I was chatting with a coworker about painting, home repair and the like and he asked if I had to go through my HOA. Thank G-d I don’t. A good thing about the hood, no home owner associations (HOA). I can paint my house pink with yellow polka dots. I can put out the world’s ugliest garden gnomes. Or I could have any style fence or mailbox I darned well please.
I’m also happy I don’t live in a condo. There are some huge pluses that come with condo living, but Nora Bombay is paying almost $600 a month in condo fees. Of course her fees include maintenance, cable, electricity, indoor parking, AC, heat and water. But still $600 a month, that’s almost like a small mortgage.
I’ve heard enough horror stories about HOAs and condo boards that get power hungry and crazy, see Columbia, MD. Why would I want to expose myself to that? No I will take the hood, where people have the freedom to put up tacky Christmas lights, have crappy looking yards, and have to pay directly for their own utilities.