HOA or Single Family Home

detached without an HOA.

But then again, I have never lived in an HOA that provided any real amenities, so you are asking ME if i would rather live in this home with some rules and a few bucks a month payment, or without any rules and no money being paid... so my answer is rather biased that direction.

Don't mix condos/town homes and single family homes. They are completely different. Condos/town homes by their nature have more need for rules and governance.

As to whether or not to buy in a HOA, it's a very personal preference. If you care how the appearance of your neighbor's home affects your home value and in general your mood about where you live, then only the HOA community gives you any real chance to get some level of upkeep/nice looking properties enforced.

Yes, there are city codes that govern non-HOA communities and this may help with junk cars in the yard, etc, but it won't help with general appearance standards like not having peeling paint, broken shutters, wild colors, weedy yards, rusted chain link fence, etc. If those things don't bother you, then non-HOA is OK for you. If they do bother you, then consider a HOA.

Does a HOA prevent all those problems? Of course not. The HOA is run by volunteers and each will have it's own level of governance. But at least the rules are there and you have the opportunity to get involved yourself to make it better. You won't have that in the non-HOA community.

The HOA community may also offer amenities that non-HOA communities won't, like private green areas/parks, private walking trails, tennis, pools, club house, etc. If you want those things, then they likely require a HOA to have them.

Also, don't be discouraged by the problems you read about here. People come here to solve problems so when you read the site you see mostly......problems
That doesn't mean HOAs are full of issues and you should avoid them.

Again, it's just your personal preference of the kind of community you want.

Right now I have to say I would never consider buying another condo, or a townhouse in an HOA. I got myself into my current situation by failing to understand that (a) there are a shockingly high number of folks who don't honor (or even understand) their financial commitments, and (b) I would end up picking up the financial slack for these people in my condo building. Never again.

Doug,

There is probably no perfect living style, but if I were to do it again I would consider the type of HOA I was moving into. Some HOA’s maintain the exterior of the houses (roofs, siding, etc.) along with grounds maintenance (landscaping, roadways, etc.). Others take responsibility only for grounds maintenance, but may have guidelines for how the owners are expected to maintain the exterior of their individual homes. The more maintenance provided, the less control you may have as an individual homeowner. You have to decide what is right for you and your lifestyle. I would suggest that you read the governing documents carefully before you buy. If monthly fees and special assessments are shared equally by the owners, rather than being dependent on the size the unit purchased, you may get the greatest value by buying a bigger unit. Also, buy a unit in a good location for resale purposes.

Some Associations function very well because of committed Board members who understand their responsibilities and put the community first. You see evidence on this website of people who do just that! Keep in mind that there are no guarantees things will always run smoothly, as Board members change. Should you decide to move into a community living situation, you would be wise to learn about HOA governance and get involved by attending meetings, joining committees, etc. Homeowners with special talents and backgrounds can be wonderful assets to their community!

Best of luck!

Deborah