The Good and the Bad of HOA Life
Homeowners Associations (or HOAs for short) can be polarizing. On the one hand, they shoulder plenty of responsibility when it comes to maintaining the community standard; on the other, they can be foul and loathsome cockroaches. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of living in an HOA community.
Pro - Well-Maintained Common Areas
Watching your favorite childhood park go to the dogs sucks, and while there may not be anything you can do for your old neighborhood, being part of an HOA at least guarantees that the sidewalks, playgrounds, and parks will be kept clean and safe, free of litter and debris.
Pro - Access to Amenities
Ever wish you had a pool growing up? Well, living in an HOA community lets you give your inner child the fun they probably deserved. Indeed, HOAs share many amenities and facilities, many of which you probably would not have access to without it. It’s not essential - but it is nice.
Pro - Dispute Resolution
Can’t stand your neighbor’s dog barking all the time? Being kept up by loud music from next door? Don’t worry about asserting yourself in person - an HOA can help resolve neighborhood disputes, anonymously.
Pro - Socializing
Unless you hope to one day be that crotchety old man who chases kids off their lawn and keeps their misplaced footballs to himself, you’re probably going to want to socialize a little when you move to a new neighborhood. While a lot of your interactions may be experienced through a veil of petty suburban bureaucracy, there’s always the chance of making a genuine connection or two.
Pro - Higher Property Values
While nothing’s ever guaranteed, and the housing market can be surprisingly fickle at times, homes in an HOA community typically fetch a higher price due to the typically more attractive neighborhoods they’re located in.
Con - Additional Fees and Payments
Like all forms of governance, HOAs will have no hesitation in demanding some of your hard-earned money “for the good of the people”. These fees are typically annual or monthly, and usually fund the general upkeep and maintenance of the neighborhood, as well as some “surprise” expenses.
Con - Rules and Regulations
You may have paid for the house, but don’t think that your own rules will apply to your home. HOAs typically have many rules and regulations for you to follow, and while they’re normally beneficial (for “the greater good”, as it were), they can also be highly restrictive.
Con - Less Privacy
Do you enjoy having strangers periodically waltz through your house and cast their judging eyes on everything you own? Well, then you’ll love being part of an HOA, where not only will your house be periodically inspected, but you’ll probably also have to share a yard with someone as well.
Con - Poor Management
Despite their insistence that you take them seriously, many HOA committee and board members are petty, impertinent creatures who are at times prone to fits of poor decision-making, which - naturally - will affect you. Not everywhere, mind you, but it’s a prevalent enough issue that you should know about it going in.
Con - Lack of Personalization
Ever dreamed of owning a yellow house? Too bad - living as part of an HOA restricts what you’re allowed to do in terms of the appearance of your house. Particularly cretinous HOA committee members will even restrict what kind of cars you are allowed to have parked in your driveway.
