S/O HOA Communities

[DisLiss]

I'll never understand why people who live in HOA communities complain and don't follow the rules. Why did you buy into an HOA! You knew what you were buying into!

I think in some cases the rules change and you have homeowners who didn't realize that might happen when they moved in. The read the rules and thought "Those are fine. I can live with those." never stopping to realize that as time goes on new rules might be instituted. (Not saying that's the problem with the units in your neighborhood, of course. )

 

[MillauFr]

My current neighborhood? Kind of, but flat and no ice or snow, a bit eclectic at times, but more consistency in design. But then we lived in older neighborhoods there so I can’t vouch for any of the newer ones. I know there’s plenty of snooty people there too.

Wazzu fans aren't generally known for a surplus of snobbery. That label is applicable to the Husky fans though.

 

[mrodgers]

Why don't we have visible locations any more?

Can some of you folk post some examples of your $400k starter homes? Every time I see people post this, you look and 3 miles down the road are regular normal $100k homes.

Also, income is relative. If starter homes are $400k, I highly doubt you have people with engineering degrees making $40k/year. Thus its just the scale, so the price up comment and responses still fit. My pricing up as I said is $400k, but is the equivalent to your pricing up to $1 million for example.

 

[MillauFr]

Here is a starter home in my neighborhood in Seattle....

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/837-NE-67th-St-Seattle-WA-98115/49140803_zpid/

 

[mrodgers]

Here is a starter home in my neighborhood in Seattle....

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/837-NE-67th-St-Seattle-WA-98115/49140803_zpid/

That's a tough one because looking, most places don't have a price listed. Also, a lot of what this forum call starter homes, I would call homes. My house was 1000 sq ft. That is typical, 1000 to 1200 sq ft. I highly doubt in Seattle you're making $18/hour at a good paying job, thus the income must be taken into consideration as well.

 

[slpeters]

I like ours but it's a condo association which is a bit different. It's pretty full service and it fits our lifestyle. They do the landscaping and the snow removal, throw a big pool party in the summer and holiday party in the winter, they even send up people with a tarp to take your old Christmas tree out (so you don't get needles in the public areas). Yeah we pay fees but for that we get gardeners and maintenance people, door men and life guards, valets etc., and we've never come into contact with any of the rules. One of the main images I have of our condo association is from a couple months after we moved in. This is the only home we've ever owned and when we bought it my Mother gave me the whole homeowner talk: when stuff breaks you won't be able to just call the landlord you'll have to take care of stuff. Well there was a problem with the kitchen sink. We looked to see if we could figure it out but we're kind of hopeless like that so I called down to the doorman, explained that we're new to the area, explained the situation and asked if they might be able to suggest a plumber in the area. There was a long pause and finally they said "Mr. X... is there a reason you don't want us to just come fix it?" We've been here 14 years and it works well for us.

 

[paisleys]

Would you or wouldn't you ideally choose to live in one of these communities? If so, why and if not, why?

Me, no, definitely not. I'm a relatively private person in general so we like having a bit of space. Ideally we would like more land than we have but our neighbors are a tolerable distance from us. I don't think there's an HOA that would fit our lifestyle to be honest. We compost for our garden and I know some HOAs have issues with kids having their own playground equipment, which we have. I also enjoy hanging my laundry in the summertime and DH enjoys welding and often has a project in the garage or outside of it (depending on size). So while we don't want an HOA, I think with absolute certainty they also would not want us!

What about everyone else?

I have lived in 3 different HOAs, so pretty much my whole life, so I am used to it. We've gotten a total of 3 violation letters in the past 10 years (clean roof, no garden flags and paint house). Each time, they included the specific rule we violated so we just acquiesced and cleaned, took down flag, painted. We had gotten a copy of the rules prior to buying. I think it's funny how people get all up in arms about the rules because they are obvious when you buy. No street parking--it's very narrow and hard to get by when a second car is coming towards you anyway. Your house shouldn't be covered in mold/rust. Take care of your lawn, it isn't too much to ask. People go absolutely nuts on our community Facebook site when they get letters. One guy went on a tirade because he got a letter (s). He has a washer and dryer in his driveway, holiday lights up in February and boxes of junk piled up out front. I wouldn't complain about a neighbor like that but when they get a letter it's deserved. Go live in a non HOA, you signed for the rules.

