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Myke Leatham | Brazos County Realty

Myke Leatham | Brazos County Realty

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10 Things to Know About an HOA Before You Buy in College Station

February 22, 2018 by Myke Leatham

You may think like many people do that because you’re buying a single family home that you don’t have to worry about an HOA but that’s not so. Although homeowners’ associations are more commonly associated with condos, when you buy in College Station, there’s a good chance you may wind up with an HOA to answer to. Here’s what you need to know before you buy.

What is an HOA?

A homeowner’s association is literally what it sounds like – it’s a group of homeowners who get together to create laws to govern a certain set of properties within a community. All HOAs have CCRs or Covenant, Conditions, and Restrictions; guidelines that residents have to abide by or they could get kicked out of their homes.

Depending on the type of person you are and the type of HOA that manages your community, you may find your HOA unreasonable, too intrusive, with many even dictating how long you can have overnight guests. So even though you own the property, your castle is your castle in so far as your CCR will allow you to go.

5 Benefits of an HOA 

That begs the question, why would anyone want to buy a house where they have to answer to an HOA about whether or not they can install a swimming pool or put up holiday decorations. For the same reason you buy a home anywhere – because you fell in love with the house.

Before you buy a house or condo in a particular community, find out if it is governed by an HOA and if so, find out what kind of HOA they are. Here are the 5 main benefits you should look for in your neighborhood’s HOA.

#1:  Well-Kept Grounds and Facilities

Part of the fees you’ll pay to the HOA every month is dedicated to the upkeep and maintenance of the grounds. The average HOA fee can be as low as $150 per month or as high as $350.

Drive around the properties governed by your prospective HOA. Are the grounds well-kept? Is there litter or dog feces everywhere? Get out of the car and walk around to get a really good feel for how well your HOA will maintain the property.

#2: 24-Hour Security Patrolling the Community 

Many HOA communities are gated but just as many are not. It may be a group of homes that on the outside would appear to have nothing in common as single family homes but could be governed by the same HOA.

How well are the premises secured? Is there a gate with a patrol officer at the entry? Is the community patrolled mostly by cameras and not by foot/car patrol or vice versa? The best security will do both as well as 24 hour security and surveillance. Check back at different hours and days of the week as you’re deciding whether or not to buy to see if the grounds are consistently well protected and not only for show during the day.

#3: Proactive and Responsive Maintenance and Repairs

Anyone who has ever lived in an apartment knows how frustrating it can be to deal with an unresponsive maintenance staff. For your fees you should expect prompt repairs and maintenance, not just to your unit or home, but to the grounds as a whole.

When you drive around, are there neighborhood lights that are out? Are signs defaced or broken? These can be tell-tell signs that your HOA’s maintenance and repair team is not very responsive.

#4: Great Community Perks and Amenities

Not everyone who belongs to an HOA is a joiner but if you are, one of the big benefits of an HOA is the community perks and amenities. A home governed by an HOA will likely have a community park and the HOA often hosts several community-wide events each year.

What are the community perks like? What kind of amenities does the HOA provide to residents? However importantly you rank these things, they should factor into your decision about whether or not to buy a home in College Station with an HOA.

#5: HOA Fees Pay for Free Cable or Wi-Fi

Many HOAs will give you extras for your monthly fees like free cable and Wi-Fi. You will find some that have special discounts with local vendors like gyms, restaurants, and grocery stores too.

Does the HOA offer freebies that you would actually use? Are they worth a particularly high monthly HOA fee?

5 Things to Look for in an HOA

Besides knowing what benefits to look for, when buying in an HOA there are certain features and actions of your board that should guide your decision. When weighing all of the benefits, make sure to weigh them against these 5 equally important things to look for in an HOA.

#1: Positive/Healthy Financial Statements – The HOA has to make financial records available to prospective tenants but few think to ask for them. Make sure that your prospective HOA is forthcoming with their financial statements and that your fees are well managed.

