I live in an area where home owners associations are rampant. My wife and I would prefer not to belong to an association but most homes unfortunately have one. Other than looking for older lots that aren't subject to an association, is there any way to buy a home and not belong? I don't really like the idea of not being able to do certain activities without permission (i.e. working on my vehicle, parking a truck in the driveway, using a limited set of colors, restricted fence types, etc...). I'm not looking to do anything crazy (I'm actually fairly conservative), I just don't want some arbitrary association telling me what I can and can't do.
Howard County, Maryland
2007-02-09 15:51:24 · 4 answers · asked by Jim Maryland 7 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
tassie - My wife and I have always wanted to visit Australia. Maybe my company will transfer me there (they are going after more international work lately).
2007-02-09 16:01:30 · update #1
Babs - I'm not looking for a gated community. I'm merely looking for a single family home that is on a less traveled road (i.e. not along a major thruway). Most of the homes have clauses that once they are in an association they can not be sold without restricting to be a member. I'm trying to find a way that I can legally purchase the home and not be a member in a home owner association. I am not looking to have any of the services provided by the association (lawn care, pool, etc...). If I wanted any of them, I'd pay for lawn care or join a club. I don't want it associated with my home. I also don't want to be told what I can and can't do with the house (probably the more important aspect of the question).
2007-02-09 16:06:51 · update #2
Unfortunately, no. If you live in an area under an association, there is no way, no how you can *not* be part of it. Believe it or not, if you do not pay your dues, they can do the equivalent of foreclosing on your home (Put a lien against it), also, in order to LIVE where there is an assn. you must sign a legally binding document...blah blah blah. I'm sure you're familiar with the drill. I hate to be the bearer of bad news...I'm sure there is SOME kind of loophole, but it would likely take a lawyer and the equivalent of a lifetime of dues worth of dollars to find it...it's not worth it.
Honestly, I'm with you, though. I think HOAs are nothing more than glorified student councils where people who think they are better than you can set up a bunch of bullcrap rules so that their neighborhood is as cookie-cutter as the next. Apparently, we dumb peons like cookie cutter, I guess. Personally, I Would love to live in one of those ecclectic neighborhoods where the houses/yards/etc and even the mailboxes (Standardized per the rules of most HOA's) have personality. Anyway, sorry I couldn't help more, but that's my experience.
2007-02-09 16:03:00 · answer #1 · answered by chardok1 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, I can't speak about Howard County Maryland, but here in Placer County, California - it is written into your purchase contract by law to prevent people from buying houses in gated communities with out paying for the privilege.
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I understand why you don't want to have some association telling you what to do - but you need to take your personal feelings out of this and consider why the other people in the neighborhood bought houses there. They want for every house to have it's lawns mowed, they don't want cars on jacks in the driveways, they don't want dogs running around knocking over garbage cans etc... I'm not saying you would do any of those things, I'm just telling you that while I don't know anything about the real estate laws in Maryland, here in CA if you buy a home in a development with a homeowners association, you are legally required to pay the fees - it is factored into your monthly mortgage payment.
2007-02-09 16:01:03 · answer #2 · answered by Aunt Bee 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A couple of years back I visited USA, I was dumb founded when I found out that these associations even existed. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have other people tell you what to do with your home.
You can buy one here in Australia, without having to answer to anyone.
Good luck with your quest I hope you are lucky to find one.
2007-02-09 15:58:37 · answer #3 · answered by tassie 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There may be something a good lawyer can do to keep these socialists in check.
2007-02-09 16:02:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