<br><div><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el" aria-label="Video - Wisconsin couple lights up their house with Pride colors after HOA removes their flag"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">When my husband and I were looking at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/mortgages/how-buy-house/?utm_source=usa-today&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article&referring_guid=13225a31-442f-4aa7-adb3-93a07e16a76c" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">houses to buy</a>, we saw many properties that we liked but one stood out from the crowd. There was just one hitch: It was in a neighborhood with a homeowner's association.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">We really appreciated the style and size of the home and it was in an area that provided a very close commute. It was also affordable and our <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/mortgages/?utm_source=usa-today&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article&referring_guid=13225a31-442f-4aa7-adb3-93a07e16a76c" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">mortgage</a> payments would have been pretty reasonable. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">But, despite the fact that the home was attractive to both of us and checked many of our boxes, there was one key factor that convinced us to pass up the property. Here's what the issue was. </p><h2 class="gnt_ar_b_h2">Some HOA fees can rival your mortgage</h2><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">The home that my husband and I both liked was in a neighborhood with an association. Many properties we saw were in HOA neighborhoods since they are common in the area where we were looking to live. This was not, by itself, a dealbreaker. </p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong class="gnt_ar_b_al">Condo wars: </strong><a target="_blank" href="/story/news/2021/07/10/surfside-condo-building-collapse-associations-fights-plans/7840468002/" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|spike click:7|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">Surfside association fighting in Florida was extreme, but it's a familiar battle for HOAs</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong class="gnt_ar_b_al">'I am living in a nightmare every day':</strong><a target="_blank" href="/story/money/2021/10/08/climate-change-and-insurance-what-homeowners-need-know/5989643001/" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|spike click:8|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">What homeowners need to know as climate change threatens properties</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">But, this one particular neighborhood had a specific fee structure that we decided we were not able to live with. Specifically, the HOA dues were more than $1,000 <em>every single month.</em> Now, there were a lot of amenities in this neighborhood including a golf course and some restaurants. And the dues covered a certain amount of food at the restaurant each month, along with access to community pools and the golf club...</p></div> <style> .wrapper { text-align: center; } </style> <div class="wrapper"> <a class="button" href ="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/real-estate/2022/07/16/should-you-steer-clear-of-homeowners-assocations/50488143/">Read more <span>➤</span></a> </div>
