23109, I have to agree with your observations on demographics as they pertain to French Valley vs. Harveston. Basically these same argumants can be made of any master planned HOA development vs. non HOA. There’s no right or wrong, it’s a lifestyle choice. I can say that the places with the stricter rules seem to hold up better over time. Take a drive through Redhawk one day and you will see fifteen year old neighborhoods that look better that two year old neighborhoods in French Valley. Drive the whole redhawk loop and when it transitions to Vail Ranch (which doesn’t have an HOA but is newer) you will see that it looks older despite being newer.
The guy with all the toys and no window coverings or landscaping avoids the strict communities, ridicules their rules and complains of the lack of space for his toys and all the uppity people that lack tattoos and open minds. Those accusations might be true but in fifteen years harveston will still look good and command better resale prices in comparison.