re: HOA fees for neighborhood

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I live in a neighborhood where the HOA fees are 600/yr, but this neighborhood the houses range from 450k-700k. A friend of mine lives in a smaller neighborhood where the houses range from 175k-200k and they are wanting to start up the HOA and have the yearly dues at $600. I think that is absurd, what would be a fair yearly due for a neighborhood in that price range with about 82 lots in it. They are saying these fees are for cutting the grass around two small pounds and water treatment and also liability insurance for the committee and trying to get a management company to run this small neighborhood....

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Sounds like you are talking about Hoo Shoo Too lakes.

the problem is there are only 82 lots in there so the costs of dividing the yearly costs go to those 82 lots

There is a lot a property in the neighborhood that requires mowing, and liability insurance coverage. that's what is killing you on your HoA portion

lakes in the front and back, and a number of lots with no houses because of the pipeline running through it.

@ $600/person per year, that $49,000 in yearly fees.

I know they took a number of quotes for grounds maintenance and for insurance. It is what it is i guess

What neighborhood is this?

Yea this is where he lives, the problem is the Management company. This neighborhood is too small to require one. And he has told me how many lots there are that requires mowing because of the pipelines and it's not that many. He said they were saying it would cost 20k/year to maintain the lots, ponds, etc and that would only be that high if it came from a big landscaping company who didn't want the work and threw a high figure out there just so either they would make a high profit off the job or didn't want the small job anyway. I was also told that a third bid was thrown out and never shown, I can promise you it is because it was a lot lower that the other two because it was a smaller company. But as long as they are licensed and insured and do a good job, what does it matter? I can guarantee you if the committee sticks with this high number it will never pass and they will be spinning their wheels getting nowhere. Hopefully they are just throwing a high number out there and understand they will have to start there and go down.

The average home on my street is worth 500K. We don't have an HOA. We pay no fees. We take care of our own shite.

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Depends on the size of the neighborhood. We live in a very small brand new sub division with ~50 homes. $140-180K price range starter homes. HOA dues are $360/year. It we had 100 homes, we would be paying $180/yr

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Plus if brand new you need to properly fund the HOA. If you guys have taken over the HOA and know the numbers and have a reserve, get the hood together to lower what you pay

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Yea this is where he lives, the problem is the Management company. This neighborhood is too small to require one. And he has told me how many lots there are that requires mowing because of the pipelines and it's not that many. He said they were saying it would cost 20k/year to maintain the lots, ponds, etc and that would only be that high if it came from a big landscaping company who didn't want the work and threw a high figure out there just so either they would make a high profit off the job or didn't want the small job anyway. I was also told that a third bid was thrown out and never shown, I can promise you it is because it was a lot lower that the other two because it was a smaller company. But as long as they are licensed and insured and do a good job, what does it matter? I can guarantee you if the committee sticks with this high number it will never pass and they will be spinning their wheels getting nowhere. Hopefully they are just throwing a high number out there and understand they will have to start there and go down.

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i have been following the HOA process in this subdivision, because i an one over in Mallard Crossing, and until the last lot is sold the builder wont turn over to start the HOA

I also know that the guy running the HOA start-up is putting in a lot of time getting things set up and is mowing the common areas himself until the process gets set up. The management company IMO is not a bad option, as they would know what they are doing.

Like some of the other posted said, no one likes the HOA, and because of people complaining, they usually lose the good people running it. having a management company do it, puts the complaints at a company and not at the other residents

i wouldnt want that job

I pay $60/mo, which includes a pool, clubhouse, playground, and maintenance of common landscaping, three lakes, etc. I feel as though I get pretty good value for the money: having a backyard pool maintained would cost me more than $60/mo. But the developers still subsidize the HOA to the tune of many thousands, as the neighborhood is still developing.

HOAs are tricky--too many malcontents who shouldn't have purchased highly restricted/covenanted property can make the meetings unpleasant. Others who can't/won't understand the governance are also a problem.

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Mine are $180 per year and houses range from $300,000-$1 million. It only pays for upkeep of the entrance, power for the street lights, and a few other things that I forget. Big neighborhood though.

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How much can it cost to plant flowers and mulch year round for an entrance? Why doesn't the municipality provide power to the subdivision? Nice having to pay for a pond that gets no use out of it. Just wondering..Not flaming...also, no HOA..take care of our own yards...crazy shite huh?