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Living in an HOA in Harris or Montgomery Counties!!

By
Real Estate Agent with Results Realty

Why live in a Home Owners Association (HOA) in Spring TXOn a regular basis I have people asking me to find them a home that is not in a homeowner's association (HOA). 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 think you need to live in a HOA with deed restrictions. I have lived in three different states besides Texas. I have lived in Kansas, Colorado and North Carolina.  In all of those states I did not live in subdivision's that had HOA's.  It was not a big deal because all three of the areas that I lived in had zoning in affect.  

The problem with not buying in a subdivision in the Houston area is that WE DO NOT HAVE ZONING IN HOUSTON.  Since we don't have zoning it makes living in Northwest Harris County or Southeast Magnolia County's  a a free for all as far as homes are concerned.  People can build whatever they want wherever they want it.  That is why it is not uncommon to see cows in the middle of the city or suburbs.  If you have ever visited the Johnson Space Center you will notice cows grazing.  That is just part of the beauty of the Houston area; cows in the city. 

I will never forget when I found out that the Houston area did not have zoning.  We
moved to the area in 1996 as I was taking the classes to get my real estate license one of the instructors's nonchalantly said "well you know we don't have zoning in the Houston area".  I almost fell off my chair. I had though every area was zoned.  I have always been very independent and at the time I wasn't sure if I wanted someone telling me what I could and couldn't do.  The longer I have lived here however the more I appreciate home owners associations for maintaining our 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.  When that junk yard opened up his property values went down the tube.

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.   You can find subdivisions all the way between the two extremes.  Most country subdivisions will Home owners associations typically allow one horse per acreallow you to have horses. Typically it is 1 acre per horse but again that varies by subdivision.  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.  If you would like help with buying a home in Northwest Harris or Southeast Montgomery Counties please give me a call.

 

Copyright © 2009 Marchel Peterson, All Rights Reserved.*Why I think it is important to live in an HOA in Harris or Montgomery Counties!!! *

Comments (23)

Rebecca Levinson, Real Estate Marketing and Online Advertising Consultant
Real Skillz-Clear Marketing for Your Real Estate Vision - Lake Geneva, WI
Marchel, great information.  I could see the need for Homeowner's associations in your area just based on the examples you gave.  In Illinois and WI, the zoning problems are not the same, and people, including myself, find the HOAs to be intrusive.
Mar 16, 2008 05:09 AM
Mike Jaquish
Realty Arts - Cary, NC
919-880-2769 Cary, NC, Real Estate

Marchel,

Great topic for relocating folks.

And just another indication how real estate is a localized profession, with different customs and laws in every state.

Mar 16, 2008 05:20 AM
Candy Henthorne
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring Texas Real Estate

Marchel - You did a great post on HOA's-pro and cons.  I know of some people (like my parents, for example), that would not consider living in a HOA.  They have always had many acres and have not had  your example of smaller tracks of land with a trailer, however.  Where they live, most have large acreages (and large homes) that we don't find near the Houston/Magolia area.  I personally like living in a HOA where there is some consistency to the neighborhood.  Another great post Marchel!

Mar 16, 2008 05:27 AM
Cheri Smith
Prudential Gary Greene, Cypress TX - Cypress, TX
Realtor Prudential Gary Greene

lol. Change the color of that mobile home and you would have a pic of my neighbor! We groaned when they moved that thing in. A year later the corner property was bought and turned into an RV park!! Thank goodness there are 2 acres between us.

If those types of things bother you then yes, you should live in an HOA subdivision. However, we wanted complete freedom from those rules so we could live the lifestyle we wanted and so we pay the price of  that freedom. I don't know of any subdivisions where you are allowed chickens and I raise them because I want to know what is in my kids' food on some level.

You are smart to warn people. Some people would be very upset if that happened to them. I knew what I was getting into. I will offer to buy that property if it ever comes up for sell so that I can get rid of the eyesore. Then I won't have to worry about it.

 

Mar 16, 2008 06:22 AM
Cynthia Tilghman, Realtor® Onslow County NC Home Specialist
Kingsbridge Realty, Inc - Hubert, NC

Marchel,
Did you say why  the Houston area  does not have zoning laws?  If you did, I missed it.   With no zoning HOA do become quite desirable with them, one is certainly taking chances.  

Mar 16, 2008 06:25 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital
Marchel, that totally floored me, too!  But even in areas where they have zoning, the HOA's seem all too willing to make exceptions to whatever rules they do have.  Here, the zoning folks are Nazis.
Mar 16, 2008 07:49 AM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

TERI, we do love our freedom until somebody moves in and does something we don't like.  It does make us appreciate our homeowner's associations.  We have lots of variety so there is something for every kind of lifestyle. 

MISSY, you don't have to go far to find all kinds of examples.  It is good to get the deed restrictions ahead of time so the buyer has a chance to read them and make sure they are comfortable with the restrictions.

