Property or Home Owners’ Associations are governing bodies that control matters involving homes in a development. They are originally set up by the developer, who goes in, buys the land for sale, develops the property, and sells the homes. The property developer uses the HOA to set up some ground rules about property appearances and use.
People who are interested in living in the development are required to join the Homeowners’ Association in order to qualify for buying a home there. They will be given a list of rules to follow concerning what changes they are and are not allowed to make to their homes, what kinds of landscaping they can have, or how cars can and cannot be parked around their property.
These are just a few examples, and there are many other rules that govern the lives of the people who belong to the Homeowners’ Association. There are also rules about how much noise they can make, and when they can make it. There are other rules about common use areas and how they are to be shared.
The Homeowners’ Association votes in changes or additions to the rules, with the developer having a weightier vote than the homeowners. This way, the developer has a great deal of control over his development. When all of the land for sale has been purchased and the developer is ready to move on, the Homeowners’ Association is usually turned over to the members of the HOA.
The rules of Homeowners’ Associations are binding on the property owners as long as they want to live there. The HOA is not technically a government entity, but it has many of the same features. A Homeowners’ Association often provides services for the development such as security, and maintenance and staffing for the common use areas. At the same time, it may levy fines when the homeowner fails to follow the rules provided. It can also assess property to determine how much of the common expenses any homeowner will pay.
The biggest rule of any Homeowners’ Association is conformity. If you want to buy land for sale in a development with a Homeowners’ Association, make sure you understand the rules. Consider whether you want to be bound by someone else’s idea of the best way to fix up your property and whether you will be able to make deals on land for sale in such a development.
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