To HOA or to not HOA? Build a house or buy existing....HELP

[imanangel]

What are your experiences with an HOA? Goose and I are looking at buying a house here in the next year or so. Most of the houses we have looked at are in an HOA community. I have never lived in one before and have no idea if we should or what research we should do on an HOA. 

I do like how they make everyone keep their yards nice. We looked at a house yesterday that was not in an HOA.  The house was gorgeous, but I couldn't ever live there because the next door neighbor decided to put up some crazy,ugly fence and had junk all over their yard. But, I don't know if an HOA is worth the money or if they just cause more headaches than they are worth.

We are also debating on whether or not we should buy an existing house or build a house. What have been your experience with building a house?  I have realized I am a bit picker than I thought I was, so maybe just building a house would be better?  What should I take into consideration if we decide to build?

Ugh...I might go crazy (ok, crazier) overthinking all of this. 

ETA: This will more than likely be our final home. This is where we are planning on retiring and I just want our last (most likely last) home to be perfect for us. 

[zibazinski]

Like everything in life, there are pros and cons. HOA's can be good like ours up north or shitty like most Florida ones. The best idea is to read documents carefully and talk to the people already living there. Also helps find out what it covers and assessments looming.

[Deleted]

After following The Haitian's posts about building, I don't think I'd ever want to build. It seems the sticker price includes only bare bones and crappy grade appliances, flooring, lighting, etc. In some areas, such as landscaping, you can do the basics and improve later, but some, such as flooring and the number of electrical outlets, are best built in during construction. So, in order to get what you really want, you end up paying a massive amount over the sticker price.

I have no problems with HOAs. We got a copy of the rules for ours before we bought and they were fine. The only weird one was that sports team flags could be displayed only on game days! I did read a newspaper story about one woman who put in a pool and the HOA wouldn't let her put up a fence around it that was high enough to discourage intruders. I'd be furious.

[Deleted]

I live in one and haven't had any issues for 13 years and haven't heard of any issues from other neighbors.

One of my friends was elected HOA president of a different community and has went on a power trip with it, writing up people for every small infraction.

I think it depends on the community. Check to see if the HOA has a Facebook page because sometimes you can see complaints there.

[Value Buy]

Back in Indiana, with our current house we had a hoa that was basically dead. Just kept the common areas mowed. I love it.
Our winter home has an active hoa, and a major pita.
Currently chasing people down with their weekend football flags being hung in the front yards. Seems 70 year old couples patrol on golf carts with nothing better to do.
It seemed ok until a bunch of Green Bay flags started flying proudly. I think it was a couple of Miami Dolphin fans that had a problem with them
The rules state no dogs over 40 pounds, and yet some homeowners walk two dogs at 100 pounds each, and they worry about small flags on the weekends supporting your team
My new neighbor moved in Friday with a Mastiff. We will see how that goes. As long as friendly, I do not really care, but with only about fifteen feet between houses, not a real chance to maintain distance.
One person received a $500 fine for a covering on their mailbox........in fairness, they were warned twice.
I heard last year someone painted their house a purple color and was forced to repaint it. Not sure if we actually have specific colors, as there does seem to be some variety in different colors here.
Since our first house was in a hoa, with tons of regs, we know the game, so not a big deal.

[milee]

Nov 1, 2015 11:05:14 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Seems 70 year old couples patrol on golf carts with nothing better to do.

In the areas I've lived, the HOA misery index was directly related to the number of retirees and/or uber-wealthy people living in the community. This is personal experience only, so a limited sample, but it held true in SW Florida, central North Carolina and Phoenix neighborhoods I was familiar with.

Sometimes an HOA is a lifesaver and prevents big trouble with neighbors.  Sometimes HOAs are outlets for bored people to inflict bizarre and unnecessary tyranny over others.  Again, my experience only, but the more retirees and uber-wealthy people in the HOA, the more chance of it being the latter type.

Along those lines, there were several neighborhoods in NC and Phoenix that were composed of professional types of a variety of ages - I would happily live in one of those.  People like that just want to make sure they don't live next to a junk yard or purple striped house; they don't have the time or desire to seek out and actively monitor petty or borderline issues.

On the other hand, where I live in FL, the population is mostly retirees or uber-wealthy people.  The neighborhoods with HOAs are hotbeds of people patrolling in golf carts, yelling at small children who accidentally leave a basketball beside the driveway, arguing over whether a neighbor with a disability can have a height safety fence that's not in the rules, new wealthy owners fighting with owners of more modest means that have been there 20+ years over whether to put in and assess for expensive improvements, sending out daily reminders/nasty grams and just generally making life miserable for many of the neighbors.  I would never live in a SW FL community with an HOA if there were any reasonable alternatives for that reason.

