When we closed on our present house 19 years ago, we were a little surprised to be presented at closing with a paper to sign to acknowledge our neighborhood’s HOA…my initial reaction was to look at the real estate agent and say, “Whaaaat??”, the lawyer pointed out it was a voluntary HOA, that the dues were $5 per year, and the only thing the HOA did was publish an annual neighborhood directory, prove printed maps for the annual yard sale and maintain the sign into the neighborhood…some years we’ve forgotten to pay, but no recourse…we try to as we like the directory…
That being said, we are looking for a retirement home, likely a condo near a beach, the HOA is one of the first things we look at, we know we’re going to pay (a pool, clubhouse, insurance and coverage from the sheet rock out is important to us), it’s just a matter of how much…