No state in the US has the majority of its population living in HOA communities. There are choices but some people want all the upside of HOAs (imposing rules on others) and none of the downside (rules imposed on them). According to the Foundation for Community Association Research, Florida and Vermont are the most HOA focused states, with 45% of the population living in HOA communities. New York is only 18.8%, Oregon 13.1%, Wisconsin 12.7%, Georgia 21.8%, Arkansas 3%, and California 35.6%.
It's 100% true that you can avoid HOAs by simply not buying into one. No need for bureaucrats in DC to parachute in to run everyone lives for them. If you want to "opt-out" you can easily do so by not buying in an HOA. That's what the majority of people do. Having the government mandate the ability to opt-out is simply another way of denying others the ability to freely come together and decide rules for themselves instead of having people in DC decide for everyone.
It's entirely possible for someone to buy a property which is subject to an HOA, a well run respectful one. Then over time as "leaders" change, the HOA could become a poorly run one.
Tax foreclosure generally leads to a property free and clear of all encumberances. It's a bit of a pain to arrange though. :P
A federal opt out would be a huge intrusion into contract law, IMHO.
It's pretty easy to avoid HOAs, they have to be disclosed. It may be hard to buy where you want to buy and avoid HOAs though. But my parents' house doesn't have an HOA (but does have pretty picky city code enforcement), and the two houses I've owned didn't either; although the first did have a dry covenant that everyone I talked to said is unenforcable and I found amusing. Tends to mean older lots or more rural, because new developments like to setup HOAs, presumably because the buyers of new homes don't reject them.
Some sort of association is also more or less required if there's any form of shared responsibility, like in a condo.
> It's pretty easy to avoid HOAs, they have to be disclosed.
This is why I always cringe when my neighbors on social media bitch about HOA. It just floors me that there are people who simply do not read HOA covenants before they buy their homes.
Mountain_Skies|11 months ago
It's 100% true that you can avoid HOAs by simply not buying into one. No need for bureaucrats in DC to parachute in to run everyone lives for them. If you want to "opt-out" you can easily do so by not buying in an HOA. That's what the majority of people do. Having the government mandate the ability to opt-out is simply another way of denying others the ability to freely come together and decide rules for themselves instead of having people in DC decide for everyone.
robocat|11 months ago
Particularly it looks like if you want a new home, it is harder to avoid a HOA
iancmceachern|11 months ago
It's entirely possible for someone to buy a property which is subject to an HOA, a well run respectful one. Then over time as "leaders" change, the HOA could become a poorly run one.
toast0|11 months ago
A federal opt out would be a huge intrusion into contract law, IMHO.
It's pretty easy to avoid HOAs, they have to be disclosed. It may be hard to buy where you want to buy and avoid HOAs though. But my parents' house doesn't have an HOA (but does have pretty picky city code enforcement), and the two houses I've owned didn't either; although the first did have a dry covenant that everyone I talked to said is unenforcable and I found amusing. Tends to mean older lots or more rural, because new developments like to setup HOAs, presumably because the buyers of new homes don't reject them.
Some sort of association is also more or less required if there's any form of shared responsibility, like in a condo.
Evil_Saint|11 months ago
Land is a limited resource. We are not making any more of it. Sometimes just looking farther away is an option but often times it isn't.
HOA's being required on certain properties is bonkers to me. It feels like extortion. Either agree to these onerous terms or get nothing.
kcplate|11 months ago
This is why I always cringe when my neighbors on social media bitch about HOA. It just floors me that there are people who simply do not read HOA covenants before they buy their homes.
jghn|11 months ago