HOAs are a little like unions.  They started for a good reason and had a noble purpose... and over time the actual organizations themselves have morphed into a new (and sometimes worse) problem.

[imanangel]

I would definitely need to check the regulations on dogs. I have a lab that is 75 pounds and I would like to adopt another big dog eventually. 

[busymom]

We've built houses twice. The good news is, you get your house the way you want it to start out. The bad news is, even with a good builder, there are so many options & colors to choose that it makes your head spin, AND, if the weather (or the people doing the work) doesn't cooperate, they may not finish on time. Our record is: first house was completed several weeks late, the 2nd was on time, but just BARELY. (As in, we were getting nervous when the driveway wasn't completed 2 days before closing.)

[gooddecisions]

I've always liked living in an HOA, but I like a nice looking neighborhood with well-maintained homes and amenities. I've never had a problem and seriously don't understand people who move into HOAs who hate following rules and just want to do their own thing.

For $500/year, my family of 4 (soon to be 5) gets a pool membership, well manicured, park-like common grounds with sidewalks lining the main streets, multiple playgrounds, a walking trail, tennis courts, basketball courts, soccer field, and several festivals/events per year. It's a nice neighborhood and I love that the HOA keeps it that way. Disclaimer: not on the board and never have been.

[mmhmm]

My neighborhood has a HOA and I've never had a problem with them. Haven't heard anyone else complain, either. They keep the common areas looking nice, care for the pool and the lake area, the tennis courts, and all that jazz, and are otherwise non-intrusive. There are rules, but the rules make sense and help keep the neighborhood from becoming run-down.

[Deleted]

I’ve told this HOA story before but it’s so weird it’s worth re-telling.
My niece lived in a house with a big front porch and they put eyelet bolts in the roof over the porch so they could install a hanging swing for their baby girl. They were scrupulous about removing the swing when they weren't using it.

The HOA told them they had to remove the eyelet bolts. So someone had actually gotten up on their porch and gone looking for them. Creepy. They moved out soon after that.

[sesfw]

I just want our last (most likely last) home to be perfect for us.

In all the homes I've ever lived in ...... none have been perfect. Each stage of life has different need/wants.  As your life changes ...........

DH and his DW#1 built their home from design up and after the move in found things they wanted to change.

I've heard that it's more cost effective to buy a resale home with good bones than to try to build.  It's also easier on the nerves.

Personally I would find a nice neighborhood without HOA  and keep watch for homes for sale.  I've heard too many horror stories about HOAs.  The group might be excellent at move-in but horrible when the board members change.

[lund]

Read the rules first, thoroughly!

If they are not corresponding to your lifestyle (for instance about pets, number of cars parked outside, motor-homes, quiet hours, level of lawn manicure required,...) don't buy there.

If the rules seem OK, go for some walks in the area and try to find out what the reality is like. Also check Facebook. If everything seems OK, consider buying.

[zibazinski]

Talk to people already there. Find out if it's just grumpy people with nothing to do. You have kids, a fair amount, and one wears a horse head. You need neighbors a little more unique than conventional. IMHO

[buystoys]

My brother and SIL live in an HOA about 15 miles from us.  Since I've listened to their complaints for the past several years, I told DH there was no WAY we would buy a house in a HOA when we moved here!  lol  Most of the people in theirs are young professionals with kids, so I would have expected some leniency.  Nope!  DB wanted to build a shed a while back.  He could only get permission if it matched the brick used on the house, was low enough it couldn't be seen from the front street, could only be placed in the back corner of the house nearest the garage, and on and on.  By the time he would meet all the requirements, it would cost him about $10K. 

While we have a couple of neighbors who aren't so careful about keeping their yards and houses looking nice, most of our neighbors are considerate.  It was really difficult to find someplace in this area that didn't have an HOA, but we learned that if we bought in the county rather than in town, we could avoid them pretty easily.

Good luck to you!

[gooddecisions]

Nov 1, 2015 17:38:37 GMT -5 buystoys said:

My brother and SIL live in an HOA about 15 miles from us.  Since I've listened to their complaints for the past several years, I told DH there was no WAY we would buy a house in a HOA when we moved here!  lol  Most of the people in theirs are young professionals with kids, so I would have expected some leniency.  Nope!  DB wanted to build a shed a while back.  He could only get permission if it matched the brick used on the house, was low enough it couldn't be seen from the front street, could only be placed in the back corner of the house nearest the garage, and on and on.  By the time he would meet all the requirements, it would cost him about $10K. 

