HOA in DP or Windermere (Villas, Bay Hill: HOA fees, houses, neighborhoods)

[runrowdy2]

My family is almost ready to relocate to FL and we have narrowed it down to these 2 areas. One of our concerns is the HOAs. We have been ruled by a bad bunch running a HOA in our last neighborhood and we are trying to avoid that situation. I do understand HOAs can help with problem situations like people letting their houses go or parking 10 junk cars but I do not want to live in a neighborhood where the HOA is going to harass me or fine me for something silly because they are on a power trip. I am hoping you can identify some neighborhoods that do not have a HOA or the HOA has minimal involvement. On the flip side if you know of any really strict HOAs, please let me know about them too.

Thanks for your help.

[Mr Idealism]

Sand Lake Hills has no HOA. Neither does Bay Hills as Granada I believe. You'll find less HOA's in DP than you will in Windermere, especially the new section off 535.

[Natasha_DrPhillips]

Granada Villas has HOA, and so does Bay Hill. In all the nice neighborhoods they have HOA's. What is your budget?

[AONE]

Most of the neighborhoods in both areas have HOA fees. When you find them to be in the $60/ month or less you will find most are focused on keeping the area up vs telling you how to live. Bay Hill does indeed have anHOA and I show a $100/yr in Sand Lake Hills too. There are very few areas without an HOA of some sort.

Areas like Isleworth or Keenes Point have large HOA's but are focused on security of their residents.

[idr591]

Any HOA can change their focus at any time with a change in leadership. I stay as far away from them as possible.

For example, I used to live in a country that favored individual responsibility. We all know how that has turned out.

[annerk]

Best way to keep the HOA to your liking is to be involved in it. Run for office, join committees, even bother to attend the meetings and vote.

[runrowdy2]

Thanks everyone for the specific info. Our budget is mid 300's and I thought the older DP neighborhoods might be our best bet for less involved HOAs

idr591 nailed it. That is what happened in our old neighborhood, leadership changed and they decided the neighborhood should become something it was never intended to be. They jacked up the fees to the max they could ask for, started trying to fine people or take them to court over silly things and then wanted to surcharge the rest of us to pay the legal fees. They really ruined the community before everyone was able to get organized to get them out.

annerk - I agree about being involved but we were involved in the problem HOA and they managed to work the system in their favor so I guess I am worried about being in a neighborhood with a power hungry HOA that will not listen to other opinions. I definitely don't want to move into one that is already that way.