[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by sherob

In Colorado, it more than likely goes towards... snow removal on sidewalks and roads, trash service and recycling, pool maintenance and lifeguard, park maintenance, common area maintenance, fitness center and coach, streetlights, street and sidewalk maintenance.

This is what it covers in my hood, but my dues are ~$250 a qtr.

That is what my City and county property taxes are for.

[sherob]

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

That is what my City and county property taxes are for.

When you live in a subdivision/development, you pay for all of that yourself. County/city takes care of their property.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by sherob

When you live in a subdivision/development, you pay for all of that yourself. County/city takes care of their property.

I live in a subdivision... I have been here for 39 years.

[mlee]

Originally Posted by splashlog48

Dislike it ?? Don't live in one
My brother does and I can't even park in front of his house
He likes it (I guess)

...and if he didn't like it there's nothing he can do about it.

Originally Posted by ritchet

I love living in a community with a strong HOA. I have been here 20 years and the neighborhood is as beautiful as the day I built my home. I've been fined a couple times for not getting my trash cans in the garage, but that is a small price to pay for a nice place to live.

I grew up in the country where I built my own moto cross track in the backyard and we had a 300 yard shooting range. Just what every growing boy should have. I see he benefits of both types of neighborhoods. Just don't sign the deed unless you are OK with the HOA.

Exactly... you have to sign off on the restrictions before you buy. I'll never buy a home without an HOA. My 50 year old neighborhood would look like crap today without some rule enforcement. I can't build a fence due to being on the golf course but I knew that going in. My son just purchased a home and after he bought I informed him of a few things he couldn't do. He had no clue.

I crack up at those who blatantly hate HOA's for being an HOA. If you don't like the decisions they make then get them voted out. Or better yet, take their place and you'll see what these volunteers have to deal with. Also, if you don't like a rule campaign to have it changed or edited. Chances are others want the same. Deed restrictions are tougher to change but most of the stuff people complain about are simple by-laws that someone thought was a good idea at the time and easy to change.

Most folks get pissed off over one thing and and are blinded enough to want to throw out everything the HOA does for them.

[DenverTaco07]

$400 a month is usually a condo, with a pool, gym and other services, they can get very high.

The purpose of an HOA is to ensure property values and protect everyone's right to live in peace and tranquility. they are not perfect though...and if you dont like something about your HOA, guess what...you can run to be elected to the board, you can show up to meetings etc.

if you like barking dogs, cars on cinder blocks in neighbors front yard, yards with weeds 8 feet high, houses that are not kept up and falling apart, plummeting property values, etc., then you can choose to live in one. Property values are likely very low in such areas, but to each their own.

[sherob]

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

I live in a subdivision... I have been here for 39 years.

Look where you live compared to where I live... big difference. Huge difference between what you are paying for and receiving and what I'm paying for and receiving. My neighborhood/subdivision is relatively new... a hot new area... with a beach club w/ sand volleyball courts, got that? Thought not! Got parks w/ play grounds and water parks for the kids? Thought not! Got a gym w/ YMCA instructors? Thought not! Got dog parks? Green belts?

Go argue w/ a wall if you want, because that's apparently what you want to do.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by sherob

... a hot new area... with a beach club w/ sand volleyball courts, got that? Thought not! Got parks w/ play grounds and water parks for the kids? Thought not! Got a gym w/ YMCA instructors? Thought not! Got dog parks? Green belts?

If you'd actually use all those things and appreciate living in "a hot new area" - whatever that means - that's one thing. But like the 'bird, I've lived in this house for 39 years (this month, actually). Decent neighborhood where people are friendly enough but stay out of each others' business. Actually a little nicer now than it was maybe 15 years ago.

But if I wouldn't pay to belong to a neighborhood pool (there is one) or join a gym (there are a few within easy drive) or use any of those other things, it'd be a waste of my money to be subsidizing those neighbors who would be using those opportunities when they wouldn't be subsidizing any of my interests.


I know there are HOAs that flat-out forbid you to work on your own car, which would be an absolute deal-breaker no matter how nice the neighborhood was or how well it suited me otherwise. Now that I'm living on Social Security (means I don't get to put in for overtime to cover for higher than expected car expenses) it's even more worthwhile for me to do as much of my vehicles' maintenance, repair, and modification as I am physically able to do. Seems the neighbor across the street ends up doing brakes at least twice a year, every year, and everybody understands.


Norm

[sherob]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

If you'd actually use all those things and appreciate living in "a hot new area" - whatever that means - that's one thing. But like the 'bird, I've lived in this house for 39 years (this month, actually). Decent neighborhood where people are friendly enough but stay out of each others' business. Actually a little nicer now than it was maybe 15 years ago.

But if I wouldn't pay to belong to a neighborhood pool (there is one) or join a gym (there are a few within easy drive) or use any of those other things, it'd be a waste of my money to be subsidizing those neighbors who would be using those opportunities when they wouldn't be subsidizing any of my interests.


