It’s a complaint that many residents have about their homeowners association: the rules regarding their property’s aesthetic appearance are too strict. They complain that HOAs regulate everything from the color of their front door to the length of their grass to the amount of acceptable lawn art.
So with all of these rules, what is the advantage of moving into a community with an HOA?
According to WPM President of Association Management Barry Yatovitz, there are many advantages.
“The benefit of having an HOA maintain the integrity of a community’s original design is that buyers know what to expect, which can lead to a higher future resale value,” Yatovitz explains. “For example, if you compare two communities—one with and the other without an HOA—it is immediately obvious which is which. Communities maintained by an HOA are held to a consistent, high standard.”
And that means that bold aesthetic choices—such as the bright purple door—are not allowed. While that’s bad news for our Raven’s fans, it is good news for the overall community. The reason is simple: while you may have good taste and would likely maintain your property perfectly with or without an HOA’s oversight, your neighbor might not.
Therefore each HOA creates its own covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) that cover:
- Resident behavior, such as noise ordinances;
- Architecture, like rules about the height and material of a fence, for example; and
- Common responsibilities, such as fee schedules.
Each restriction is developed not to penalize individuals, but to benefit the greater community. In fact, that’s the broader goal of an HOA: to add value to a community. According to Yatovitz, residents should think of HOAs as far more than a policing agency that nixes your paint color choices.
“HOAs enhance the quality of life in a community,” says Yatovitz. “They maintain shared spaces and amenities that individual owners might otherwise be unable to afford. They allow residents to have a stronger voice in governance, as opposed to a local government. And they create a stronger sense of community among residents.”
Given all of the value that an HOA brings to a community, maybe that purple door wasn’t so important, after all.