When you move into a residential community you may have what’s called an HOA or a Homeowners Association structure. This is to help maintain a clean and cohesive atmosphere within your neighborhood. It also is helpful when you purchase a single-family home, a townhouse or condominium within a ‘planned development’ you may also deal with an HOA structure. While the HOA at times spare the homeowner from some responsibilities, they also come with obligations. Before purchasing your dream home, you’ll need to know what HOA is as well as get some helpful questions answered before making your final decision.
The first thing you’ll want to know is what exactly is an HOA. The primary reason to have one is to uphold and enrich the property value. This is accomplished by enforcing the community’s covenants and maintaining the common areas. Both of these are there to keep the community looking it’s best and keep the home’s within it somewhat cohesive. The association is started as a non-profit organization and created by the developer of a community. Once a family buys a home in the development, they become a member of the homeowners association. As the community begins to grow, the residents can elect members who are most qualified to oversee the association which then is called the Board of Directors. Once a certain percentage of the community’s homes are sold, the developer then turns over full control of the association to the board.
Within each community, there are very restrictive associations and covenants that the homeowners must abide by. Many of the policies are within the guidelines that deal with fences, pools porches and other exterior home additions. You want to be proud of your community’s appearance both within your home and your neighbor’s home. The biggest advantage of having an HOA is the shared common areas within the community. These can be pools, volleyball courts, clubhouses, playgrounds and other amenities that maybe others would not be able to afford on their own. These are all fueled by member’s dues that are owed each month or each year. If the dues are not paid on time, the HOA and it’s company are required to enforce rules and late fees to keep the budget of a community running on a timely manner.
Image: Georgia Paver Restoration
When thinking of policies to keep your home looking its best, some HOA fees make sure that your pavers look their best either in front of your home or in your backyard. Haven’t cleaned them in a while? If you live in the Atlanta area, one company that does an amazing job at restoring your pavers is called Georgia Paver Restoration. They are extremely passionate about making sure that your natural stone look it’s best and one of the best things you can do to keep that up is by sealing them on a regular basis. If you have existing pavers that need restoration, the friendly staff at Georgia Paver Restoration can also help you. They can work on setting and shifting the pavers as well as repair those that are affected, adjust the sand and then reinstall them. The pavers should be sealed using a stabilizing sealer to help protect them and prevent weed growth within the joints. They are always able to come out at a moment’s notice so if your HOA tells you that you need to get them fixed, have no fear on time because they will be there as soon as they can schedule you in. This also can help upgrade your curb appeal to potential buyers in your neighborhood if you are thinking about selling too.
These rules and regulations can cover anything from trash in the yard to the height of your fence to even the amount of people you have in a swimming pool. The sole purpose of the Association is to do what’s best for the common good and value of the development, regardless of the owners agree. Since the rules and regulations can affect how the property in the development is also used, a buyer like yourself, should study and determine if you can live with them before you make your purchase. For example, you might have second thoughts if you find out that you are not allowed to have your beloved pet because the homeowners are not allowed to have a dog that is over a certain pound. Current owners should also be up to date with any changes that come their way too.
No Comments