[Alberta's Child]

I’ve seen this from both sides. When I purchased a home a few years ago I originally wanted nothing to do with HOAs, but after six months of searching I noticed that I could see enormous differences in adjoining neighborhoods with and without HOAs. The ones without HOAs looked like suburban ghettos. The most common characteristics were the number of cars parked all over the streets and on front lawns, along with campers, utility trailers and work trucks parked all over the streets.

I ended up buying a home under ideal circumstances. It has a low-key, benign HOA with very few rules that are all reasonable. And the cost is very low because the HOA has hardly any common area maintenance responsibilities.

[bankwalker]

I love living in an HOA community. They are all different, so be sure to read and understand the bylaws before deciding.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

You are the kind of person who loves being bossed around.

Just rent a dominatrix and leave your neighbors alone.

[NorthMountain]

It has a low-key, benign HOA with very few rules that are all reasonable.

I wish you the best of luck (and eternal vigilance) keeping it that way. You're one middle-aged hypenated blonde with a wedge hair-do away from tyranny.

[steve86]

“The most common characteristics were the number of cars parked all over the streets and on front lawns, along with campers, utility trailers and work trucks parked all over the streets.”

Why does that bother you?