What is an HOA? Real estate developers establish homeowners’ associations as corporations for the purpose of marketing, managing, and selling homes and lots in a residential subdivision. Usually, the developer transfers ownership of the association to the homeowners after selling a predetermined number of lots. When you purchase a condo, townhome or single-family home within a “planned development”, you may also encounter the HOA structure. These structures are put in place to help maintain a clean and cohesive atmosphere in the neighborhood.
Before you buy a home that makes you part of an HOA, there are some questions you should ask of the association. What are the fees? What do they cover? Are there any special assessments? You should review the covenants and restrictions prior to making your offer. These documents detail what is allowed in the development and any expectations as a homeowner. You can obtain them directly from the HOA or ask your REALTOR® to provide them to you. You may need to obtain approval before putting in a pool or installing a fence, so you need to be well informed.
HOA’s are usually run by volunteers that live in the community. Some are very active, and some are not. You should do as much research as possible and talk with current homeowners in the development. Living in a planned development—and being governed in part by the rules of an HOA—can be a mixed blessing. It offers the prospect of exchanging some control over your home for the reduced responsibilities of maintaining it, and for the benefit of enjoying shared amenities and security. It can, however, also trade the diverse look of a typical neighborhood for a more uniform appearance, albeit one with a lower chance of a neighbor’s decorating taste or sloppy maintenance habits becoming a problem for you.
Homeowner Associations can be beneficial for your community. They can help maintain the look of the neighborhood which in turn can keep property values in line with the market. If you move to a neighborhood that has an active or even inactive HOA, get involved. The only way to make a difference is to help those that are volunteering their time to make the development a nice place to live.
There are hundreds of HOA’s in our Morgantown community. The Morgantown Board of REALTORS® has compiled a list of HOA’s including their covenants and restrictions. Contact your local REALTOR® for more information.
I hope everyone is enjoying our crazy weather, hang in there and try to stay cool!
Happy 4th of July to all and remember to do good things!
Stephanie Lemley, 2021 MBOR President
