Doing it again...

Well seems I am jumping back into the "HOA game". Just found a new place to call home. Decided to build in a subdivision with a HOA! The dues are still very low. It's at the beginning of the 2nd phase of building. So far only see a retaining pond for "common area". The other 2 areas. It's kind of odd set up on the 2nd common area. It's on the other developer's land. There is a fee to pay to join and then a yearly dues. Waiting to get a copy of the HOA documents.

So what do you all suggest I do "early" before HOA can stop me from doing it? LOL!

Good ideas! Can never go wrong with building a shed in a HOA! A pool is even more of a plus! LOL!

Melissa,

The pond is likely a "detention" pond used for stormwater management purposes.

Is it owned by the HOA or the county? In our area, detention ponds are county owned, unless inside a private loaded neighborhood (usually means a gated community). My current community has 17 detention ponds - they are private and expensive to maintain.

Thank you. My first developer owned/operated HOA. Good thing I've got a great resource to ask questions to!

One of the reasons I bought in this HOA is because there are no playgrounds or amenities. The common areas are most likely all going to be places for water retention/detention. I've seen a few of their other developments with similar set ups. My dogs love to play in water. There are other HOA's nearby that have all amenities.

I am still waiting on getting a copy of the CC&R's to view them. So far I know must plant a tree and approved for wood fencing. What sucks is they want to use pine straw for flower beds. I can hate that stuff as it is all over my current yard. So I do have a free source for that! LOL!

I'd tell you the same thing that I tell anyone who is looking at an HOA or COA: start with "no" and look for reasons to change your mind to "yes".

Is there anything that this new community would give you that you could not have in your old one? If there is, write it down in black and white, hard dollars and facts. That should chase out any magical thinking. If there isn't, you're trying to solve a different problem that needs a different solution.

*Read* the governing docs and think of all the ways things can go wrong. Look for deal-breakers (eg. no rental restriction). Take a hard look at the financials, if you can see them.

How do you plan to unload this beast if things go wrong? What is the likely re-sale market?

There is always a risk in buying while the community is still under development. The builder could go bust. What's the developer's history? Worsening economics can result in significant changes to development plans: if it isn't there now, don't rely on it being there in the future. (A common procedure is to delay development of any amenities until the final phase. If things don't go according to plan, the early buyers can be left with open lots, no clubhouse or pool, and no realistic plans to move on from there.)

Mel

One of the main reasons I bought into my present HOA is we have no amenities and very little common area. Amenities cost and arguing about can kill an association.

Another angle :-)

I really like our HOA - clubhouse, adult and kiddie pools, tennis and basketball courts, private roads, nice common area landscaping, tough covenants and by the book violation process, funded reserves, etc.

Not perfect, certainly, but nice.

Just wanted a casual reader to understand some HOAs with significant infrastructure are great! One simply needs to be willing to pay for the infrastructure.

Typ-o. Make that $250k.

Agreed: Once every three years for HOAs with buildings and infrastructure over 15 years old. (Five years between reserve studies is too long for older HOAs/condos in my opinion.) A requirement to be within 25% of the recommended reserve amount each year seems fair to me. Any Board not liking that requirement can, without too much difficulty, work with the reserve study analysts to tweak things some. I expect the analysts will make reasonable arguments if what the Board wants is too inconsistent with reality when it comes to costs of replacement and life expectancies of major reserve components.

In a perfect HOA/condo world.

TimT6 when you buy you join. Simple as that. I know what I am getting into. Knew to request a copy which was given to me without needing to look them up or go to the courthouse. It's all developer controlled right now. If I play my cards right I may see if can join the board if available. That way I can join in the decision making process instead of having it put upon me. Of course, it's developer owned now but once turned over to the owners can be instrumental to making necessary changes. Been there and done that.

So I do plan on getting involved but with eyes open and educated. The HOA so far has no amenities. Just common area to deal with rain water. It also is there for "appearances" reasons which I have no problems with.

My real concern is that noticed the road is a bit narrow. Forgot how awful that is to deal with. It's in the county so they can do it that way. I did buy the lot that is right before a traffic island. You have to make a 3 point turn to turn around.

So if you don't like a HOA then by all means do not buy in one and become a member. Now a days good luck in finding new developments that don't have one. My current house doesn't and it's not always that green on this side of the street either. Just ask the few neighbors whom had what looks like constant yard sales all over their front yards...

Mulch does noe attract termites. They will eat it if they discover it, but the mulch itself does not "attract" them like bait.