#2: Reasonable CCR (Restrictions) – When you join an HOA you have to agree to the CCR which is basically a formal document detailing community guidelines and restrictions. Some of the typical things that are limited or forbidden by HOAs include pets, painting or making renovations to interiors and or exteriors, parking, types of visitors or lengths of stay permitted by guests, etc.

You can ask for a copy of the HOA’s CCR before you decide to buy. You should do that and see if there are any restrictions that you cannot live with beforehand.

#3: Limited HOA Fee Increases – Once you buy in an HOA and agree to the fees, over time, those fees may steadily increase. In fact, some HOAs include regular fee increases. However, they should be minimal. Ask about any major increases for residential projects in the near future that are anticipated so that you know exactly what you’ll be out each month and prepared for big hikes later on.

#4: Legal Track Record of HOA – Some HOAs are so nitpicky that they find themselves in court all of the time being sued by residents who were ejected for rule violations or to kick residents out for violating rules. How often is that happening and how often is the HOA in the wrong?

#5: Reputation of the HOA – Bad HOA boards tend to earn a bad reputation in the community. Instead of finding out the hard way after you’ve already signed the deed, take a walk around your prospective community and talk to the neighbors about the HOA – go outside of the community even to get an outsider’s opinion. 

Some College Station Neighborhood HOAs

Your prospective College Station home may be in an HOA community. Here we have two online sources that will help you identify and learn more about HOAs in College Station. The first is the Neighborhood Partnership Program; a community-wide program aimed at positive community building.

There they maintain a comprehensive database of all of the different homeowners associations in the area. You can get all kinds of information about planned projects, upcoming hearings, and community events.

We also have the HOA Partners who manage a broad selection of HOA communities in College Station. Here you can find budget summaries, CCRs, and financial statements for HOAs associated with HOA Partners.

Emerald Forest HOA – Single Family Subdivision

Emerald Forest is a good example of an HOA that governs single family homes within a particular subdivision. Their website spells out many of the restrictions imposed by the HOA and includes a tenant portal for paying HOA dues. Select the documents tab to take a look at phase maps, deed restrictions, meeting minutes, HOA by-laws, and more.

The Traditions – Highly Restrictive with Championship Golf Courses

The Traditions is an example of why people are willing to put up with sometimes unreasonable restrictions in order to live in a certain community. The Traditions is a private community with its own championship level golf club. Members have to abide by a 69 page CCR with dozens of deed restrictions.

Spring Meadows – Single Family Homes with a Park

Spring Meadows is one of those HOA communities that work to foster a community environment. In order to see their 34 page CCR and deed restrictions you have to have a member login. Your CCR is mailed to you once you buy. If you are thinking about moving here, ask them for those details up front.

Castle Gate (and Castle Gate II)

A second phase of this development is going up, but Caste Gate is governed by a 31 page CCR. They are also members of the HOA partners so you can get detailed information about their CCR, financials, and budgets going back several years from the HOA Partners website.

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Category: Blog

About Myke Leatham

I’m so glad you found me – your College Station and Bryan, TX real estate source! When you choose to buy or sell a home in College Station/Bryan, TX or other surrounding areas using our expert services, you will receive a free consultation to determine your needs, free listings, and free reports sent to you by email. These weekly reports will show you how hard the members of my team are working to accomplish your property goals, and we guarantee the best service and consultation you have ever experienced. You’ll find the best community information for the College Station, Texas region right here.

It’s nice to know YOUR Realtor will still be of service after the sale.

Experience Counts: Broker/Owner of Brazos County Realty
Over 25 years of sales experience. With past ABR, GRI, CRS, & Epro designations.
Continuing education in real estate: Education is paramount in an ever changing industry like Real Estate. Myke has taken over 1000 hours of real estate specific courses which include but are not limited to: Residential Appraisal, Marketing, Law Contracts I & II, Finance, Residential Inspections, Principles and Practice, Law of Agency, Code of Ethics, Bankruptcy/Easements/Surveys/and Probate, Home Warranties, 1031 Exchanges and hundreds of hours of extensive real estate training.

