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What Buyers Should Know About HOA Fees in Carlsbad

By
Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty of California, Inc. CA DRE #01490977

What Do the HOA Fees in Carlsbad Cover?

 

Any home buyer in Carlsbad, or in any of the nearby communities, considering a detached single home with a Home Owner’s Association (HOA), or an attached property (condos, town homes, twin homes), all of which will have an HOA, should ask about the HOA fees.

 

You want to know, of course, how much those fees are, when they are billed (typically monthly), as well as what the HOA fees cover.

 

DollarsWhile the MLS will generally state what the fees are, and provide a list of what they cover, buyers should verify all this information to their satisfaction before making final decisions about a purchase.

 

  • Sometimes the fees are stated incorrectly
  • Fees may be in the process of changing
  • Not everything covered by the fees may be listed in the MLS.

 

The typical HOA fees may cover the following items, but specific coverage varies from community to community. The actual fees will depend somewhat on what items are included in the HOA annual budget, the age and size of the community, and other factors:

 

Common area maintenance (common grounds, pool, tennis courts, elevators, parking areas, electronic gates) and landscaping – in some communities the HOA maintains the front yards

 

Exterior Building Maintenance (condos and PUDs) including roof maintenance

 

Limited insurance (usually for common areas, and for the buildings themselves for condos and townhomes)

 

Water (for condos, not single family detached homes)

 

Trash removal (may or may not be covered)

 

Sewer (commonly covered for condo and town home communities)

 

Reserve – an additional part of the fee the HOAs collect goes to the reserve, i.e., monies held for needed improvements down the road (e.g., parking area improvements, roofing)

 

In some communities the fees may cover hot water (e.g., condos), and for some complexes basic cable (some 55+ communities).

 

There may also be an annual termite/pest prevention and treatment program in place that is part of the HOA fee.

 

making a decision about HOA feesOnce you have an accepted offer, you will have an opportunity to review all of the HOA documents, which will include the budget, during the due diligence phase.

 

Be sure to contact the HOA directly to verify information and ask any questions; this may be particularly important to do before you even make an offer.

 

Please reach out to me at (760) 840-1360 so we can discuss your personal housing needs, lifestyle and budget, including questions about homes with HOA fees in Carlsbad (or perhaps homes where there are no HOA fees). We can then create a plan to get you into a new home in Carlsbad, or nearby, in 2019.

Posted by

Jeff Dowler, CRS
Certified Residential Specialist / Realtor®


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Comments (4)

Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

HI Jeff Dowler, CRS - This is so important to get right in our position.  Whether it is a buyer or seller, we need to help make sure the info is correct. We have some title companies that help with this. 

Mar 20, 2019 07:33 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Sheri Sperry - MCNE® 

We see wrong information fairly often, unfortunately.

Buyer always ask about the fees (if they are open to that type of community) but in particular want to know what they are getting...as they should.

Jeff

Mar 21, 2019 05:24 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Jeff- it's so important that potential homeowners understand and thoroughly read their HOA documents. We had a friend who did not realize that no pickup trucks were allowed in the community even if parked in the garage. 

Mar 21, 2019 06:03 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Kathy Streib 

Buyers definitely have to do their due diligence as there can be all kinds of restrictions imposed - no parking overnight on the street, no parking overnight in the drive, no RVs or boats, and so on. Haven't run across the no pickup truck one...yet. Not a pleasant thing to find out!!

And some of the fees can get pretty hefty!

Jeff

Mar 21, 2019 06:27 PM