We spend winters in the HOA. I've already related the experience. If
the neighbors were not atypical, I would be fighting it. "The colonel"
used to run it for decades, and would not have wanted to be there when
she ran it. Fortunately her retirement coincided with the acquisition.
Whenever she shows up at a meeting she often gets her hackles up about
something insignificant. Shes in her 90s now. HOA meetings are mostly
free entertainment.
Conversely, the best community I lived in was Volcano Village. Nice
community center, no dues. lots of activities, including cub Scouts, and
later Boy Scouts too. NO HOA, No association of any kind. The
community center had a board. It regulated use of the community center,
and sponsored holiday events.
It was a very educated/intelligent 4000' community. Few, if any
busybodies, but lots of neighborliness (perhaps because most were
armed?) My neighbor cut lava blocks out of his lot to build his
house. He had a beautiful garden, and grew most of his food. Kept to
himself, rarely left. He was a great neighbor. Some people had junk
cars. some didn't. Live and let live. if a junker was left for a
year, the jungle grew over it. Some people had little more than shacks,
others had somewhat large and very nice houses. It is the best place
in the country, IMHO.
Oceanview was a very different community some 50 miles away. Most
people there were antisocial, and most were involved some way with the
pakalolo industry. But some just wanted to own a piece of paradise,
even if water was scarce, and if they had to drive 30-40 miles to
work. We had friends of this type, who lived there. Off grid. Most
people there had a homestead that looked like a junkyard. Most of them
loved it. They too had a community association that sponsored events
for holidays and such. NO HOA, no dictating what you have to do.
Participants were mainly the second type, but some of the pakalolo
growers participated too.
Max Dillon via Mercedes wrote on 10/21/19 4:40 PM:
I'm thinking most of the anti-HOA comments come from folks who've only heard or
read the horror stories, but never actually owned a home in an HOA.
I'm retired Navy, grew up in the country hunting and fishing, and I'd much rather have a vast estate like Floyd and all the freedom that comes with it. However, I married a city girl, and need to live within a reasonable commute of work and schools, and given the choice I'd probably make the same decision and buy in an HOA.
Are Dan and I the only list members with HOA experience?
Kind of reminds me of the impression of America one gets watching the evening news, nothing but shootings and kidnappings and death and mayhem and corruption. Why would anyone live in such a violent country?
Max Dillon
Charleston SC
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