| If you're shopping for a home in a subdivision, planned | | | | even foreclosure threats. |
| community or even a condominium or town home, | | | | In order to avoid issues ranging from petty |
| you've probably heard of homeowners associations. A | | | | annoyances to the more extreme cases of |
| homeowners association (HOA) is a legal entity that | | | | homeowners association mistreatment - make sure |
| governs a community of homes. They often enforce | | | | you know exactly what you're getting into before you |
| regulations and are responsible for controlling the | | | | buy. You are going to have to adhere to their rules, so |
| appearance and managing common-areas in a | | | | researching your HOA is crucial to your continued |
| neighborhood. | | | | happiness in your new home. If you come across a |
| Homeowners associations became prevalent during | | | | rule that requires you to maintain your lawn to a level |
| the housing boom of the 1960s. Since their beginning, | | | | that you may not be able to afford, or if you want to |
| there have been many changes to how homeowners | | | | smoke in your house but your HOA forbids it - you |
| associations govern their communities. Some of these | | | | might want to continue your house hunt elsewhere. |
| changes have been for the better, and some | | | | You cannot refuse to pay HOA fees once you own |
| regulations have left homeowners wondering if these | | | | the property, even if they become troublesome. |
| rules are really necessary to keep order in their | | | | Knowing what these fees are before you buy your |
| community. | | | | home may save you a lot of trouble in the long run. |
| There have been many criticisms surrounding | | | | Make sure you also find out what the penalties are for |
| homeowners associations and their restrictive rules. It | | | | violating the HOA's rules. And finally, really look at the |
| has been reported that offenses that seems as | | | | community you are considering. Is it being well kept? |
| harmless as having a flag pole, planting too many rose | | | | Simply looking around can tell you a lot about the type |
| bushes and even not carrying your dog through a | | | | of HOA you will be dealing with. |
| lobby have resulted in numerous fines and sometimes | | | | |