Mar 16, 2008 10:03 AM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

CELESTE, I actually prefer an area that has zoning laws myself but it is not something that Houston has so we just have to make the best of what we have.  We do have a LOT of land so maybe that has been our problem.

REBECCA, I have always thought that the homeowner's associations were intrusive also; that is until I moved here.  Now I appreciate having them to maintain our property values.

Mar 16, 2008 10:07 AM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

MIKE, you are so right, real estate is local.  Everything about it is local to the area. 

CANDY, Thank you!  As you well know it is hard to find those large tracts of land around here where you can place yourself in the middle with no one around.  I can't say that I was thrilled about the HOA when we first moved here but I have come to appreciate what they do; especially considering the no zoning.

Mar 16, 2008 02:02 PM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

CHERI,  I actually did find a few subdivisions that allow chickens.  I had a long time friend move here from Colorado and that was one of the things that she wanted (lol).  I have had a number of clients that have wanted non-restricted properties for much the same reasons that you describe.  I hope someday that property comes on the market and you are able to snatch it. 

I wondered if you were out on some acreage like that when you said you were close to the drive in. 

Mar 16, 2008 02:07 PM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

CYNTHIA,  I have heard different reasons as to why there is no zoning.  I guess the biggest is that it was just not done by the city fathers many years ago.  It is really too late now.  It does make HOA's very important though!!

PATRICIA, We have had those type of HOA's also.   The good thing is that there is usually a board and the members who get carried away can also get voted off.  Itis good to investigate to see what the deed restrictions are before moving in and if someone is concerned they can always talk to the neighbors also.

Mar 16, 2008 02:15 PM
Audrey Hoffman
VoteAudrey blog - Columbia, SC
VoteAudrey
Marchel, how interesting!  Yes, coming from out of town, I would have been shocked to hear that too!
Mar 16, 2008 08:30 PM
Cheri Smith
Prudential Gary Greene, Cypress TX - Cypress, TX
Realtor Prudential Gary Greene

Yep, I can stand on top of my house, like when putting Christmas lights up, and see the drive in. There's no noise from it surprisingly. I thought it would bring a lot of "racket" to the area but other than the lines they used to have on the side of 2920 that has now been remedied, you'd never know they were there.

I'm so close to 2920 that if there is a wreck I can beat the paramedics there and often do.

Mar 17, 2008 02:00 AM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

AUDREY, here it is no big deal but when you move here from other states it is amazing that there is not zoning.  I guess that was just one of those little things that I took for granted.

CHERI, As I fly down 2920 I will be looking.  I guess when I really need to look is at Christmas so I can catch you on the roof (lol).

Mar 17, 2008 05:50 AM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate
Marchel:  I remember the first time I ever went to Houston.  It was in 1978... when I made the trip from Ohio when I first started considering moving to Texas.  I was driving up one of the roads inside 1960 heading up to the Northwest.  It might have been Kuykendahl, or... is there a Steubner-Airline Rd ?  I noticed a small shack-like home, then right next to it a very expensive looking home, and then... right next to that... as a mobile home, very large lot, barbed wire fencing, and about fifty or so sheep wandering around on the front lawn.  Later in the day I asked someone about it, and was told... "Oh... don't you know... Houston doesn't have any zoning."  Gulp !
Mar 17, 2008 07:21 PM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro
KAREN ANNE, It is a free for all here which is why it is so important to live in a subdivision.  I was shocked when I found out there was no zoning; just like you.  I think we must be one of the only large cities in the country that does not have zoning. 
Mar 18, 2008 01:49 PM
Debbie Malone
Londeree's Real Estate & Property Management - Lynchburg, VA
From Lynchburg To The Lake (434) 546-0369
Marchel, I live in a large county that up until 20 years ago was very rural, lots of trailers and we've had the same problem with zoning. There's been a population explosion in Forest; lots of new subdivisions popping up. I happen to live in a neighborhood with an HOA. Even though I can't park my Class A motorhome in my driveway, none of my neighbors can either and my property value is protected due to the covenants we all agreed to.
Mar 21, 2008 12:01 AM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro
DEBBIE, It sounds like you TOTALLY know what I am talking about.  This area also use to be very rural and was considered to be quite far out from Houston.  Well Houston is getting closer and closer as we get built up.  Like you we can't leave our sailboat in the front yard but neither can my neighbors and it protects the value of our homes. 
Mar 21, 2008 05:08 AM
Chuck Willman
Chuck Willman - Alpine, UT
NewHouseUtah.com
I think we're turning the corner on HOA acceptance. Usually, all it takes is a drive by an area without rules... it's amazing the difference. AND... I think HOA's have become more customer friendly than they used to be.
Mar 28, 2008 04:22 AM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro
CHUCK, With NO ZONING it is almost imperative; that is if you want to maintain your property values.  I have found a few exceptions out in the country; when you know what surrounds  you.  Even then what you know today could become a junk yard tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by.
Mar 29, 2008 03:18 AM