- 1). Be proactive. Realtors may or may not even mention that there is a homeowners' association in a neighborhood you’re looking at. You need to ask this question specifically for each home you visit and get a copy of the association's rules and regulations before you make any offer.
- 2). Read the fine print. Check out the section called Rules and Regulations first. It will spell out in simple language what you can and can’t do to your home and property. The agreement that you sign–-or the one that is in place without your signature--is a legally binding contract that will hold up in court. Saying you can’t afford the improvements the association insists upon, or that you didn’t know about something when you moved in, will not void the contract.
- 3). Know that these associations primarily exist to maintain the value of the properties and the neighborhood as a whole. There may be many activities the association has decided cannot go on at your new house. Changing your own oil in the driveway, putting up a bass-shaped mailbox or erecting a white picket fence can all be vetoed by the association. You can even find yourself forced to take down embellishments you’ve already spent money on--like an expensive privacy fence that is taller than the guidelines allow.
- 4). Check out the association's views on pet ownership. Sometimes pets are outlawed completely. At other times, there are size and weight rules to follow; a toy poodle might be fine, but not a Rottweiler or Chow Chow. Some associations put a limit on how many pets you’re allowed to have, while still others allow housecats but not outdoor cats. Some require homeowners to purchase special liability insurance if they have certain kinds of animals (including reptiles) on the premises. The rules can vary greatly, so check them out closely--especially if you’re an animal lover.
- 5). Look for rules that govern your outdoor behavior. Is listening to music around the pool O.K., or prohibited after a certain hour? Can you have six cars visiting your home, or is there a lower limit? Can you mow the grass or weed-eat when you want? It may not be allowed before 10 a.m. on Saturday and after 7 p.m. during the week.
- 6). Know whether you’re allowed to work out of your home. If you have a business that entails customers coming to your house, you’ll need to know if this is allowed. Even if you want to work at your computer all day and not bother anyone at all, the association may still have a rule regarding working at home that could make your life difficult.
- 7). Know what expenses are covered by the association and what you are expected to pay in dues or fees. Some groups cover grass cutting, snow removal, trash pickup and maintenance of medians and entrance property. Some require a full-time maintenance man or men whose salaries will be paid by you and your neighbors. You may pay a hefty fee to belong to the association--and if you choose to live in its neighborhood, you have to belong. By moving in, you agree to those fees.
- 8). Know what you’re getting into before you move in. Make a copy of this article and write down a list of questions to ask the realtor. Get a copy of the homeowners' association's rules and regulations, as well as any newsletter they may produce, and read everything. You don’t want to find out later on that the reasons you bought a house (finally having room for that Great Dane, starting a vegetable garden and keeping the RV in the yard) are all things that are not allowed. Be smart and know what you’re getting into.
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