually wanted to make their house look nice with no hoa threat over them . lol

Lisa

A bad hoa trying to intimidate a bank ? lol thats is funny.I guess the bank will win.

Lisa

Starsce .. there are alot of neighborhoods  in Orlando that dont look like they would have an HOA...   Take the ghetto just west of Downtown  you wouldnt think it's an HOA but it is. 

An HOA typically will not foreclose on a home.  They will attach a lien to the home.  When you go to sell, then you will end up paying all the past dues. 

But again, if an HOA is not for you don't buy a home with one.  Most HOAs were set up before the homes were even built.  And not all HOAs are horrible.  Our board is very nice.  We have gone in front of them for a few things and everything has been approved with out a problem.   

Most HOAs only operate for a certain number of years, usually for 20 or so, though many neighborhoods being built in recent years have pools, clubhouses and lots of common grounds so the longevity is going to be long -lived due to that.  If the amentities are important to you then be prepared to live with an HOA.   If you don't think you like the type of HOA or how it is run then be on the board, though that has its headaches too, LOL.   I have only lived in HOA 'hoods and there is always that one family who is like the Adams family, they manage to ruin the landscaping and they let the house maintenance go by the wayside....instead of having to face that neighbor about it you can file privately with the HOA, though of course they may suspect you and deny deny.    If you are the type of person who doesn't think you will keep your house up, or your standards are low then by all means an HOA 'hood is not for you.  If you want some assurances that the homes will be keep tidy and home values retained to a degree then it is a good bet.   I have never had a bad experience with one......but I sure would like that my neighbor across the street would either stop recieving the paper daily or just plain pick it off the drive daily.......apparently they don't mind someone thinking they are on vacation or that they only read the paper every 4-5 days.....I have even seen them drive over several....... but I don't complain......at least their house is the target for thieves :-)   

OK I am all for freedom and I really hate THE MAN always on my back. But have any of you ever lived nextdoor to a hoarder? Have you ever seen that pepto bismol pink house? What about the people who never mow their lawn, or like the people on our street who have been in mid construction on their front porch for 10 + years?

While I hate the idea of some one telling me what to do with my house, I think  there are so many crazy, lazy, and color blind people that I can see why  that would be handy.

LOL Bubba

What teed me off about a local HOA was that an older lady had bought into the area. She paid her bills, did her yardwork, and everything was fine... until she broke her hip. Unable to work or get about, she was in dire straits - and the HOA forced her to sell her house and move because she did not mow her yard. Did any one offer to help her mow her yard until she got back on her feet? Heck, no! They looked down their noses and sneered. May they all be cursed with broken hips and no friendly caring neighbors either!

We have complaints on local forums all the time about HOAs not fulfilling the contracts and enforcing the rules; pools nasty, peoples' children and animals allowed to run loose and terrorize the nrighborhood, "certain people" allowed to break the rules about # of cars, parking on the road, etc. One of my friends was fined 3 times by her HOA until she proved that the three cars parked in front of her house were not hers - she had to call the cops to run the tags for registrations to do it! I was the manager at a garden center, and sold soaker hoses to a fellow who wanted to water his plants' root system because the sprinkler system was causing blackspot on his prizewinning roses - the HOA made him get rid of them. He had to pull out his roses, too, because they needed the root watering (it's better for most vegetation).

I got tired of painting my house pretty colors and within three months all my neighbors would follow suit. So I painted it bright white and soft aqua (A friend mixed the aqua by accident at the local ACE and could not sell it, so it was cheap too!) and no one followed my painting scheme again! I would never live in an HOA - they can't provide the amenities I want.

My standards are not low I just dont like to sign my rights away especially foreclosure rights ,anyone who does is a bit of a fool in my opinion. And I honestly think most people will keep their house nice all on their own, in the non hoa neighborhoods I have looked at that is the case . Why dont you people trust your neighbor to do the right thing? And if they dont maybe they are sick or cant afford it right now and the neighbors should help out not fine them? And what the big deal with one bad house color I mean one bad house color wont kill a neighborhood? I  certainly wouldnt sign forclosure rights away over it. I would just smile and forget it. No big deal. More important things to worry about.

The only  housing restriction I approve of is no mobile homes because they do lower property value . By the way there is a lot more to a nice neighborhood then a pretty colored house. Which would you prefer  nasty unfriendly neighbors in fancy houses or neighbors with bad taste that are friendly and fun? I think very honestly that some hoa communties have a few stuck up and unfriendly types. And many non hoa communities are more laid back and friendlier in my opinion. I like more rural areas where you can have acreage ,have a few pets and get out in nature . A relaxed lifestyle doesnt mean low standards.

Lisa