Reputation: SALES LEADER since 1998; Top Producer 2000 through 2009. Listed among the top agents in the county. Consistently ranked among top realtors for total sales volume out of 900 realtors for commercial and residential real estate in the Bryan/College Station, TX area. When Myke represents buyers, she presents all viable options to her clients, including those properties that are not officially listed, but could be available for sale based on her inside information. Her expertise lies with investors and marketing homes of all price ranges in College Station/Bryan to local, national and global buyers, across all major media channels and through her extensive, personal network of contacts.

Myke is among the top 1% of all Realtors in North America!
She has earned the Designations of ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative), CRS(Certified Residential Specialist), GRI (Graduate of Realtors Institute)CHMS (Certified Home Marketing Specialist), and E-pro (Certified Internet Professional)
Fewer than 3% of all Realtors nationwide earn these certifications. They are not only a symbol of Myke’s commitment to this business, but these designations are your assurance of a skilled, trained real estate professional.

Myke is a consummate real estate professional who not only understands the art of deal-making, but also the art of relationships. She makes the process of buying and selling homes an uplifting and fun experience. She has a tremendous appreciation for Bryan and College Station, its rich history, and Texas A&M traditions having lived in the area for 25 years. Her knowledge of Bryan/College Station’s real estate market and market trends is unparalleled. Having been personally involved with clients through their remodeling, purchasing and selling processes, she knows intrinsic quality and value when she sees it. When she doesn’t see it she lets her clients know, without hesitation.
Myke’s proven track record and affiliations in the field of real estate demonstrates her high level of professionalism.

* High energy and enthusiasm
* Aggressive marketing
* Expert negotiating skills
* Ability to listen and ascertain customer’s desires and needs
* Fun to be with
* Internet savvy
* Because Myke is an experienced investor, she quickly helps her customers locate and define good business opportunities. No one likes the feeling of being ‘sold to’ so Myke provides as much information as possible to help you make the right decision.

Personal Commitment:
I am prepared to go the ‘Extra Mile’ for you, because I understand the financial and emotional significance of purchasing and selling your home. I will carefully listen to your desires and arrive at a workable plan. I believe sensitivity, listening, and service are important keys to success.
Whether you are buying or selling a home or you are just curious about your home’s market value, I’d be happy to provide my market expertise and intelectual property without obligation, or meet with you to evaluate your home for future reference. I want my customers to have a great time and enjoy the total process of purchasing or selling property. It gives me great pride when my customerspass my name on to their friends and family. I will continue to work hard to make sure critical information is available at www.AggieRealEstate.com and I invite all interested investors to search my site for cash flow opportunities. I will dedicate my time and talents to helping you achieve your goals. It is my goal to make your buying and selling experience extraordinary. Look closely and you’ll see how much I love meeting and working with people. You’ll experience the difference in working with an experienced and dedicated professional.

Personal information:
Michelle goes by ‘Myke’ and is the proud mother of 6 children – 3 girls and 3 boys. Her husband is David Leatham. They met at Brigham Young University. They have been married since 1977. David is a finance professor, and Associate Head over graduate studies in the Agricultural Economics Department at Texas A&M University, and speaks fluent Spanish. They have lived in College Station since 1983 and loved every minute of it. Myke loves to quilt, sing, swim, ‘sing’, bake bread, ‘sing,’ garden, ‘sing’, sell real estate, and ‘sing some more’ :-). Family, church, and real estate consume most of her time. Truth, honor, integrity, kindness, loyalty, gratitude, and service are very important words to her.

Slogan: ‘Let Myke Help You With Your HOMEwork!’

Referrals: The highest compliment I can get is when you pass my name on to others or post a kind remark on the internet. When you send your friends and family my way, I’ll always provide them with the highest quality of service that I know you would appreciate. Thanks in advance for all your support and friendship.

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