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Where I live right now is part of an HOA. They aren't great. They sent a letter recently for us having a vehicle parked in the street. The street is 3 times wider than any other neighborhood I've ever lived in. They can suck a dick. There is also a greenbelt behind the house that they are supposed to mow, but they aren't consistent about it. And, instead of weed eating along the back of everyone's fences, they put roundup down so they don't have to mess with it for a while. Our house has an aluminum (looks like wrought iron) fence, so it's open to the greenbelt. When they spray their roundup, it leaves a nasty yellow stripe at the base of the fence where grass should be. Lazy assholes.
I'm moving to CO next week, and bought a place on the side of a mountain. We have 1.5 acres, and there are maybe 20-30 houses spread out on the side of this mountain, and down at the base, that are all part of an HOA. Most of the houses have around an acre, and they are spread out pretty good, nothing like a typical neighborhood.
Anyway, the HOA fees are right at $1000/year, but we get private fishing access to a world class trout fishing river at the base of the mountain, a private pond stocked with tons of huge trout, a large picnic pavilion area with a huge fire pit, etc. There's one way in and one way out over a cool little bridge that they maintain. They plow all of the roads up to everyone's driveway throughout the winter, which is crucial, because there are some steep switchbacks to get up where my place is. They treat those same roads (all unpaved rock) with some stuff to keep the dust from flying up during the rest of the year. We're on a shared community well, so no water bills. They have hiking groups every week, a group every morning that walks down and feeds the fish in the pond, a big cookout/pot luck every two weeks at the pavilion, etc.
Some of the rules are a pain. I can't park any kind of trailer outside. I can't erect any kind of building that isn't attached to the house. Any improvements I want to the outside of the house, I have to get permission. That kind of stuff. I don't have to worry about yard work, though, as they don't have "yards" up there. It's literally just wilderness, and you're supposed to leave it natural.
But I tell you what - the mountain on the other side of the main road doesn't have any kind of HOA, and it's not nearly as nice. Old trailers, scrap wood and metal in yards, and just not as visually appealing in general. There's a clear difference when you drive through both sides. So far, the HOA seems like it's going to be a good thing, but I guess I won't know for sure until we get settled in.
I'm moving to CO next week, and bought a place on the side of a mountain. We have 1.5 acres, and there are maybe 20-30 houses spread out on the side of this mountain, and down at the base, that are all part of an HOA. Most of the houses have around an acre, and they are spread out pretty good, nothing like a typical neighborhood.
Anyway, the HOA fees are right at $1000/year, but we get private fishing access to a world class trout fishing river at the base of the mountain, a private pond stocked with tons of huge trout, a large picnic pavilion area with a huge fire pit, etc. There's one way in and one way out over a cool little bridge that they maintain. They plow all of the roads up to everyone's driveway throughout the winter, which is crucial, because there are some steep switchbacks to get up where my place is. They treat those same roads (all unpaved rock) with some stuff to keep the dust from flying up during the rest of the year. We're on a shared community well, so no water bills. They have hiking groups every week, a group every morning that walks down and feeds the fish in the pond, a big cookout/pot luck every two weeks at the pavilion, etc.
Some of the rules are a pain. I can't park any kind of trailer outside. I can't erect any kind of building that isn't attached to the house. Any improvements I want to the outside of the house, I have to get permission. That kind of stuff. I don't have to worry about yard work, though, as they don't have "yards" up there. It's literally just wilderness, and you're supposed to leave it natural.
But I tell you what - the mountain on the other side of the main road doesn't have any kind of HOA, and it's not nearly as nice. Old trailers, scrap wood and metal in yards, and just not as visually appealing in general. There's a clear difference when you drive through both sides. So far, the HOA seems like it's going to be a good thing, but I guess I won't know for sure until we get settled in.
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