Homeowners Associations
By Bethany1202
@Bethany1202 (3431)
United States
June 25, 2011 2:03pm CST
My boyfriend and I bought a nice starter house, which we love and got for a fair price, about two years ago. Unfortunately, it's in a subdivision with a HOA. I have never lived anywhere that had HOA (Homeowners Association). It isn't too bad here, and the fees or dues are not very high, less than $50 a month, but it doesn't really seem as though they do anything.
We still get our trash picked up by the city, the only thing we really have to do is pay the HOA and follow their rules. How is this fair?? They don't seem to give too much back to the community. Why bother having them? Do you live in a community with a HOA? Do they give anything back? Just curious...
1 person likes this
7 responses
@murkie (1103)
• Philippines
25 Jun 11
most subdivisions in our place are run by HOA. in its beginning phase, they may be run by the developer, but after a few years, these will be handed over to the HOA.
most utilities are run by the city as well. but things like security and safety, street lighting, landscape, street maintenance, etc should be provided by the hoa. these are what the monthly dues are for.
if you can't see anything that your hoa is doing, you should at least attend your monthly meeting and raise your concern. you may do it in the guise of the road safety you just mentioned, and then go from there to question where your monthly dues are being spent on.
another advantage of having a hoa and paying dues is that you have every right to complain about your community to people you may know well off.
good luck.. 
1 person likes this
@Bethany1202 (3431)
• United States
27 Jun 11
Sounds good, thanks for the suggestions and information.
@andrey0109 (297)
• Las Pinas City, Philippines
25 Jun 11
yeah, I do live in a community with HOA. Actually I am paying double HOA coz in our street we have also our own guards. so when going to us you have to pass by two gates with guards on duty. I think it is worth the money I am paying monthly coz the guards are doing their duty by checking who are coming inside our community and checking out when they live. And in our streets people are very nice and know each other.
1 person likes this
@Bethany1202 (3431)
• United States
25 Jun 11
It would be nice to have some guards in our community, or at least some gates to keep out most people that may not belong. We get a lot of speeders zipping through the neighborhood and not obeying the stop signs, and there are many children playing outside (especially in the summer). We don't really get anything out of paying our HOA, in my opinion. : /
@AmbiePam (85467)
• United States
25 Jun 11
My parents live in a neighborhood with a Homeowner's Association. I know some of the dues go to having the grass cut around the neighborhood that is not on any one's certain property. And where the addition's name is on the sign, and the flowers are around it, and the grass by the sidewalks are mowed. I assume the money goes to paying people to manage the upkeep on that.
@Bethany1202 (3431)
• United States
27 Jun 11
There are many empty lots still in our subdivision, one of which is right beside our house. This land is overgrown with weeds and very unattractive. It brings many bugs and mosquitoes as well, so as far as mowing the grass and keeping the land in good shape, that's a big NO for my HOA! : (
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
27 Jun 11
no, i don't & am glad we don't have a hoa. Sounds like a rip-off to me. Paying that kind of money a month u should see some good results for it.
1 person likes this
@adex19 (114)
• Malaysia
26 Jun 11
well i live in a community that have homeowner association and you have to pay a fees pay house but their do give back to the community that very body can see that is the mean reason of paying for the fees in the first place. if they don't give birth to the community their is no reason why you should continue to pay for that kind of amount. are they going to ask you to leave your house if you don't pay. i gist no.so there is no need for you to worry yourself so much and paying $50 is much for nothing to show for it..
