Hoa's

[ff500]

We just put a deposit on a lot and will be having a house built in a community in Va. They gave us this book that is about 3 inches thick, its the Hoa's documents and rules.
I've never dealt with anything like this before, wtf is it? The monthly fee is $187, it does include cable and internet. After reading through some of the articles in the hoa book it sounds like some sort of neighborhood nazism. Can they be that bad? I don't want to disappoint my wife, she really wants this move. Are we better off finding a home without this hoa crap?

 

[SWAMPMODULAR]

Im in the process of finding a house or getting one built and im staying far away from those exact situations. They can pretty much dictate what goes on in the neighborhood. There are good things about them like people having to up keep the yard and house but when they tell you your car is to loud or you cant use that style of mailbox, fence, house color, ext thats just too much for me to have to deal with IMO. Im looking for a few acres too so i can have a garden or animals so no HOA's for me. They can in some cases even put a lean on your house if you don't pay your monthly HOA dues.
Figure out what your looking for in a house and neighborhood and read carefully through the book and just make sure you can do things you want to do in the future if you want to change your house and such. Some places don't even let you park a company vehicle in the view of your neighbors.

 

[Franchi]

They can be good and can also be very very bad. When I bought my house I refused to move into any neighborhood that had one as I don't like having terms dictated to me.

But overall, they usually aren't all that bad, and do some good in lot of things.

 

[DriftwoodSVT]

Your HOA ties you into a specified cable/internet vendor? That's pretty crappy.

 

[FuzzyDiceRule]

Short answer. Yes

Long answer. If you ever, and I mean EVER want to do anything other than sleep in your house, you do not want an HOA. You are correct in your assessment of the nazism. From what I understand some even have clauses that allow them to tow vehicles off of your property. It may make the Missus unhappy But find a lot that doesn't have one. Some neighborhoods have something similar that I can't remember the name of, and it's essentially a signed agreement that you read and sign when you buy the lot(or the house) that has rules and regulations that are similar, but much less severe, and the only way to act on them is to get a group of about 3 or 4 households and sue about the infraction. (this is how my neighborhood works and I do shit that would have gotten us evicted from an HOA with no problems

 

[DSG04Lightning]

I recently received a letter from my HOA saying I need to take my lights down on one of my outside trees. stating they were christmas lights. were they really christmas lights....YES Did I eventually intend to take them down...YES I didnt need a letter to remind me.

However someone on my street had a full size trampoline in their front yard. The next day it was moved to their back yard I assume they got a letter as well.

 

[HEMIHUNTER]

Sell the Lot .
Build elsewhere.

 

[astrodudepsu]

Where are you moving into VA? Finding a house without an HOA in Nothern Virginia is very hard. Not impossible mind you, but most are older homes and some of them aren't in places where I would want to live.

Around here HOA's tend to be on the bad side. Good luck

 

[Driver500]

If you do buy and end up in an HOA I reccomend getting involved in it. Most of the time it's run by people who need a little power and it's better to be in the circle than not.

 

[oldmodman]

The only deed restriction I have is that I can't sell my house to Negros, Chinese, or the Irish.
My deed is from 1927 when these kind of things were common.

They probably still are,.........in the South.:lol1:

 

[Blown 89]

HOA's aren't all that bad...it really depends on who is running it and whether or not you're one to get your panties in a wad over every little thing brought to you. If that sounds like you steer clear of them. If it weren't for the outrageous dues in the neighborhoods I'm looking at buying in now I'd prefer an HOA but then again I'm pretty easy going and respect those around me. Driver500 is right, if you end up in one get involved.

 

[Rick James]

Where are you moving into VA? Finding a house without an HOA in Nothern Virginia is very hard. Not impossible mind you, but most are older homes and some of them aren't in places where I would want to live.

Around here HOA's tend to be on the bad side. Good luck

This.

 

[ff500]

Where are you moving into VA? Finding a house without an HOA in Nothern Virginia is very hard. Not impossible mind you, but most are older homes and some of them aren't in places where I would want to live.

Around here HOA's tend to be on the bad side. Good luck

It's in Haymarket. Dominion Valley Country Club. The builder is Toll Brothers, we have until the 7th to go to contract or get our deposit back.

They do have 4 outdoor pools an indoor pool, 2 golf courses, fitness center a restaurant and its gated. They also have 2 elementary schools, a middle school and a high school on property which ranked very high on greatschools.com. This is why my wife loves it, the amenities.

 

[Rick James]

It's in Haymarket. Dominion Valley Country Club. The builder is Toll Brothers, we have until the 7th to go to contract or get our deposit back.

They do have 4 outdoor pools an indoor pool, 2 golf courses, fitness center a restaurant and its gated. They also have 2 elementary schools, a middle school and a high school on property which ranked very high on greatschools.com. This is why my wife loves it, the amenities.

I drive by that development on my way to Lake Anna. Look like a very nice community, if not a tad remote. GC looks real nice as well.

 

[astrodudepsu]

It's in Haymarket. Dominion Valley Country Club. The builder is Toll Brothers, we have until the 7th to go to contract or get our deposit back.

They do have 4 outdoor pools an indoor pool, 2 golf courses, fitness center a restaurant and its gated. They also have 2 elementary schools, a middle school and a high school on property which ranked very high on greatschools.com. This is why my wife loves it, the amenities.

Yea I know the area. I have a few friends who live in/around Haymarket. You certainly will not find a place like that without an HOA. People around here are awfully uppity though and will nitpick the shit out of anyone because most people who live here hate their lives, their commutes, and their shitty spoiled kids.

Especially car folks, and I don't mean the obvious dumb stuff like burnouts, I mean normal maintenance like oil changes and car washes. Just hope you don't have retired people or stay at home moms on your HOA board, people who don't do shit all day and have nothing better to do than walk around "their" community and take notes (Yes, I've seen this multiple times) to send out nasty grams in the future.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Have fun PAYING people to tell you what to do with YOUR house while you pay for it.

 

[NEOH1]

Good luck in doing your own automotive work. They normally don't like that.

 

[DriftwoodSVT]

Good luck in doing your own automotive work. They normally don't like that.

I change my oil and brakes in my garage with the door open all the time. My HOA doesn't care. :shrug:

 

[ff500]

We're waiting to hear what they offer my wife for relocation money and then I told her to expect my relocation demands. Which will include ( as my daughter says ) a fast car, I've always wanted a cobra r, so hopefully within a year or so I'll have one. I also told her it may take me a bit to find a job I like, so don't be mad if I spend a lot of time on the golf course.

 

[MTBSully]

dont know much about any of this since im 21, but what is making you move from MA to VA? Just curious