I know there are HOAs that flat-out forbid you to work on your own car, which would be an absolute deal-breaker no matter how nice the neighborhood was or how well it suited me otherwise. Now that I'm living on Social Security (means I don't get to put in for overtime to cover for higher than expected car expenses) it's even more worthwhile for me to do as much of my vehicles' maintenance, repair, and modification as I am physically able to do. Seems the neighbor across the street ends up doing brakes at least twice a year, every year, and everybody understands.


Norm

... a "hot new area" in the Denver Metro is anyplace you can find a house under $500k.

I work on my car, also worked on my bikes... My neighbor is rebuilding his second IH Scout, motor lift kit and all. My other neighbor across the street has been building an off road 4x4 out of a RAM diesel truck to go w/ his old roadster he's also building for the last year. Working on your cars/trucks is one thing... putting them on blocks in your yard covered w/ a tarp is something else. Everyone pretty much works on something around here... travel trailers to go karts.

The gym and pool, yeah they're used... especially since I have to do cardio rehab workout's after having stents put in. My daughter also appreciates them too since she can workout w/ her friends.

I've been in my hood for 10 years... the first phase of a 780 acre development, then it stopped. It just started cranking up in the last 2 to 3 years, building like crazy out here now! New road widening, new stores, new restaurants... all in another 2,000 acre retail/commercial development. This area, Brighton, population grew over 56% in the last 15 years... hot!

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by sherob

Look where you live compared to where I live... big difference. Huge difference between what you are paying for and receiving and what I'm paying for and receiving. My neighborhood/subdivision is relatively new... a hot new area... with a beach club w/ sand volleyball courts, got that? Thought not! Got parks w/ play grounds and water parks for the kids? Thought not! Got a gym w/ YMCA instructors? Thought not! Got dog parks? Green belts?

Go argue w/ a wall if you want, because that's apparently what you want to do.

Actually you have no clue to what is near me.
Have a good day.

[Rob10CamaroSS]

Here in NY you pay hundreds of thousands for a POS house and ya some of your neighbors might have a harvest gold house and a dirt front lawn. But that's a small price to pay for freedom.
Different strokes for different folks, some like to be told what they can and can't do, others dont. I tried it once with a summer house and I was deemed an undesirable land owner

Still BS with the guy and the upside down Camaro Body on Rice. If it's legal and registered who the hell are they to tell him he can't have it in the driveway. I bet that let someone keep a Smart Car in the driveway and it don't get no uglier and bizarre than that

[mlee]

Originally Posted by Rob10CamaroSS

Here in NY you pay hundreds of thousands for a POS house and ya some of your neighbors might have a harvest gold house and a dirt front lawn. But that's a small price to pay for freedom.
Different strokes for different folks, some like to be told what they can and can't do, others dont. I tried it once with a summer house and I was deemed an undesirable land owner

Still BS with the guy and the upside down Camaro Body on Rice. If it's legal and registered who the hell are they to tell him he can't have it in the driveway. I bet that let someone keep a Smart Car in the driveway and it don't get no uglier and bizarre than that

LOL... No one is telling me what to do either. I agreed to mow my lawn and not paint my house pink. In fact I signed my name on an agreement. And if I don't agree with someone's interpretation such as the upside down Camaro all I have to do is appeal. If that doesn't work I take it to court. If your nextdoor neighbors house is bright pink there's absolutely nothing you can do about it so you're basically being told you can't take him to court. Then try to sell your house to get away from it. Values tank.

Plenty of laws out there "telling you what to do" with your car, such as insurance. Your choice to avoid it by not owning a car. Your choice to not live in a subdivision with rules so the telling me what to do doesn't fly.

[sherob]

Originally Posted by Angrybird 12

Actually you have no clue to what is near me.
Have a good day.

Near? I walk.

I have In-laws in TN, so yeah... I have a clue.

[Coleroad]

HOA's just go overboard. Lots of them are run by people who just want to control others. Some areas you can't hardly find a house that doesn't have one. We are moving to Denver area next week. You can't find a place even in smaller surrounding towns without HOA's. You have to go rural to get that. For work my wife and I need high speed internet, and not with usage limits. Natural gas is much cheaper than Lp gas. I get wanting the neighborhood to look nice. having to go to the hoa to get approval to paint your house the same color it is now, is utterly ridiculous. HOA's that try to control what can be seen inside through your windows. I know the hoa we are moving into says no street parking, or you will be towed. We this hoa, the roads are maintained by the county, not the hoa. They have no legal rights to a public street. Not that I plan on parking in the street, but they obviously like to try and overstep their bounds. Obviously we agreed to the hoa when we bought, and will have to live by their terms, but I don't have to agree with them.

[DenverTaco07]

HOA's are democratically run..., if the management company isn't doing right by the owners, fire them, if you want to ammend rules, ammend them.

go around, campaign your neighbors get them on your side and get elected.

some might say it's a freedom thing, and that's fine, but freedom to me is to have a home that increases in value at a nice pace. Knowing that someone can't move in and subsequently be a nuisance and drive property values down. We bought our home in 2008 and it's curently 50% higher in value. to me, that's freedom to make money / have a substantial net worth.

they aren't for everyone though and that is ok, we are all free to live in one or not.