America's #1 Online Cigar Auction
first, best, biggest!

...are mandatory here in Plano Texas. This is good and bad.

I have heard, read, seen positive results as well as horror stories.

What X said. Glad I do not have one.

My folks just sold their house and part of the reason was the HOA died and the covenants were never enforced. Their neighborhood went to hell and they had to sell after only doubling their value in 23 yrs, when similar areas where the covenants were enforced have quadrupled in the half the time.

Needless to say, they're very happy their new home will have a strong HOA. But they had to spend twice what their old home sold for...

I'm in my second home with an HOA.
The first one was in a newer neighborhood and was run by busybodies and nit-pickers. Rules were somehow meant to be over analyzed.
I once changed the oil in my car and was warned that the covenent "clearly" stated no cars on blocks or jacks. Forget about the fact that it obviously meant permanent storage of an unregistered car, folks were intent with bitching about EVERYTHING.
From what type of Christmas decorations, to how much grill smoke was too much. I'm not kidding. But it also didn't deter me because I simply told them to stuff it whenever confronted. Heck, I blew out a hole for a new window in my basement room. Got a lot of looks, but no issues since everything was made to code.

Anyway, I thought I'd never get into another HOA, but here on Cape Cod there is a huge potential to live next door to weekly rentals (not a good thing). My new neighborhood is better established, and the rules use mostly common sense. When a family moved into a house and left a dumpster in their yard for 6 months, it was the HOA that forced them to remove it. Otherwise, we would have had to wait for the BOH to condemn it, which would take years.

If you have time to be on the board, don't be shy of HOA's. But if you don't have time, or don't choose to get involved, it is a risk which deserves careful consideration.

Big Brother...

I used to own a house in an area with a housing authority. It was a constant battle.
Stupid things, like they wanted to make it so you couldn't work on a vehicle (see quads, motorcycles, lawn mowers along with autmobiles) in your own garage.
With 2 boys who race quads, that is a little tough to do. They wanted rules for when you could or couldn't mow the lawn. In Oregon, it is when it doesn't rain.
They also wanted to create a noise ordinance, not for stereos, but for people. If you are too loud or more importantly, your kids are too loud, they wanted to fine you.
They can have them. To me, they are a big pain and not worth the hassle they create.