 

[RangerPooh]

Wazzu fans aren't generally known for a surplus of snobbery. That label is applicable to the Husky fans though.

Totally get that and have seen it!

My subdivision is a mixture of retirees who purchased homes 40 years ago when brand new and younger, mid career families. Where we find the HOAs are the neighborhoods who are snobby, mid career, with stay at home wives and lots of military families.

 

[Moliphino]

Price up? Like $400-500k? That's doctor's and lawyer's houses, not quite so easy to price up to that as a factory worker. The non-neighborhood houses are still $100k, old farm houses and the like which are not the same. $150-200 gets you a nice normal size house in a neighborhood, but they'll all be just a handful of differences. Above $200 gets into the cookie cutter McMansions and at $400k gets you into the rich folk, which they are the ones that are not identical.

In my area you may be able to find a house for $100k, but it's going to be a gut job (like this). Your average starter home would be in the $250-300k range.

 

[tvguy]

Here is a starter home in my neighborhood in Seattle....

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/837-NE-67th-St-Seattle-WA-98115/49140803_zpid/

You need to shop around. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/903-N-130th-St-APT-313-Seattle-WA-98133/48758358_zpid/

 

[soccerdad72]

You need to shop around. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/903-N-130th-St-APT-313-Seattle-WA-98133/48758358_zpid/

Those two properties don't even seem remotely similar. A single family home in a neighborhood versus a townhome in a commercial area. Seems like a classic apples and oranges comparison.

 

[NYCgrrl]

In my area you may be able to find a house for $100k, but it's going to be a gut job (like this). Your average starter home would be in the $250-300k range.

Looks similar in need to a 100K unit in my area:

https://www.nytimes.com/real-estate...=sale&photo=1&priceMax=100000&priceMin=100000

 

[tvguy]

Those two properties don't even seem remotely similar. A single family home in a neighborhood versus a townhome in a commercial area. Seems like a classic apples and oranges comparison.

Many starter homes are townhomes and condos so it is a good example

 

[mrodgers]

Many starter homes are townhomes and condos so it is a good example

I despise the term "starter home". Couldn't be more of a snobby term than that when talking about houses.

Here's a nice home, 6 miles away from the "total gut job" and there's a whole slew of them. $159,900
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/180-Cherokee-Dr-Springfield-MA-01109/56206154_zpid/
$109,900, 5 miles away
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/61-Bellwood-Rd-Springfield-MA-01119/56202709_zpid/
$117,049
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/114-Mooreland-St-Springfield-MA-01104/56221131_zpid/
People live in "starter homes". They are homes to normal people, and "starter homes" to the rich snobby people. You can't say there's nothing in the area when there's a whole slew of houses like this. This is exactly what I'm talking about. You can't pick a 1 square mile radius and say there's nothing but junk when outside of that tiny area is plenty.

I was 17 years in my snobby "starter home". Paid $88k. Appraised at $110k when she got the mortgage into her name when we separated.

And that first one shown, I would buy that in a heartbeat and fix it up. A lot of character with that circular room thing on the front. Pretty neat looking house.



Hey look, here's a neighborhood close to where I work, there's nothing under $350,000...

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/103-Trottingwood-Cir-Butler-PA-16001/204746402_zpid/
Except, within 1 mile of that neighborhood...

$152000
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/228-N-Boundary-St-Butler-PA-16001/75195692_zpid/
$135,900
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/111-Mccandless-Ave-Butler-PA-16001/75196111_zpid/

 

[tvguy]

I despise the term "starter home". Couldn't be more of a snobby term than that when talking about houses.

Here's a nice home, 6 miles away from the "total gut job" and there's a whole slew of them. $159,900
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/180-Cherokee-Dr-Springfield-MA-01109/56206154_zpid/
$109,900, 5 miles away
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/61-Bellwood-Rd-Springfield-MA-01119/56202709_zpid/
$117,049
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/114-Mooreland-St-Springfield-MA-01104/56221131_zpid/
People live in "starter homes". They are homes to normal people, and "starter homes" to the rich snobby people. You can't say there's nothing in the area when there's a whole slew of houses like this. This is exactly what I'm talking about. You can't pick a 1 square mile radius and say there's nothing but junk when outside of that tiny area is plenty.

I was 17 years in this snobby "starter home".

And that first one shown, I would buy that in a heartbeat and fix it up. A lot of character with that circular room thing on the front. Pretty neat looking house.

