What is an HOA?

A Homeowners Association (HOA) is an entity setup by the developer of the land.  It acts as the governing body that regulates the bylaws of your community.  There are pros and cons to living in an HOA neighborhood. 

In general HOA’s can help keep the community or neighborhood looking beautiful by:

·        Ensuring homes maintain acceptable appearances.

·        Setting rules for sound ordinances, pets, lawn décor, etc.

·        Upkeep – Most HOA’s provide landscaping on common grounds, snow removal, pool access as well as other amenities.

In other situations they may be a nuisance to deal with:

• They can demand that repairs be made to your home if it is in violation of their bylaws. (Ex: roof repair, new coat of house paint, unkempt landscaping, etc.) 
• You will need to get approval for fences, decks, hot tubs, or any other updates or improvements on your property.

If you decide to purchase your first home within an HOA community, it’s imperative that you read and understand their rules prior to buying.  For instance, if you like to entertain in the late hours of the night, it will more than likely not be allowed in your new neighborhood and could lead you to regret buying there.  Most of the laws within an HOA are created to protect the value of the area and maintain a peaceful neighborhood, however if there are any rules that you know you will not be able to uphold, we strongly suggest looking at homes on privately owned lots.