Homeowners associations are increasingly common in residential communities in the U.S. and their intended purpose is to ensure quality of life and property values, but owners who live in HOA communities have lots of complaints about them, even if they don’t bother to get involved.
A survey of more than 1,000 owners living in HOAs by home repair app Frontdoor found 54% have had a negative experience. Additionally, 1 in 3 said it has made them want to leave their community.
The biggest complaints about HOAs are fees that are too high, rule enforcement that is inconsistent and restrictive, and HOA boards that don’t communicate well.
HOA boards are generally voluntary and made up of community members willing to invest their time. Most don’t.
“Only about 41% actually attend any of the HOA board meetings. And then about 1 in 3 don’t vote on HOA issues,” said Allison Hadley, of Frontdoor. About 10% of HOA members have served on their HOA board, and 38% said it was not a good experience.
Still, 60% have had positive experiences with their HOAs with most generally satisfied with the idea of a community association.
“This could look like street maintenance, It could deal with trash removal or snow removal. Two-thirds of the people who do have a (positive feeling) about HOAs say that it all lies in neighborhood appearance and maintaining a high property value,” Hadley said.
When asked if they were to buy a home in the future, 70% said they would still prefer a community without an HOA, and 63% said they would not recommend living in an HOA community.
HOAs can cause potential homebuyers to hesitate. Hadley recommends those buyers knock on some doors.
“I think it is very, very important to ask your potential neighbors how they feel about their HOA, and whether they feel their HOA fees are being allocated correctly. Also, try to get a copy of the rules and covenants to see what you are signing up for and agreeing to,” she said.
HOA boards are notorious for strictly enforcing rules, and punishing homeowners who don’t follow them. According to the survey, 1 in 6 said they had been fined by the HOA, with the most common reasons being landscaping requirements and parking infractions, even for vehicles on their own property.
Frontdoor’s full HOA survey results are online.
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