Homeowner Association services are not for everyone. This is something that you should keep in mind throughout this entire journey. Whether you are moving to a neighborhood that has Homeowner Association services, or you are buying a plot of land and plan to put together your own association service, you need to know what to expect from the experience. Like I said before, it isn’t for everyone so you need to be sure it is something that you want. Here are some things you can expect.
Prices will vary
If you have dealt with a previous HOA, you might have an idea of what you are going to experience with a new one. However, never expect the same fees. Even if you are putting together an HOA, you can never expect to pay the same prices. Fees will depend on how many people live in each home, if there are pets involved, how many crimes happen in the area, storm damages, and a lot of other things. Keep an open mind when talking about price.
Don’t have high standards
Like the prices, the benefits you get from the HOA will also vary. You might know about a neighborhood that has a pool and tennis court that is exclusive to residents in the area, but a lot of other properties are just going to give you a roof over your head. You need to know what you are getting out of it before you set your sights on something extravagant.
The rules might be stricter than you’re used to
I can’t stress this enough, you will always experience something different with every HOA that you come across. In this new HOA, you might not be allowed to walk your dog off of the leash, even if it is strictly trained. You might not be allowed to add flowers to the front yard. You might need to water your plants more often than you would usually. You might not be allowed a personal pool in your backyard. You should be aware of all of these possibilities when going into a new HOA.
You might have to pay extra fees to get the benefits that the HOA does include
This sounds like a bit much, but the HOA services need all of the money that they can get to keep the neighborhood running in the way that you want them to. You might have to pay a monthly fee to use the pool in the summer, and another monthly fee to use the tennis court at night. You might be fined if your bushes are too high in your lawn. These are all possibilities. Fortunately, most of the extra fees are cheap and only come up at certain times of the year.
Some HOA services have the ability to foreclose on properties
They can’t just choose to do this without letting you know, but it is possible for them to take your home under certain circumstances. If you refuse to pay the fees that they have given you, or if your home is on bad ground, they can foreclose it. If you owe fees, then you will most likely be evicted and have to move out. If your home is on bad land and you are renting, you will be bought out of the lease.
There is a lot of information about HOA services online, but these are the basics of what you need to know. There are a lot of pros and cons to living, or buying into, an HOA service. As long as you know what you want, you’ll be fine.
