[Missy53]

Exactly Dcattrell I agree. I don't like being told that I have to submit an Application to the HOA's, and that I am being charged a fee as well to submit the Application for their approval. That they have the right to add their comments on what they want and what they don't want. It's is a good choice if you do Move to FL rent first, and that way you can check things out. Get around and see different Communities. Good Luck.........

[GreggT]

Originally Posted by dcattrell

And then there are the fees. If they truly go to maintaining common areas and other aspects of the neighborhood that make it worth living in, then it makes sense, but I've heard a lot of folks complain about board members salaries.

Gee I am on the Board of our HOA, someone must be holding back on me. Our Board is all volunteer, we serve to help maintain our property values. Our HOA is pretty typical, in fact (there might be some in Florida) but I do not know of any paid Board members???

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by riveree

Three things:

1) HOAs are in deed restricted communities, but deed restricted communities do not always have HOAs

2) One is not more or less restrictive than the other:

For example, I live in a community with an HOA and I have a family member in a deed-restricted community that has no HOA. If I owned a house painting business, I could park my truck in my driveway, but my family member would not be allowed to do so in his neighborhood (no work trucks allowed in driveways). The rules differ from neighborhood to neighborhood.

3) If you live in a deed-restricted community and a neighbor is violating the rules, you have no one to turn to other than the city. If their rule-breaking bothers you, you have to take it upon yourself to go down to the city and file a complaint (with an HOA, you can just send an email and the property management company takes care of it).

Here in Florida sometimes the city has as many rules as the HOA'S for exammple in my town, the town decided that all businesses had to have a front porch so we have a 1 of a kind Walmart with a front porch, houses on some streets have a list of colors they can paint, all houses built after a certain year have to have at least a certain quare footage and have a 2 car garage, all new homes built must include hurricane shutters, all cars, campers, boats not being used must be parked behind the line of your house, if you don't mow or cut back empty lot , the city can come in and mow or cut back the growth and then charge the owner of the property, no signs like garage sale signs are allowed on city property, mechanics cannot work on a car in their driveway, etc. etc. etc. but because of downsizing not enough enforcement so often people get away with breaking rules till complaints from neighbors get enforcement out.

[boxus]

Goodness, so much for property rights, but I have been saying this for years. The scary part is many people actually support these things. But then again, humans have supported all kinds of crazy rules throughout history.