Pearland HOA fees - help needed

[cheryjohns]

Actually, for a master planned community, their HOA fees are cheap. You don't get a reduction if you don't use the amenities. There are plenty of subdivisions that are cheaper and (of course) have far fewer amenities.

Even those that are not master planned - if they have all of those pretty water features, it's going to cost the residents more.

[texas7]

Originally Posted by zzzacc

I moved to Houston from New York and purchased my home in SCR. I live alone, have a 3-BR/2 living/ 2 1/2 Bath and way to much space!! I paid cash for my home TO GET A BETTER DEAL, BUT I AM MOVING AT THE FIRST CHANCE simply due to the HOA fees. These fees or dues are ridiculous. The HOA does NOTHING FOR ME and I gain nothing from them (that I can see)-- I DO NOT use the pools, walking trails, or any other amenities...yet I pay the SAME AMOUNT as the guy with four kids who uses all amenities. You don't even MOW MY YARD--I pay for that...LOL!! When it came to closing day, I REFUSED TO CLOSE, because nobody had told me about the fees!! My agent PAID THE FEES as I refused, and I closed, BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE..I FELT TO MUCH PRESSURE, and they had NOT DISCLOSED ALL FEES BEFORE CLOSING as is the law... and buying a home should be a GOOD THING--IT SHOULDN'T MAKE YOU REGRET OR ANGRY!!! My dues are $900 annually, you cannot claim them for a tax break, and you get absolutely NO BENEFIT from paying them--except that they plant flowers on the Blvd streets and entrances...I can plant my own flowers or hire it out. I SWEAR I AM GOING TO BE BURIED UNDER THOSE DA__ FLOWERS, I HAVE CERTAINLY INVESTED ENOUGH!! I asked the office about the fees--THE ANSWER WAS "WE KEEP YOUR PROPERTY VALUES UP"...Guess I will find out. I have a lovely home and ONLY HAVE TO LIVE HERE TWO YEARS--to escape capital gains taxes when I sale. I have LIVED ALL OVER THE USA, New York, Michigan, Oregon, Indiana, Wisconsin, Washington AND NEVER PAID HOA FEES--even in homes that were much more expensive upwards of $480k in gated beautiful communities...with LOWER TAXES TOO!! This is only a 1780 sq. ft home. The HOA fees are an absolute Texas or southern "thing"...and everyone just keeps paying. Why not question where the money is going, what are you paying for AND WHY NOT HAVE A SLIDING SCALE for singles, seniors, and couples with children. I would think you would want a diversified community and a sliding scale would get you there---at least it would be FAIR AND people wouldn't feel cheated!!! All homeowners pay different property taxes and insurance based on the home size, location etc. IT SHOULD BE THE SAME FOR HOA. Its the only fair way...and if you are a non-profit...WHERE IS THE MONEY?? AND WHERE IS IT GOING...or are you just saving for a rainy day?? Due to the fact that SCR has a 99 year FLOOD PLAN (you can see the map) -- AS it will not flood here in our lifetimes, where do our fees go and why charge so much???
**cannot wait to sell soon...

I can't believe you'd refuse to pay them at closing. It's a requirement if the neighborhood. Your realtor paid them??? Realtor should have just let you walk away and lost the sale. It is what it is. A necessary evil. Can be restrictive but keeps your home values up by not allowing the neighbor to paint their home neon blue ( and some would if they could), keeps that non running car up on blocks from becoming a permanent fixture in the drive next door, keeps the neighbors grass from being waist high.

[cheryjohns]

Yeah, I didn't understand, either. They disclose that info up front. It's not hidden. The only fee I was ever surprised with was a $75 Adopt A School charge.

There are lots of subdivisions with HOAs that run between $300 - $550 annually, depending on what is in the subdivision (pools, parks, common area maintenance, street lights). Gated communities run more because of the gate expense. Master planned communities are more because of the activities and amenities. Like I mentioned earlier, even those with the water fountains, etc. cost extra money. Everything is passed onto the residents.

If you see a community loaded down with amenities you won't use - don't buy there, because you will help pay for them.

[ds28]

My HOA charges $865 every year and we paid an extra $865 as cap fee plus the transfer fee.
So I think the fees mentioned by the OP are reasonable!

[ds28]

Did you read your HUD statement? Everything is given in the HUD, no secrets at all.

Also, nothing is cheap in New York and I feel so much better moving to Houston! Monthly expenses including mortgage, utilities, HOA fees, taxes etc is much lower than what I used to pay as rent there!

Recently, I recommended a friend of mine who is also single and moved recently to Houston from PA
to think before buying a home in big master planned communities if he is not going to use any of the amenities. I said don't complain about paying high HOA and taxes if you do not use the facilities as well as the school district. I also told him to do enough research (including read City data posts) before jumping into buying a home! Just saying!

Originally Posted by zzzacc

I moved to Houston from New York and purchased my home in SCR. I live alone, have a 3-BR/2 living/ 2 1/2 Bath and way to much space!! I paid cash for my home TO GET A BETTER DEAL, BUT I AM MOVING AT THE FIRST CHANCE simply due to the HOA fees. These fees or dues are ridiculous. The HOA does NOTHING FOR ME and I gain nothing from them (that I can see)-- I DO NOT use the pools, walking trails, or any other amenities...yet I pay the SAME AMOUNT as the guy with four kids who uses all amenities. You don't even MOW MY YARD--I pay for that...LOL!! When it came to closing day, I REFUSED TO CLOSE, because nobody had told me about the fees!! My agent PAID THE FEES as I refused, and I closed, BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE..I FELT TO MUCH PRESSURE, and they had NOT DISCLOSED ALL FEES BEFORE CLOSING as is the law... and buying a home should be a GOOD THING--IT SHOULDN'T MAKE YOU REGRET OR ANGRY!!!
**cannot wait to sell soon...

[Jack Lance]

Doesn't the number of Homes (due payers)in a neighborhood have something to do with the amount of the assessment ? Wont a neighborhood with 100 homes that supports a pool and tennis courts and landscaping pay more per homeowner, than a neighborhood that has 400 homes with the same amenities?

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Doesn't the number of Homes (due payers)in a neighborhood have something to do with the amount of the assessment ? Wont a neighborhood with 100 homes that supports a pool and tennis courts and landscaping pay more per homeowner, than a neighborhood that has 400 homes with the same amenities?

Yes. There are a few very small subdivisions with $1000ish fees - gates, but no pool, etc. The costs are divided by a small number of homes, so they are the same as a community with more amenities.

[texas7]

My aunt looked at a 55+ community, gates, pools, a few planned activities (not much in my book) and they told her that her HOA fees would be $2500/year. Talk about taking advantage of seniors.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by texas7

My aunt looked at a 55+ community, gates, pools, a few planned activities (not much in my book) and they told her that her HOA fees would be $2500/year. Talk about taking advantage of seniors.

The ones I have seen that high also maintain the individual fences and the front yards. Some include cable, internet and security monitoring. Does her community do that? If it does, it's cheaper than having to pay for that stuff yourself.

[texas7]

She said it covered the security gate, the pool, some activities and her FRONT lawn, and the burglar alarm but no Internet or cable.