My daughter last year bought a started home. Half a duplex, 900+ square feet, 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, completely remodeled, $249,000. She did find a few stand alone houses about the same size for about $199,000 but they needed work. Condos she could get for about $125,000 to $250,000. She eliminated those because, she could afford the payment, but the $400 a month typical HOA fee put them out of reach.

I've been in my starter home for 37 years come this May. $101,000 for what was then a 4 year old 1,754 square foot three bedroom 2 bathroom. We looked at moving up, but getting a house with an additional bedroom and bath would have cost us $100,000. Adding those onto our existing house cost $23,800, so the house is now 4 bedrooms and 3 baths and 2010 square feet. 6 years ago we did a top to bottom remodel, $130,000, and turned it into our retirement home.

 

[Moliphino]

I despise the term "starter home". Couldn't be more of a snobby term than that when talking about houses.

Here's a nice home, 6 miles away from the "total gut job" and there's a whole slew of them. $159,900
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/180-Cherokee-Dr-Springfield-MA-01109/56206154_zpid/
$109,900, 5 miles away
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/61-Bellwood-Rd-Springfield-MA-01119/56202709_zpid/
$117,049
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/114-Mooreland-St-Springfield-MA-01104/56221131_zpid/
People live in "starter homes". They are homes to normal people, and "starter homes" to the rich snobby people. You can't say there's nothing in the area when there's a whole slew of houses like this. This is exactly what I'm talking about. You can't pick a 1 square mile radius and say there's nothing but junk when outside of that tiny area is plenty.

I was 17 years in my snobby "starter home". Paid $88k. Appraised at $110k when she got the mortgage into her name when we separated.

And that first one shown, I would buy that in a heartbeat and fix it up. A lot of character with that circular room thing on the front. Pretty neat looking house.

HUGE difference between Springfield and any of the surrounding suburban towns (way more than a square mile). It's a craphole with a lot of crime and not very good schools.

And I didn't say I hated the house I posted, I think it's cute, but it does need to be gutted and completely redone inside. You'd need to put a lot of money into it to make it livable.

 

[Colleen27]

That's a tough one because looking, most places don't have a price listed. Also, a lot of what this forum call starter homes, I would call homes. My house was 1000 sq ft. That is typical, 1000 to 1200 sq ft.

Same. I grew up in a 1000 sq ft 3bed/2bath ranch, which felt like enough room for a family of four. My grandparents on both sides raised their kids (2 on one side, 3 on the other) in 1000 sq ft 3bed/2bath ranches. Those aren't "starter homes" in my mind. They're just ordinary houses. But these days, they do tend to be marketed as starter homes or "perfect for downsizing".

My D22 is looking at houses now, and he's looking at the sort of thing I'd consider a starter - 2 bedroom, 1 bath bungalows that wouldn't be big enough to raise a couple of kids in. I think the one he's going to see this weekend is about 800sq ft. But with a $50K price tag, buying will be cheaper than renting and will get him started building equity that he can use to move up when/if he gets married and wants to start a family.

 

[Christine]

Wow, I've used the term "starter" home before and didn't realize I was a rich, snob. I've used it all my life and even lived in a "starter" home.
To me, it's generally a term used for a smaller home that one new to their career and home buying would likely be able to afford but isn't meant to be a family's final home as they grow. I lived in a starter home for 18 years.

start·er home
/ˈstärdər hōm/
noun

1. a relatively small, economical house or condominium that meets the requirements of young people buying their first home.

 

[luvsJack]

In my area you may be able to find a house for $100k, but it's going to be a gut job (like this). Your average starter home would be in the $250-300k range.

Oh! My!! I love, love, love that house!!! I would buy it in a heartbeat. And there is no way I would gut the house. Restore yes, but not gut. I love old houses.

The historic district in our town has a so many of houses this age, I love just driving through and looking at them. If I could move one out to our land, I definitely would have.

 

[Moliphino]

Oh! My!! I love, love, love that house!!! I would buy it in a heartbeat. And there is no way I would gut the house. Restore yes, but not gut. I love old houses.

The historic district in our town has a so many of houses this age, I love just driving through and looking at them. If I could move one out to our land, I definitely would have.

It is cute and I'm all for keeping the historic features, but its still needs at least $100k put into it. Probably more.