The Dark Side of Homeowner Associations.

[Nick Gromicko]

The Dark Side of Homeowner Associations.

[Bob Elliott]

Many see that as the bright side .
To each their own,but as you said ,they need to look into the rules before buying.

Goes with checking on differed maintenance,reserve funds,planned capitol improvements, assessments,percentage of owner occupied,management company,schools,etc.
I could go on ,but there is less freedom in many ways to do as you wish.

[Michael J. Meeker]

That is the best thing about my neighborhood, we don't have one. 10 points for living in a 50 year old community.

[Rob London]

My room didn't come with blinds, so I put a cool mexican blanket in the window. They just told me it needs to go. I almost quoted myself in the article.

[Andrew Shick]

Thanks Nick,
You just reminded me why I don't live in the city.
I'm emailing that article to my wife, who bugs me almost daily to move back into town.
Maybe it will hold her off for a while.

[Bruce M. Graham]

Rob,
Ask them to show you in the doc's were they can police your interior decorating skills. Alot of theses groups are just out to control others to conform to thier taste and whims.
I would tell them to take a flying sesta

[Doug Edwards]

We have a HOA where I live but it isn't mandatory. I went to some of the early meetings when they were first forming it up. Asked a few questions. It had the usual array of azzholes who want to be in charge of everything who wanted to control how tall the grass could be, etc. I wanted to see if they had any by-laws or covenant to which they had some stuff on paper that legally was as thin as tater water. They sent around two boneheads who were on the membership committee to ask me to join and when I told them, their by laws did not have anything in them to protect the individual homeowners if in the event some turd in the community decided to sue the HOA and each and every member by name. They stared at me like a calf staring at a new gate but had nothing to say after that. Still not a member and have never had the urge to join. Tie yourself to a bunch of ignoramus and you will rue the day. Had it been mandatory I would have lived elsewhere. I wanted 20 acres with a moat, alligators, razor wire and machine guns but my wife wanted a subdivision. She wanted neighbors, an little item I find highly overrated. She won, but now she wishes she had listened to ME. I like people, just don't want them up my butt every day, ringing the door bell to borrow things or sell me magazines.