[DenverTaco07]

HOA's are great, they are run by the home owners for the purpose of ensuring property values and common values of living in peace.

if you don't like your HOA, then run for the board, just like everyone on the board did. or of course if you love run down sh.t holes, feel free to live in one...we all have our own value systems and beliefs, and thats fine. My own experience is that HOA's are completely non invasive if you live with certain values. For sure some simply don't care about their own property or how their sh.t holes affect value of other's property.

I went through the neighborhodd i grew up in jot too long ago....trashy, run down, low value property, no thanks.

oh, and my current home is up over 50% in value after nearly 10 years...thank you HOA for the pristine, nicely manicured open spaces, with parks and other ammenities that buyers look for.

[Prodogs]

An HOA is not legal extortion well - because you have a right not to buy a property with an HOA?

Everyone has FREE WILL to choose where they want to live - don't like HOA - don't buy a property that has an HOA. It is that simple!!!!!

Originally Posted by fastball

Quit making excuses for HOAs. You still have the rules of the city AND the property taxes - you’re paying EXTRA on TOP of those for the EXTRA rules of the HOA.

And how exactly is an HOA not legal extortion?

“Pay us a monthly fee or we’ll foreclose on your house even if you own it outright”

I know exactly what extortion is. I have family who grew up on Murray Hill in the Little Italy section of Cleveland.

[fastball]

Originally Posted by Prodogs

An HOA is not legal extortion well - because you have a right not to buy a property with an HOA?

Everyone has FREE WILL to choose where they want to live - don't like HOA - don't buy a property that has an HOA. It is that simple!!!!!

Right, and on the other hand, if you like a house that's in an HOA community, you're forced to sign to those HOA rules even if you don't want them.

You should not have to agree to an HOA if you like a house in the neighborhood that has an HOA. That is my point.

I know there's people who will seek out HOA neighborhoods but I am saying why should someone be prevented from buying the house that suits them perfectly because of an HOA if they don't want one?

[fastball]

Originally Posted by DenverTaco07

oh, and my current home is up over 50% in value after nearly 10 years...thank you HOA for the pristine, nicely manicured open spaces, with parks and other ammenities that buyers look for.

All that stuff is fine if that's what you want, but for those of us who can take care of their our lawn an HOA is a waste.

I actually LIKE doing yardwork, and have all the required tools and equipment to make a beautiful yard a piece of cake.

[Emoto]

The difference is this:

With the mafia, you buy your house, live in it and try to go about your business. Then, along comes the mafia and insists that you pay protection money under threat of violence, etc. You had no idea the mafia were in the area.

With a HOA, you find out before you buy that the property is in a HOA and you get to see what the rules are before you buy, and if you buy, you voluntarily agree to the rules because you want to.

What I don't understand is how a piece of property remains in a HOA when it changes hands.

[coruiz]

Originally Posted by fastball

Right, and on the other hand, if you like a house that's in an HOA community, you're forced to sign to those HOA rules even if you don't want them.

You should not have to agree to an HOA if you like a house in the neighborhood that has an HOA. That is my point.

I know there's people who will seek out HOA neighborhoods but I am saying why should someone be prevented from buying the house that suits them perfectly because of an HOA if they don't want one?

you're not forced to buy that home. You can easily build the exact same home somewhere else in a lot that you could purchase.

is that simple

[DenverTaco07]

Originally Posted by fastball

Right, and on the other hand, if you like a house that's in an HOA community, you're forced to sign to those HOA rules even if you don't want them.

You should not have to agree to an HOA if you like a house in the neighborhood that has an HOA. That is my point.

I know there's people who will seek out HOA neighborhoods but I am saying why should someone be prevented from buying the house that suits them perfectly because of an HOA if they don't want one?

Why should select buyers in the controlled hood be allowed to not pay the HOA while still benefiting from the manicured open spaces, the parks, the pools, all the amenities that the HOA pays for...some should not have to pay for it yet benefit from the higher home values and use of those facilities that the rest do pay for?


I mean, what an awesome deal in your scenario - "yes sir, this is a beautiful area with all the amenities your family is seeking and what's great is that it's your choice if you want to contribute to the HOA that builds and maintains the fences sidewalks, waters the open space lawns, builds the parks your kids get to play in...all that is just simply your choice to pay for sir, the other homeowners will just have to pay a bit more for your lack of contribution."

I mean...it just doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

[fastball]

Originally Posted by coruiz

you're not forced to buy that home. You can easily build the exact same home somewhere else in a lot that you could purchase.

is that simple

But I like that specific home. It's already built, the perfect house for my family, in my price range, close to work, and in a great school system.

I should not be forced to wait to build or look elsewhere simply because a group of neighbors on that street decided everyone's lawn height had to be exactly the same.

[DenverTaco07]

Originally Posted by Emoto

The difference is this:

With the mafia, you buy your house, live in it and try to go about your business. Then, along comes the mafia and insists that you pay protection money under threat of violence, etc. You had no idea the mafia were in the area.

