Common HOA Violations

Living in an HOA comes with various benefits. But, it is needless to say that it also comes with a few challenges and restrictions. These restrictions can sometimes be annoying but remember that they were put in place to preserve the community’s and its people’s well-being. Still, humans make mistakes. There are certain mistakes that are more common than the others.

When a person buys a home in an HOA, they sign an agreement stating that they adhere to the rules and regulations. Violating a rule can result in consequences, depending on the severity and frequency of the violation. Click here to hire HOA management services for your homeowners’ association and ensure there are fewer violations.

Common HOA violations

House design changes.

When you buy a home with your hard-earned money, the one thing you expect is that you should be able to make changes to your home as your heart wishes. However, that may not be the case when you live in an HOA. Before you can make an architectural change, paint your house’s exterior a different color, or even install a new mailbox, you must seek approval from the HOA’s design committee. Failure to do so results in violations.

Landscaping.

Along with how their house looks, homeowners must also be careful about changing their landscape. This is because they affect the look of the entire neighborhood depending on the change they make. The HOA board may restrict the planting of certain trees, bushes, or plants and limit the areas where you could grow them. You are responsible for maintaining the neighborhood’s curb appeal and should not make a change that appears “unattractive.”

Vehicles.

It is not uncommon for HOAs to create strict rules about which vehicles are allowed in the community, how many cars each homeowner can keep in their driveway, and where they should park. Many HOAs prefer that homeowners park their vehicles inside the garages so they are out of sight completely. Some HOAs require you to write a request before you can have a guest come over and park their vehicle in your driveway.

Exterior storage.

Some HOAs prevent homeowners from keeping certain types of storage outside their house, such as bicycles and kayaks, anything that may or may not appear pleasant or aesthetic. You may also be unable to add your own storage space unattached from the house.

Fencing.

Unfortunately, you may be unable to choose your fencing or its colors. You must get the details approved by the board before setting up the whole thing. To avoid wasting your money, it is best to ask for permission instead of waiting for them to find out on their own.