W2R
Moderator Emeritus
Ask some of the neighbors what the HOA is like. My experiences in condos was mixed and in home communities it was universally awful.
Human nature being as it is, I find that people want to justify their own decision (to live in a community) to themselves. So, I would tend to view any neighbor's glowing statement with considerable skepticism.
Lawn service is realllly cheap compared to HOA dues.
True, although lawn service is also really cheap compared with total landscaping services. Right now I am only paying $30/mow for my lawn service, but keeping the rest of the landscaping neatly trimmed, weeded, and under control is just wearing me out. Of course when I move north, the jungle like outrageous growth of everything and the need to constantly be cutting things back will be less (thank goodness). During the past five years I have been so busy with cutting back that I haven't planted one single thing. Banana trees grow feet per week down here. Ugh.
No more HOA's for me. They seem to often draw the sort of busybodies that want to tell everyone else how to live.
THAT's what turns me off about them the most, not the money or even the assessments (although regular money outflow after ER that could be avoided is not my idea of a really smart move, for me). I don't like people like that and I sure don't want to put myself in a position of having to interact with people like that. ICK!!