With a HOA, you find out before you buy that the property is in a HOA and you get to see what the rules are before you buy, and if you buy, you voluntarily agree to the rules because you want to.

What I don't understand is how a piece of property remains in a HOA when it changes hands.

Regardless of how many owners have owned the home, it is required to disclose the HOA rules and assessments to each buyer - it's just part of the buying / selling process. - if i understand your question correctly.

[coruiz]

Originally Posted by fastball

But I like that specific home. It's already built, the perfect house for my family, in my price range, close to work, and in a great school system.

I should not be forced to wait to build or look elsewhere simply because a group of neighbors on that street decided everyone's lawn height had to be exactly the same.

then you're SOL lol.

[coruiz]

Enough about HOA please

[fastball]

Originally Posted by DenverTaco07

Why should select buyers in the controlled hood be allowed to not pay the HOA while still benefiting from the manicured open spaces, the parks, the pools, all the amenities that the HOA pays for...some should not have to pay for it yet benefit from the higher home values and use of those facilities that the rest do pay for?


I mean, what an awesome deal in your scenario - "yes sir, this is a beautiful area with all the amenities your family is seeking and what's great is that it's your choice if you want to contribute to the HOA that builds and maintains the fences sidewalks, waters the open space lawns, builds the parks your kids get to play in...all that is just simply your choice to pay for sir, the other homeowners will just have to pay a bit more for your lack of contribution."

I mean...it just doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

My argument continues to make perfect sense because everything you mention is what you and I and everyone else already pay property taxes for!!!

I have a $350,000 house with ZERO HOA fees, while I also have a $4200/yr property tax bill.

Now tell me, why the hell would I pay your stupid HOA fee ON TOP OF my property taxes where the city already takes care of everything you mention???? We have manicured spaces, a nice park, and the city inspect all the sidewalks every 10 years. If your need to be replaced they will either give you 60 days to have someone do it, or do it themselves and assess your property tax bill. Tell me, again, why I need to pay an HOA ON TOP OF ALL THAT???????

[MrRuss]

Originally Posted by fastball

My argument continues to make perfect sense because everything you mention is what you and I and everyone else already pay property taxes for!!!

I have a $350,000 house with ZERO HOA fees, while I also have a $4200/yr property tax bill.

Now tell me, why the hell would I pay your stupid HOA fee ON TOP OF my property taxes where the city already takes care of everything you mention???? We have manicured spaces, a nice park, and the city inspect all the sidewalks every 10 years. If your need to be replaced they will either give you 60 days to have someone do it, or do it themselves and assess your property tax bill. Tell me, again, why I need to pay an HOA ON TOP OF ALL THAT???????

C'mon man..... BECAUSE the city/county does NOT own the common area/parks/pools etc in most subdivisions/neighborhoods. The common property is owned by the subdivision/neighborhood and costs money to manage and maintain. Thus the HOA..... do you get it now!!!

In your neighborhood with no HOA the city does own parks etc...

[Lazerbrainz2k3]

Originally Posted by fastball

Quit making excuses for HOAs. You still have the rules of the city AND the property taxes - you’re paying EXTRA on TOP of those for the EXTRA rules of the HOA.

And how exactly is an HOA not legal extortion?

“Pay us a monthly fee or we’ll foreclose on your house even if you own it outright”

I know exactly what extortion is. I have family who grew up on Murray Hill in the Little Italy section of Cleveland.

Feel free to share a legal brief explaining in detail why"extortion" is a legitimate way to describe joining an HOA. Don't forget the citations of all the court cases and portions of the United States Code supporting that argument either. I don't think you'll be able to find such support, but hey, good luck.

Especially with townhouses and apartments, HOAs provide varying common services beyond what local rules allow for, and the dues provide a common source of revenue for those common services - sidewalk snow removal, grounds maintenance, a community pool, some utilities, etc. In some cases the HOA owns the grounds and the structure/exterior of the dwelling, with the owner having some limited ability to make changes to those portions (usually after obtaining permission) while being free to go nuts from the drywall in. It's sort of an intermediate point between an living in an urban apartment building with no green space at all, and free standing single family where all rights AND responsibilities are on the homeowner.

Foreclosure MIGHT happen in extreme cases, but only after an extended period of going through collections agencies and/or lawsuits first. HOAs generally lack the legal standing to kick you out of your home - that's something more in line with the state, or the banks (and if like most people you can't afford to buy a forever home outright in your younger years, not belonging to an HOA won't save you from whoever gave you a mortgage kicking you out when you don't pay). Also worth keeping in mind is that while you're making your "principled" stand against HOA dues, you're mooching off your neighbors who are paying both their share of the common services and yours.

For someone as vehement about protecting homeowners' rights, you're awfully hostile to another right of homeowners: the right to voluntarily join others in giving up some of their other rights in exchange for other benefits.

As for familiarity with Mafia tactics bragging rights go... Cleveland, really? Considering my family went from Sicily to South Philly, color me unimpressed.