I’ve NEVER liked HOA until I moved to San Diego to where we live now. I guess part of it is I didn’t have kids before and also I always felt the HOA didn’t do much or that I didn’t have much included in my HOA fees.
But I have changed my mind on it now. So I guess it all depends what is included in the HOA fees and how good of a job they do. Where I live the HOA fees include 24/7 security guards at the front gates, maintenance of the entire development which is always pristine, Cable TV and high speed Internet (I get 20 MB download speeds), and trash pick up included in the HOA fees.
The monthly fees are $440 which I consider not bad at all for all that is included in it. Other properties I own are a few hundred bucks a month and not much is included in it.
I actually like that owners can’t paint their houses pink or some funky colors, people can’t park some car leaking oil in the street, there are minimum levels of maintenance people have to do on their lots, etc.
I feel these things really help with value of the properties when the development is so nicely maintained. I really changed my opinion on HOA after moving to San Diego.
It’s a monthly fee that I don’t mind paying each month now. I wish I could say the same thing for other properties that I own where I feel it’s a rip off.
