I've heard about HOAs, and I think you're probably right. There's no such thing over here, and if there was, people just wouldn't listen. I'm regularly amazed people in the US put up with them whenever I heard about them. What would happen if you ignored them? As long as you aren't renting, you can't be kicked out; do they just give a UN-style "Please stop or we will have to give you a disapproving note"?
> What would happen if you ignored them? As long as you aren't renting, you can't be kicked out
Actually, it depends. If you don't pay your HOA fees, or HOA imposed fines, some contracts (you have to sign before buying the home in the HOA) say they can foreclose your property and sell it at auction for whatever -- I think it has to be at least the amount of the unpaid fees though.
I have never heard of HOA having a foreclosure clause. Most apply a lien on your home so you cant sell until you reconcile with the HOA. Most times I have heard they will remove the lien just so you will leave.
I guess then my reaction is "what idiot would sign a contract like that?", but I guess desperation in most areas if there is a lack of other housing. After all, some people put up with living in London/San Francisco/New York/etc. where they will likely never own a home unless they win the lottery, so I guess if the need is high enough, people will put up with some truly terrible situations with where they live.
The reason people "put up" with HOAs is that nearly all HOAs are benevolent, passive organizations that do little more than keep the books and ensure common areas are adequately maintained. The most draconian most get is enforcement of landscaping standards and parking rules, which to me is 100% ok. I'm joining my HOA's board this summer, and the only thing I really intend to try and do that goes beyond that is to add a basketball court at one end of the swimming pool parking lot, and to repair some of the broken fencing along the greenways. The worst the current board infringed upon my rights was to deny my request to paint my front door red, using the justification that it doesn't go with the neighborhood's color palette. <banghead> They're right, but considering what some other neighbors have done with their doors (stick on faux stained glass anyone?), I was a bit miffed.
For all the horror stories you hear about HOAs, there are thousands of them that are not overbearing and do serve the general interest of the community without irritating the homeowners.
Myself, I find that overbearing and authoritarian. I definitely wouldn't live under their control (especially not if they have the power to make me homeless), but each to their own, I guess.
If you dont obey the rules or pay them they will get a lien put on you mortgage and you will unable to sell the home.
Dont believe the fear mongering on the internet, most HOAs arent terribly bad (you only hear the horror stories). As long as you dont paint your house a crazy color or park a massive RV in the driveway they will not be too much of a bother. If anything they are usually just doing things to protect the community or make it more desirable, its just sometimes they screw a few residents over for the better of the community.
> As long as you dont paint your house a crazy color or park a massive RV in the driveway they will not be too much of a bother. If anything they are usually just doing things to protect the community or make it more desirable, its just sometimes they screw a few residents over for the better of the community.
How does stopping someone parking their vehicle on their private property or painting their own house any colour they choose "protecting the community?"
You say that "HOAs aren't as terrible [as the internet would have you believe]" but based on what you said next I'm starting to wonder if they in fact are, but your standards for what they should be allowed to do are far too lax.
The only things I'd want a HOA to do is deal with noise violations, illegal parking, and maybe issues from a property which directly impact people living either side (e.g. smells, health issues -- like trash piling up, noise, etc).
There were two parts I said. Protecting the community or make it more desirable, the latter is what the painting/RV issue would fall under. For some people the Stepford Wive's type of place is very desirable, for people like us probably not...HN doesnt seem like the cookie cutter crowd.
>The only things I'd want a HOA to do is deal with noise violations, illegal parking, and maybe issues from a property which directly impact people living either side (e.g. smells, health issues -- like trash piling up, noise, etc).
In my experience this is what kind of issues the HOA dealt with when I lived in a town home and a condo community (2 separate places). For example, where my parents live they have much more restrictions but now that the community is over a decade old they are relaxing some restrictions.
There are ways around this, buy your own property and build a house on it then join the closest tennis/pool membership you can find, most older neighborhoods allow outside residents to join.
To each his own my friend. HOAs are allowed to do this because the residents support it and often times encourage the practices. If this is a major problem dont move into an HOA neighborhood plain and simple. I dont live in one right now and my grass is very high :-). If someone has a problem with that they can see my middle finger.
>How does stopping someone parking their vehicle on their private property or painting their own house any colour they choose "protecting the community?"
I have to agree. That's a completely unnecessary and arbitrary restriction on personal freedom.
>The only things I'd want a HOA to do is deal with noise violations, illegal parking, and maybe issues from a property which directly impact people living either side (e.g. smells, health issues -- like trash piling up, noise, etc).
Exactly - I'd be fine with this kind of thing, but they need/should have some kind of legal restriction to that level.
Again you guys are only focusing on one point I made. They also make rules to govern the look and feel.
Have you ever lived in an apartment that had rules? Its the same concept. No one is forcing anyone to move into these communities there is plenty of land to build your own house.
I am also against slavery but I've never been a slave. Does that strike you as odd too?
You can form an opinion on something with available facts. First hand experience can help one form or inform their opinion, but lack of that doesn't discount anything.
If you want to play that card then the majority of people's opinions on most common discussion topics is invalid (e.g. sexism, homophobia, racism, etc). If you're a white male then just don't talk about this stuff because, according to your logic, without first hand experience their opinion is invalid.
Whoa now, dont compare HOAs to something like slavery.
Slavery, sexism, homophobia, gay etc. those are not choices. Living in an HOA is a choice that you or I have to make. If you dont like them dont live in them, why would you want to destroy something you have a choice about. Others like these places, if they didnt there wouldnt be HOAs.
> Whoa now, dont compare HOAs to something like slavery.
As you well know, I did not.
I was making light of your asserting that you cannot have an opinion on a topic unless you experience it first hand. Slavery, murder, racism, sexism, etc are all areas where this kind of thinking is flawed.
> Living in an HOA is a choice that you or I have to make.
Nonsense. There are cities where HOAs make up almost all of the "nice" areas. Is it a choice when there is no viable alternative? Also HOAs always expand but then never go away, so in the future your choice will naturally shrink more and more.
> Others like these places, if they didnt there wouldnt be HOAs.
