When buying a home, it’s important to note the Homeowner’s Association (HOA) that is within the neighborhood. This is an organization in an area or community that makes and enforces rules for the residents and their properties. An HOA neighborhood typically comes with a fee and can have rules and regulations regarding the home’s appearance. Not all neighborhoods have HOA’s, some are very strict, and others are somewhere between the two. Finding a community that fits your lifestyle and needs to very important. In this video, Alexis Nickley breaks down the Pros and Cons of an HOA.
Pro 1: Expectancy of Appearance
An HOA is typically looking out for the overall appearance of the community. They can regulate the exterior paint color of homes critique lawns to keep the neighborhood uniform and up to their standard.
Pro 2: Included benefits in an HOA
A lot of HOA’s include a benefit. That can come in many different forms, like a community pool, access to a fitness center, or grounds maintenance. Some HOA’s can be very pricey, but they typically include more value.
Pro 3: Maintenance of neighborhood
Having an HOA will also keep the overall look of the neighborhood up to standard. They maintain the front entrance any community landscaping. Having this can raise the overall curb appeal of the neighborhood.
Pro #4: Who can live in the neighborhood
Some HOA’s limit who can live in the neighborhood. The HOA decides if the residents can have their homes as short-term rentals. If you don’t want a revolving door of neighbors, choosing a neighborhood that doesn’t allow short-term rentals is important to note. For a lot of people having neighbors, you can get to know and build relationships with is really important.
In any list of pros, there are always some cons that you have to consider.
Con #1: Really high HOA fees
A big deterrent of an HOA community is the high fees. In some, the fee is worth it, but if you move into a community that promises a lot and doesn’t deliver, you’re sending your money down the drain.
Con #2: HOA’s can have assessments
Communities have savings accounts for the community if something gets damaged. What happens when that fund runs out? Residents can get charged an assessment. So let’s say you live in a townhome and the roof is damaged and needs to be replaced. An assessment will be added to your account on top of your HOA fee.
Con #3: Crazy people in a place of power
People get power crazy! And when they are your neighbors, it can become challenging. They can nitpick your yard every day and be extremely passive about it.
Con #4: Company Logos can be disapproved
If you own a company and have a truck with the logo on it for advertising, most of the time, with an HOA, they will not allow you to park it in your driveway.
Is an HOA community right for you?
Between the pros and cons of having an HOA, you just need to decide what will fit your lifestyle. The good doesn’t outweigh the bad; it just depends on your situation. When you start your search for a home, we just recommend you decide what is important to you in an HOA so you can go in the right direction.
If you have any questions about HOA or the home buying or selling process in Central Florida please reach out to us. We’d love the opportunity to break down the process and give you a world-class experience. You can give us a call at 407-906-2456 or email us at [email protected].