There are many advantages to living in a homeowners association. Just drive through many of the old developments that do not have a homeowners association and you can immediately notice the difference. Associations help protect your property value and assist in creating a pleasant place to live for years to come. Communities with a homeowners association usually feature attractive combinations of well-designed homes and landscaped open spaces. The houses may even cost less than traditional housing due to more efficient use of land. Many associations feature parks, pools and other amenities, often too expensive for you to own alone, can be yours through shared ownership. So now you have a chance to enjoy the pool, tennis court, or other recreational facilities that may have been unaffordable previously. What’s more, you won’t have direct responsibility for maintenance, so you won’t have to clean the pool, fix the tennis nets, etc.
By delivering services at the direction of their members, community associations meet the expectations of residents by working to provide a clean, well-maintained living environment, preserving the nature of the community and protecting property values. Many times we have a homeowner call our office upset and frustrated over receiving a compliance letter, only to call the next week asking for the association’s help in correcting an issue with their neighbor.
Cooperation and compliance are accomplished through governing documents that typically address architectural guidelines (dealing with items such as additions, decks, landscaping, paint colors, maintenance of the yard, fence, and house) and rules pertaining to issues such as noise, pets and parking. Enforced fairly and equitably, these documents guide the management and governance of the association and are generally consistent with zoning and other provisions of the larger civil community in which the association is located.