Always Elusive, HOA Fees Remain Perennial Hot Button
Category: Active adult communities
May 27, 2020 — Any time active communities come up in a discussion HOAs and their fees are always a big focus. For many retirees, avoiding those fees or finding the lowest ones can become an obsession. So, is there a central depository of the fees at the thousands of active adult and 55+ communities around the country? Alas, the simple answer is no.
But that flat response does not mean that you cannot discover what you need to know before making an important purchase like buying a home. Ongoing HOA fees and assessments are key to your decision. First, let’s talk a little bit about what kind of charges you might expect if you move into a community with a Home Owners Association (HOA) or Community Association (CA).
Comments on "Always Elusive, HOA Fees Remain Perennial Hot Button"
Jennifer says:
I have lived in a co-op in Washington, DC. Our monthly fees include all utilities, staff, grounds maintenance and everything else except for my Internet and cellphone bills. It also includes healthy reserves and an operating budget which is separate.
If I were in a single family home with no HOA, I would probably pay nearly what I pay here because I would also have to save for an emergency. I would also be using most of my free time to do maintenance. I am glad that someone else takes care of the lawn and extensive gardens here--we are on 12 acres. We have retirees who work hard to keep the fees down. They are still expensive but I do try to remind myself of what I am getting in return. Since we are a co-op, we have our own inhouse repairmen, painters, and gardener. We are also self governed although we do employ administrative staff, porters, housekeeping staff and desk receptionists. I could and may move to a destination with none of the above, but then I will get no services either.
John L. Walker says:
I'm looking to relocate from SoCal to the Reno area. I don't even look at homes with HOA fees. Maybe some of them are OK but you have no control over future fee hikes unless you want to spend your time immersed in your neighbor's business by running for election to the board or attending meetings or whatever. I'd rather do my own maintenance and repairs and pay for my own pool and choose my own paint colors. Guess HOAs are great for some but not for me. To each his own.
Darla says:
We have lived in a small community (gated with 60 villas) and have been here about a dozen years with a resident run HOA. It is well taken care of and it does include yard maintenance, winter shoveling and plowing every driveway, trash, and water among many other things like gutter cleaning 2x a yer and window washing. It is an attractive neighborhood and the weekly lawn care workers do a great job so no complaints. In the winter there is snow removal but they do not salt so our street is not harmed. We paid $225 per month for years, but when the new board took over last summer our HOA fees went to $350 per month. They were much more concerned about the low reserve fund and after reviewing the budget we agreed so have no problem with the large but necessary increase. Recently two homes in our community went up for sale and both sold within a day, so it must not be out of line with what others are paying in our location. I think being a board member is a thankless job, and can't be easy. I also think it is the homebuyers responsibility to find out from the Board or Management about what the last assessment was and what is the amount of the next planned assessment and what is it needed for. The real estate agent is not going to offer this kind of information and may be hoping you don't ask.
Jemmie says:
I was on a HOA board for a few years in a very small community with no clubhouse. We really didn't have many issues but things do happen-pool leak, sprinkler system repair, dock replacement, etc. and so there was an assessment every year along with a rise in HOA fees. But we had very little turn over in real estate. Homeowners were there for years and thankfully everyone got along very well. Our board meetings were open and residents were notified 10 days in advanced of the upcoming meeting and invited to speak at the beginning of them. We also published the minutes soon after and they were sent to every owner. During my 3-year term on the board only 1 resident attended our meetings. I think that showed people were happy with the way things were run and knew we had a large reserve fund for what may happen down the road, which is nice security to have. When I moved in 2012 the HOA fees were $350, and because I still have friends living there I know the fees are now over $600, which really is not bad for Connecticut when it also includes a boat dock for every home.
Oso says:
If you are considering Arizona. There is some HOA comparisons for several of the popular communities in Arizona to compare value and what you get for the money.
https://groups.io/g/Saddlebrooke-community-info