Pros and Cons of HOA Communities in Orange County

HOA has become common, especially in new single-family home developments, since 2022. Living in an HOA can be great. The HOA community can give a homeowner significant benefits. There is lawn maintenance, fixing broken walkways, routine maintenance, and other amenities. Some HOA neighborhoods have fitness centers, swimming pools, golf courses, tennis courts, and beautiful community centers where social events are held weekly or monthly to meet neighbors. Most of all, the HOA can enforce rules that make your neighborhood keep its curb appeal and protect your property values. Now there are some cons to having an HOA. The obvious ones are the HOA dues, which can increase every year. The HOA rules can be a pain, especially if you are trying to improve your home.

Here are the 3 Pros and Cons of HOA communities in Orange County.

PROS

1. HOAs can provide great amenities

Most associations will enforce rules to ensure your neighbors and other people in your community will maintain their property to the planned communities specifications, which is excellent. I lived in a community that did not have an HOA, and two people painted their home purple. I mean Prince’s Purple Rain, purple.

2. HOAS WILL MAINTAIN THE HIGH VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY

Some homeowners associations in planned communities will have sports courts, a golf course, common areas to hang out, and other amenities you do not have to maintain.

3. HOAS WILL COVER UTILITIES, TRASH CANS, AND REMOVAL.

Some associations will have monthly dues, including payment for water, sewer, and trash removal.

CONS

1. Governing body of the homeowners association can create terrible rules

Some poorly managed HOA communities can create and vote rules that can hurt a property owner with fines that incur interest. I know a few communities that will fine you for parking a vehicle on the street past a designated time. I have seen some communities overspend their reserve fund and increase the monthly fees within a month.

2. HOAs can apply liens and foreclosures on your home

Homeowners associations can apply liens and foreclosures on your home for unpaid fines. One house in a community built a pool in their backyard and did not get it approved by the HOA. When the homeowner decided to sell the home, the HOA started to fine them for having the pool. The HOA would not allow the home sale until the lien was settled. Ultimately the new homeowner had to take on that cost, and it took 60 more days to close on the home.

3. There are a lot of rules, restrictions, and special assessments

Some HOAs can come with so many rules, restrictions, and special assessments. The documents will take you hours to go through. Repairing or improving your home with all the different association rules and regulations can be difficult. I had one client remove lighting and fencing because they said their light could startle a horse, and the fencing was too close to the horse’s path. The homeowner asked, “Who rides their horse in the middle of the night” and the homeowner was asked to move the fence 8 inches towards his yard.

FYI

If you are interested in moving to Orange County. I have a list of new builds and homes with amazing HOAs. If you would like the list. You can email me at [email protected] or contact me through this site.

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Aarin Chung

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Pros and Cons of HOA Communities in Orange County

Table of Contents

PROS

1. HOAs can provide great amenities

2. HOAS WILL MAINTAIN THE HIGH VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY

3. HOAS WILL COVER UTILITIES, TRASH CANS, AND REMOVAL.

CONS

1. Governing body of the homeowners association can create terrible rules

2. HOAs can apply liens and foreclosures on your home

3. There are a lot of rules, restrictions, and special assessments

FYI

Subscribe to Our Weekly Events Newsletter

Aarin Chung

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