Would you buy into a homeowners association?

[Bob_Skurka]

Dan good points about the protection of property values and how the associations can be of help when you live next to the neighbor from h..l.

I do think that some associations are simply too rigid. Especially in the suburbs where the lots are 1/6th of an acre. But the reality of living out in the country is that it is easy for someone to turn their 10 acres into a dump site and destroy your property values. That problem is one that the property owners associations prevent. Sure they do create some restrictions, but they also provide quite a few protections.

Usually the associations are set up to make sure properties are 'reasonably similar' in use. Lets all be honest and admit that nobody with a big house wants to live next door to a 'doublewide' and nobody with a commerical chicken farm wants an upity city family moving in next door, no matter what type of house they put up. The reality of rural living is that many folks have many different ideas about how to use land.

I live in a rural area (as do most TBN members) and I enjoy the benefits of the restrictions and covenants that the private neighborhood gives me. It protects my property values. It insures that my neighbors do what they agreed to do when they moved in. My neighborhood is NOT a fancy place, but what I have seen around me is a huge diversity with trailer parked on blocks next to $200,000 homes and across the road from $1,000,000 homes. Our neighborhood does not have the wide spread in prices. We neither have the highs nor the lows. We pretty much know each other, and we pretty much get along.

It works pretty well. But I did read the rules before I signed on the dotted line.

 

[TractorLegend]

I live in Seattle suburbs where we have covenants in our section---there is an association and some enforcement.
You know what the rules are going in and are generally generic from association to association.
I'm glad the cousin Eddie? (Dennis Quaid) with the motorhome from the movie Christmas Vacation can't move in next to us!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have rec. property in rural WA with CCR's also. There is no neighborhood association and never has been. There is one individual in particular who is in flagrant violation of the building section of the covenant. Without an association, everyone would have to band together and agree on enforcement and hire a lawyer. There is really no enforcability since no one ever has, so the CCR's are pretty hollow in that case--which is ok with me anyway, no real harm has been done out there anyhow.

 

[JazzDad]

Interesting how a number of people mentioned freedom. I'll stray from the topic a bit, so here's a thought: do you THINK you own your property? Try not paying your taxes and see how long you keep it!
/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Soundguy]

Just read the fine print... My cousin just bought into one, and was assured they were 'lax' ont he written standards.. now that her check has 'cleared' they have already had her change her fence, mailbox, and dictated where/when about pool and outbuildings.

Be carefull. look at it like marriage... In 5-10-15 ys.. are those bylaws gonna make you happy?

Soundguy

 

[getut]

Its not WHAT covenants say... its that they say it at all. No one should be pretentious enough to be able to think they should have any say over what someone else does with their own property.

Like it or hate it, unless the issue is bad enough that water or air issues arise, the one that makes payments should be the only one who says goes on their own land.

Frankly I find the concept of someone else deciding what looks good and what looks bad about someone elses property humorous .

 

[tlbuser]

Agree to disagree? If I own a "commercial vehicle" which is my livelihood, why can't I park it in my yard? Where am I supposed to park? Buy another lot to store my vehicles and equipment? Then buy another vehicle to transport me from lot to lot?

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue">( Where am I supposed to park? ) </font>

In the garage.

 

[billbill1]

I owned a home in an association for 15 years, there are good and bad issues with them. The one I was in was a retirement type community and there were very few kids in the area. The older citizens started dying off or moving to nursing homes and people with families started moving in. The rules were enforced (or not) by the board of directors and they weren't always consistent from case to case. This property was on a lake and had many rules that pertained to the water quality. They had many lots sold that were never built on and the county started selling the lots on the tax sale. There was work to be done like mowing, running the snow plow, caring for the pool. Never could get 150 homes on the same page as to how these things should be taken care of. It was a good place to live but now that I've moved, I doubt I would do it again. IMHO

 

[tlbuser]

W/E.
When the HOA won't let you build a garage large enough to house the equipment?

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue">( When the HOA won't let you build a garage large enough to house the equipment? ) </font>

If you buy a home in a subdivision with THESE RULES in place, then buy or rent commercial space to house your equipment. If the HOA creates these rules AFTER you have been living there and parking your vehicles and equipment, then you should try and get an exemption for as long as you own the property.