I grew up in "non" HOA areas. Although they were nice areas, there was always one or two houses with unkept yards, cars parked everywhere but the garage(including their front lawn), etc. For my parents, it was ok. My dad has a lot of crap and doesn't like people to tell him to put it away. I knew I would want an HOA community just because I don't want to look at someone's crap out my window. My DH is president of ours (only because the previous board members were going a little *HOA nazi*..that's what they call power hungry HOA board members here). Our dues are $500 a month. They used to be $300 but had to go up to pay for the dues that were not coming in because of foreclosures. Still, we get a lot for $500 a year. We have a huge open space area, with walking path and park plus a pool. I know other HOA's that pay more and don't have anything...maybe just plants and flowers at the front of their subdivision.

There are rules but nothing bad. You can have clotheslines (I think state of CO said you cannot block them anymore) and you can have a power windmill to make your own power. You DO have to have colors approved if you want to paint. I don't mind it. I don't want to have my neighbor paint their house tie-dye (it happened to my parents in our old neighborhood growing up). You can't have chickens or animals (we are in city limits) and you have to have a certain fence. I don't find it frustrating to deal with.

I watch a lot of shows and I do see them talk of fees (the ones I watch are HGTV like Property Virgins).

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003