While we have a couple of neighbors who aren't so careful about keeping their yards and houses looking nice, most of our neighbors are considerate.  It was really difficult to find someplace in this area that didn't have an HOA, but we learned that if we bought in the county rather than in town, we could avoid them pretty easily.

Good luck to you!

Yep, we went through this, but didn't complain. We built a shed that met the requirements of the neighborhood and the rules we signed up for when we moved in. It had to be behind the footprint of the house and not in a corner so it couldn't be seen from the street. It had to be stick built with the same roof and siding, etc. We followed the rules and got approval without any issues. We had it approved the first time we brought it to the modification committee and built it in 2 months. It is a really nice shed, but we managed to do it for $5K. I live in a super strict HOA that enforces everything.

Again, it's what we signed up for so we're fine with the rules. I just don't understand why anyone moves to a neighborhood with rules, then expects exceptions to them and whines when they don't get the exception (no offense to your family, just in general). We have painted exterior doors, replaced the mailbox, adding a play set (but didn't paint it purple), added a backyard fence, removed trees, moved the air conditioning units to the north side of the house along with a lattice to conceal them and added a structure to store our trash cans next to the garage. We've extended and widened our driveway and cut the curb for our drive-way. Next we'll be building out a deck and patio. We have followed the rules every time so there haven't been any issue with getting approvals and have made our house and yard work for us.

[Deleted]

After our last neighbours (no HOA), we went with an HOA this time and probably will going forward unless we could get so much land that we couldn't see our neighbours house at all.

So far the HOA has been fine.  They maintain the common area and the pool. They aren't the best at enforcing things though. 

[imanangel]

Thanks for all the info. I like things neat and tidy, so I am leaning towards an HOA. I also like the amenities.

ZIb, the horses head is not an every day occurrence. It was Halloween. He just happened to be wearing it around earlier than others. ?

[imanangel]

As far as building, I am really not sure I want the hassle, but Goose is really liking the idea. I found some homes I really liked, but he wasn't in like with them. I found one that I was in love with, but it was above our price range.

[tskeeter]

There are great HOA's and lousy ones.  It depends on whether or not you agree with the CC&R's.  I think a lot of folks become unhappy with their HOA because they didn't pay attention to the CC&R's before they bought,and then they get upset when they can't do some of the things they want without violating the CC&R's.  If you don't want to follow the rules, don't buy in a neighborhood with rules.

and it seems that often times, folks who end up in conflict with their HOA are those who have no interest in helping to run their HOA.  They seem to ignore it until they run afoul of the rules.  Then they want to complain about the rules that they signed a contract to abide by.

[zibazinski]

Nov 1, 2015 19:20:36 GMT -5 imanangel said:

Thanks for all the info. I like things neat and tidy, so I am leaning towards an HOA. I also like the amenities.

ZIb, the horses head is not an every day occurrence. It was Halloween. He just happened to be wearing it around earlier than others. ?

I'm teasing!! I love it but I'm the kind of neighbor you need to have. Some people don't make good neighbors. Are you guys always quiet? I doubt it. But you could end up with cranky neighbors.
I'd have been asking to try it on btw.

[zibazinski]

Nov 1, 2015 19:40:31 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

There are great HOA's and lousy ones.  It depends on whether or not you agree with the CC&R's.  I think a lot of folks become unhappy with their HOA because they didn't pay attention to the CC&R's before they bought,and then they get upset when they can't do some of the things they want without violating the CC&R's.  If you don't want to follow the rules, don't buy in a neighborhood with rules.

and it seems that often times, folks who end up in conflict with their HOA are those who have no interest in helping to run their HOA.  They seem to ignore it until they run afoul of the rules.  Then they want to complain about the rules that they signed a contract to abide by.

Also, insist they show you those rules. We were actually told that we couldn't see them until our offer was accepted. BS.

[buystoys]

Nov 1, 2015 17:55:13 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

Nov 1, 2015 17:38:37 GMT -5 buystoys said:

My brother and SIL live in an HOA about 15 miles from us.  Since I've listened to their complaints for the past several years, I told DH there was no WAY we would buy a house in a HOA when we moved here!  lol  Most of the people in theirs are young professionals with kids, so I would have expected some leniency.  Nope!  DB wanted to build a shed a while back.  He could only get permission if it matched the brick used on the house, was low enough it couldn't be seen from the front street, could only be placed in the back corner of the house nearest the garage, and on and on.  By the time he would meet all the requirements, it would cost him about $10K. 

