I am continuing my Spring TX first time home buyer series. In this post we are going to talk about home owners associations. On a regular basis I have people asking me to find them a home that is not in a homeowner's association. Usually this is someone moving here from another state and usually the area that they are moving from has zoning in affect. I am going to tell you why I don't think that is a good idea living in the Spring area.
The problem with not buying in a subdivision in Spring TX is that WE DO NOT HAVE ZONING IN SPRING TX. Since we don't have zoning it is a free for all. People can build whatever they want wherever they want it. It is not uncommon to see a nice home next to a trailer on cinder blocks in unrestricted areas..
I will never forget when I found out that the Houston area did not have zoning. We moved to the area in 1996 and as I was taking the classes to get my real estate license one of the instructors nonchalantly said "well you know we don't have zoning in the Houston area". I almost fell off my chair
. I had thought every area was zoned. Well that is not the case the Houston area is one of the few large cities if not the only large city that does not have zoning.
I have lived in three different states besides Texas. Those states being Kansas, Colorado and North Carolina. All of the areas I lived in had zoning so it was no big deal not living in a home owners association (HOA). I was a little apprehensive about living in a HOA and having someone telling me what I could and couldn't do with my own house. The longer I have lived here I have realized the value of living in a HOA. By having deed restrictions it helps me to maintain my property values. To give you an example a few years ago my husband worked with someone who bought out in the country in a non-restricted area. The guy loved it until the house next door was sold and the new owner decided to make it in to a salvage yard. His property values took a nose dive when the salvage yard opened.
The good news is that there is just about something for everyone as far as homeowner's associations go. There are associations with all kinds of restrictions such as in master planned communities and there are HOA's that allow you to have mobile homes. In Spring you can find subdivisions all the way between the two extremes. There are not many country subdivisions left in Spring. There are a few scattered around but if you want country living you might want to look at Magnolia.
The HOA's fees also vary greatly. I have seen fees as low as $10 a year and as high as $1500. There are even a few subdivisions that have deed restrictions but no fees. Most of the suburb HOA's have similar restrictions. If there is something in particular you are interested in doing it is a good idea to look the deed restrictions over before you ever put an offer on a house. It is a fairly easy process to get the deed restrictions; usually you can get them from a local title company. It is important to decide what kind of restrictions you are looking for and find your home in a HOA that meets your needs.
This is a Spring TX first time home buyers series and as I add additional post I will add the links. Please feel free to visit my prior post.
- Spring TX First Time Home Buyers Guide - Part 1 - Loan Pre-approval!
- Spring TX First Time Home Buyers Guide - Part 2 - The Web Search!
- Spring TX First Time Home Buyers Guide - Part 3 - The Home Search!
- Spring TX First Time Home Buyers Guide - Part 4 - What price do we offer!
- Spring TX First Time Home Buyers Guide - Part 5- The Home offer!
- Spring TX First Time Home Buyers Guide - Part 6 - The Texas option fee and your home inspection!
- Spring TX First Time Home Buyers Guide - Part 7 - The Title policy
- Spring TX First Time Home Buyers Guide - Part 8 - Why you need to live in an HOA!
- Spring TX First Time Home Buyers Guide - Part 9 - What to bring to your closing!
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If you are buying or relocating to Spring Texas and need help from a professional REALTOR®, Marchel can be reached at Marchel@AgentwithResults.com or by phone at 832-721-8332.
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Interesting. Sounds like a million dollar home could have a trailer put down beside it.
MIKE, you hit the nail on the head!! Problem is that million dollar home is probably no longer worth a million dollars because it has a trailer house next to it now.
Hi Marchel, An Associate at work just returned from Houston, and was describing the "no zoning" there - like you, I nearly fell off my chair! Now I see where living in an HOA would provide some protection for property values and preservation of the neighborhood.
Yes, Marchel. I'm with you! HOAs are a good organization to have if run by a good group of residents! I have lived in the Houston-area all my life and do not understand why we DON'T have zoning. My poor neighbor who moved here from CA bought a home that backed up to a 9+ acre wooded lot. Well, as you probably can guess. The property was sold as commercial, and all the trees were cleared to make way for an oil and lube place among other things. She and her neighbors were devestated. I tell my clients to NEVER back up to an empty or wooded lot. Today's empty lot is tomorrows apartment complex or commercial property!! :)
Marchel- Here it is hard to find a community that is not run by an HOA. I would never live in an HOA community unless of course it is on the beach of mountains on Maui! But in Wellington you don't have to live in HOA because our Village of Wellington code enforcement is very strict! SO we get enough from them:) Katerina
What a great post and i really like the fact that you have the series compiled her for easy access, this is an excellent resource for buyers in your area!
Marchel
Years ago we didn't have zoning in the Bryan part of Bryan-College Station and literally there was a mobil home in the back half of the lot, of many of the older homes in Bryan. As the mobiles die, they cannot be replaced under the new ordinance.
You wouldn't believe some of the things I see out in the country, HOA's are your friends!
