We have seen a lot data regarding HOA fees, insurance factors, reserve study trends and other HOA topics, but not much has been written about what homeowners who live in HOAs really think about what is going on in HOA land.
A company called Frontdoor published a survey that we somehow missed last fall of more than 1,000 American homeowners, asking them about their HOA membership experiences and what they like (or don’t like) about their HOA. Depending on your own situation with fees and board governance, you may be a bit surprised by some of the findings. Perhaps not so surprising is the fact that there is a lot of grumbling to be had among HOA residents.
In fact, in the survey, one in three respondents reported that they had an experience or interaction that made them want to move out of their HOA. Among that group, they cited these reasons:
- Fees are unreasonable (63%), not surprising given the dramatic increases in HOA insurance premiums across the country
- Inconsistent rule enforcement (53%) from their HOA
- Poor communication or unresponsive boards of directors (40%)
Among the greater population of respondents, the numbers look like this:
- 39% feel their fees are not used effectively or efficiently
- 35% report that their fees are unreasonable (again, likely insurance)
- 51% say their fees have gotten more expensive, while 65% added their fees change very or somewhat frequently
- More than 1 in 6 respondents had been fined by their association, with the 45% of those who were fined slapped due to landscaping violations
Perhaps more sobering is the fact that only 41% of respondents indicated any attendance at an HOA board meeting. And some 70% would rather live outside of an HOA if they were to do it again.
It’s no surprise that homeowners may feel disgruntled, especially given the rising cost of insurance, materials and labor. But there’s no free lunch — everything is expensive these days, inside or outside of an HOA. It’s our job as leaders to not only govern our HOAs to the best of our abilities, but to spread the good word about all the benefits of HOA living that often go unreported and unnoticed.
If you want to read the whole survey report from October, visit their link: https://www.frontdoor.com/blog/real-estate/pros-and-cons-of-hoa-what-homeowners-really-think