While we have a couple of neighbors who aren't so careful about keeping their yards and houses looking nice, most of our neighbors are considerate.  It was really difficult to find someplace in this area that didn't have an HOA, but we learned that if we bought in the county rather than in town, we could avoid them pretty easily.

Good luck to you!

Yep, we went through this, but didn't complain. We built a shed that met the requirements of the neighborhood and the rules we signed up for when we moved in. It had to be behind the footprint of the house and not in a corner so it couldn't be seen from the street. It had to be stick built with the same roof and siding, etc. We followed the rules and got approval without any issues. We had it approved the first time we brought it to the modification committee and built it in 2 months. It is a really nice shed, but we managed to do it for $5K. I live in a super strict HOA that enforces everything.

Again, it's what we signed up for so we're fine with the rules. I just don't understand why anyone moves to a neighborhood with rules, then expects exceptions to them and whines when they don't get the exception (no offense to your family, just in general). We have painted exterior doors, replaced the mailbox, adding a play set (but didn't paint it purple), added a backyard fence, removed trees, moved the air conditioning units to the north side of the house along with a lattice to conceal them and added a structure to store our trash cans next to the garage. We've extended and widened our driveway and cut the curb for our drive-way. Next we'll be building out a deck and patio. We have followed the rules every time so there haven't been any issue with getting approvals and have made our house and yard work for us.

Oh, I agree that they should have reviewed the rules more closely before buying.  Unfortunately, DB didn't even think of needing a shed when they bought, so didn't consider how much more it would cost to build one out of brick or that he wouldn't be able to place it where it would be most useful for him.  He asked to do stick built and use a brick-look facade, but that was turned down.  *shrug*  Then, again, that's part of my personal issue with HOA committees.  I'm willing to spend money to get what I want, but I want WHAT I want. 

From your list of things you've done, they would be able to paint the exterior doors (from a select list of colors, add a play set (as long as it was within the back 1/3 of the back yard), they are required to maintain a 6' wood fence (specific style and color only).  They can't remove trees, move air conditioning units, add any type of storage structure, change the driveway, or impact any front curbing.  All garage parking is from a rear alley and if a vehicle is parked in front of a house and not moved at least once a day, it can be ticketed and towed.  They signed up for the rules, so I just laugh when they complain about something they feel is onerous.  I will admit that my nephew leaving his pickup at their house while he went through basic training was inconvenient as someone had to drive it around the block every day and park it in a different spot in front of the house. 

My point is that things that aren't a problem today can become a problem tomorrow.  You don't always know in advance how your needs will evolve.

[zibazinski]

A lot of new places have HOA's because that's how government sticks more on you. We have to pay to pave and repair our own roads in our subdivision. A lot of new subdivisions are being built in just this manner. You pay taxes to maintain the roads but then you have to also maintain your roads.

[imanangel]

Zib, I know you are teasing. The ? Was supposed to be an emoji with a tongue sticking out and a wink. But it showed up as that for some reason.

[zibazinski]

If you find an area you like , talk to the neighbors. I'd recommend that before buying a house with or without a HOA. Your dream home can turn into a nightmare if you have neighbors that aren't neighborly.

[andi9899]

No way am I paying for someone to tell me what I can and can't do with my own house. I vote no on the HOA. That's just me.

[tskeeter]

There are down sides to HOA's.  But they also work to prevent your neighbor from keeping his truck in his yard, starting it at 6AM and letting it warm up and spew diesel exhaust for half an hour every morning.  (This was a real situation encountered by our HOA.)

[HoneyBBQ]

NO to the HOA.
NO to building.

Both suck IMO and it's just not worth the stress/hassle/cost.

[Deleted]

Nov 2, 2015 10:55:59 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

There are down sides to HOA's.  But they also work to prevent your neighbor from keeping his truck in his yard, starting it at 6AM and letting it warm up and spew diesel exhaust for half an hour every morning.  (This was a real situation encountered by our HOA.)

Our HOA stopped an unemployed hillbilly from hosting a beer bash every night and lighting a fire in the driveway between the townhomes for him and his friends to all sit around. For a while they would blast country until 2am on weeknights so I would blast some Ludacris at 5 am in return (my bedroom shared a wall with theirs and they turned it down after about a week) It was a happy day when they were booted out.