Some really good points. Having lived in several small mountain communities with no zoning, it is true that there can be shacks next to large houses. There is something about that western rebel spirit that keeps communities from instituting zoning IN TOWN, but almost all of the outlying neighborhoods have HOA's.
Cheryl
Lots of ambiguity; mix emotions all with no condole could make a cornucopia of millage
Those darn HOAs can bread havok among others,
Hi Marchel, his has been an excellent series and this post in particular caught m eye. In CA we have zoning , code restrictions, HOA's and Associations with CC&R's but no formal association has been maintained. Living here, it is actually hard if your home is newer than 25 years old not to be in a subdivision. This is great information that helps those of us understand how different communities and states operate and deal with zoning ordinances or lack thereof. Excellent!
Marchel, her initial week as a first time homeowner, my youngest received a threatening letter from her HOA regarding weeds left by the previous owner.
But it was followed by a visit from the neighbor across the street who turned out to be the president of the HOA. Then he got out and helped her bring the yard back into its glory.
So my daughter respects the HOA. You should see her neighborhood. It looks even better than the day she bought the house.
Hi Marchel,
I've been away from AR from a little while, it's good to reconnect. Many people do not "think" they want to live in a community with a HOA but in an area with no zoning, I would not go any other way.
Marchel, This was interesting to read. I had no idea there weren't zoning laws almost everywhere. I can see how your home can be easily devalued by your neighbors and what they decide to do with their space and I too think HOA restrictions are a good idea in most cases.
Marchel, that is amazing that a huge city like Huston does not have Zoning. I can't even begin to imagine what cities and town around here would look like without Zoning ...... WOW.
Marchel - I so appreciate zoning. Yes even the deed restriction can keep a community looking good. HOA is the way to go if zoning is lacking.
MARY, It is amazing that a large city would not have zoning but yes that would be Houston.
SONJA, It would be interesting to find out why zoning didn't happen say 100 years ago. It is really too late now. I remember when Tomball tried to enact zoning and it was a huge battle. It should have been done when the city was formed.
KATERINA, I didn't think I would live in an HOA either but when you don't have zoning that is REALLY the only way to preserve your property values.
RUSSELL, Thanks for stopping by. I was just thinking of how many post I'm going to write for first time home buyers and I think I will try to stop at an even dozen. It is like I started and can't stop (lol).
TREY, I know that Tomball doesn't have zoning but they did enact something that keeps mobile homes out.
CRYSTAL, I sell lots of properties in the country so I know exactly what you are talking about. It is a free for all!!
CHERYL,I have seen a number of those small mountain towns and they do have that free for all going on also. It must be something about that western spirit (lol).
TOM,There is a love/hate relationship with HOA's but in the long run in our area it does maintain our property values.
WILLIAM, I write about this about every 6 months as it is just something that you need to be aware of if you are going to live in the Houston area. People moving here just don't realize; I know that I didn't.
KATE, I'm glad the HOA turned out for your daughter. I know there are HOA's that get a little carried away. I live in a small HOA which we run as a community our self and it works GREAT!! We are rare most have management companies running them.
CYNTHIA, I agree. We are dependent on deed restrictions to maintain our homes.
CAROLE, I have lived in Kansas, North Carolina and Colorado. In all of those areas we had zoning so I was stunned when I found out that a large city area DID NOT have zoning!!
GEORGE, It does make for an interesting mix. It is why you see cows in the middle of the city. I'm not sure if they are still there but at Johnson Space Center there use to be longhorns grazing.
JENNIFER, I have to be honest, I like zoning also. Without zoning we have to rely on deed restrictions.
Marchel,
I would think HOA are a good thing. Pricey at times but all in all not a bad thing.
Ann
Hi Marcel, I lived in Houston for a long time so I was aware of the lack of zoning. The master planned communities are very nice; First Colony in Sugar Land; the Woodlands; and some other ones that I can't think of the names right now...
That's amazing Marchel, to hear about these contrasts over there because of zoning. It's not unusual to see this in blighted areas like Gary Indiana (where Michael Jackson was from). When i first saw this with my very eyes it was shocking! You are certainly making this informative for those considering residing in Spring Texas.
You know I've never been a big proponent of HOA's. I have worked for one previously and where I come from they have run rampant and can become quite intrusive on your way of living. However, I do believe it has become a necessary evil in many ways... Who wants to live next door to Sanford and Son?
ANN, When you live in an area without zoning HOA's are almost a prerequisite.
SHIRLEY, The Woodlands is nice but you do pay more to live there. I live 5 minutes aways which is wonderful as I have all the access without the big price.
DIANE, Our area is unique but we love it here. You do have to be cautious where you buy though.
TERESA, We have those HOA's that get a little carried away also but in our area we need them so we don't live next door to Sanford and Son! I thought that was a great way to describe no zoning by the way.
Very good blog post. A lot of buyers are not aware what really HOA means to their property. Great value!
Aleksandra Walters
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