Would you buy into a homeowners association?

[JohnBoy45]

Hi, I was think about buying some land in a place called Cumberland Cove near my town but I find out I would have to join a homeowners association. I have heard of horror stories behind homeowner associations and now I'm rethinking about buy this land.

Thanks, Terry

 

[RobS]

I'm sure there are good and bad aspects. When we lived in a subdivision there was an Association with the usual covenants and they do work to maintain some uniformity which also keeps property values up. Basically, prevents people from doing stupid things which will detract from the whole. Things like huge outbuildings, parking of commercial vehicles and perimeter fencing. We never resented the rules and greatly appreciated them when we sold.

In our rural setting we get the freedom to do what we want but it does have it's downside. The first house on our street is an example. It's a large, two story modular home which has the potential of looking very nice. The guy only rarely cuts the weeds on the dirt mounds at the street, has a retired semi-tractor sitting next to the garage surrounded by various pieces of junk and has scaffolding on one end of the house where he has been "finishing" the vinyl siding work for at least three years now. It's pretty much an eyesore but nothing we can do about it as he is apparently not breaking any ordinances. All the rest of the homes on our street are well kept and look nice, but unfortunatly the first impression people have of our "neighborhood" is this guy on the corner.

I suppose the other downside to an Association is if they get too heavy handed. Check the covenants, that is the rulebook by which the Association plays /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[MLinOleMiss]

If you decide to buy, be sure to be active in the HOA. In my last neighborhood, I took for granted that everyone else would be involved and I didn't concern myself with it. Wound up that the neighborhood "crazies" were bullying the board and the neighborhood almost wound up in court. And ALL neighborhoods have their "crazies" so it will happen to all HOA's at some point.
One other thing, find out if the HOA has been taken over by the neighborhood or if the building company is still running it, our trouble started at the exchange from the builders to the neighborhood.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

There are good and bad points to the associations, but I live in one and I would not want to be without it.

Some folks move to the country so they can do whatever they want on their land. Others move out looking for a nice place to live. If you fall into the latter category, then you should look at an association as a thing that will protect your investment and protect you from people who have different values than you may have.

In our assocation we are only allowed to maintain the neighborhood and to enforce the covenants. But a new family moved in next door, they let their dogs run everywhere, they parked a large commerical truck in the driveway. Both are forbidden by the covenants. A letter from the association stopped both. Another neighbor decided not to cut his lawn. Again that was fixed by the assocation. Another wanted to build a pole barn sized building of dubious quality that did not match his home. Rules prevented it; he is allowed to build a pole barn, but it must use materials and colors that match his home. Lot sizes where I live run from 2 to 6.5 acres, some folks own multiple lots, but when your property is 2, 5 or even 10 acres, it is hard not to see what your neighbors do with their property.

So if you are the type who wants "anything goes" on your property, or you won't mind if the property next door to you is allowed to run down, complete with cars on blocks, etc, then do not move into an association. If you want to see your property values protected, and can live with some reasonable rules, then look at buying into an association. But realize that all associations have their own rules, you may find some that are very rigid, and others that are very lax. Read the rules before you buy and make sure they will suit you and your needs.

Personally, I don't want a neighbor parking a semi-truck on the 5 acre lot next to me, nor do I want a commercial chicken operation down the block, or a home based business on my street that draws extra traffic on my road. I want people to build out buildings that match their homes. I don't want yards littered with junk cars, yapping dogs, or leaking septic fields.

Don't get me wrong, I am not in favor of strict restrictions, I've seen some places that determine your paint colors! But there is a reason that some people prefer to live in an area that has an association and restrictions.

 

[Bird]

It appears that the "homeowner association" idea is growing. Last year, we looked at two new houses that we liked, in locations that we liked, and the price was right. But I just couldn't bring myself to buy one that required membership in a homeowners association. I learned long ago to never say never, but I wouldn't buy anywhere that there was a homeowners association if there was any way to avoid it.

 

[RedRocker]

What Bird said, NO!

 

[Shimon]

I moved out of a home last summer (and into the "country") because I couldn't stand living with a homeowner's association anymore. In my mind, it's just another good idea gone wrong. I'm sure there are some good HOAs out there but I've never heard of one. I just hear the "horror" stories. More often than not, the HOA becomes a weapon for certain homeoweners rather than a means to protect and regulate properties.

Before buying into one, talk to as many neighbors as you can to find out what the association is like. But even that isn't a full-proof method because some jerk can move in next month and start causing problems. It just takes one bad apple.

Just remember: "Democracy is the worst form of government (except all the others that have been tried)." -WC

 

[Birdman]

I have heard of some of the horror stories also and I wonder why anyone would want to live in a situation like that. Sounds like prison to me. I'll take yappy dogs and a blue pole barn next to a white house anyday. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Sigarms]

I was in Charlotte the other week and there was an interesting article on how a HOA was reacting to some people not following thier "rules". Apparently they had the legal right to literally shut off the water (which they did) to the homes in question not following thier rules, thus trying to "force" the homeowner to comply.

 

[PineRidge]

Some years back the wife and I found a beautiful new home that we immediately fell in love with. It was built in a brand new allotment. Fact it we were so close to buying it that we were sitting at a table getting ready to sign final papers when I mentioned where on the lot that I wanted to put up a small shed for a riding mower and garden tools. The seller told us that association rules prohibited all out (unattached) buildings. He went on to say that the allotment was structured that even the size and shape of the mailboxes were closely controlled.

We don't conform well, so I pushed the contract and the pen back and passed on the deal. We now have some acreage, a pond, home, and a pole barn that we planned and had built to our own specific needs and wants. Heck we even got to pick out our own mailbox without getting hassled. And if we want to park the TC-40D in the front yard nobody's going to complain about it either.

We'll leave the home associations structured life to those folks that really like that type of living.

So the answer to your question, " Would you buy into a homeowners association? " Absolutely not