HOME OWNER ASSOCIATIONS

Do you have one, want one or wish you’d never heard of one? H.O.A. documents are filed at the local court house and have legal backing for enforcement. Many people consider it an advantage and believe that uniformity and conformity help their houses appreciate. For example many people don’t want a purple house nextdoor or RV trailers in the neighbor’s driveway. Others are appalled when they get a letter letting them know they planted too many flowers in their front yard and one neighborhood in particular dictates which color of flowers you may grow. No kidding! I used to live in Southern Village and the HOA  had to approve my house plan and fence, now I have acreage and an old bungalow. I have enjoyed both enviroments for different reasons; The Southern Village parks and streetscapes were all handled for us and looked beautiful. Now I prefer more privacy and my hens provide fresh eggs daily. BTW If pets are important to you be sure to read the fine print to make sure yours are allowed. Many times the city zoning will allow them but your HOA will not. I’ve heard that 12 chickens are allowed inside the city limits but no roosters.You probably aren’t considering chickens and goats anyway but think about it before you buy.

Is there a state contract that agents and builders use for new construction as a standard practice? The answer is “no”. We as agents, have a new construction contract and addenda from the North Carolina State Bar Association which we can use but ultimately it’s the decision of the builder which contract he will accept. Many have their own company contracts that have been written by their own attorneys. Others will use the new construction contract and still some will use the standard Offer to Purchase and attach addenda. You should be able to discuss any of the contracts with your agent and of course an attorney is always recommended. I’d like to suggest two more ideas you might like; try to give your deposit in two to three increments. The dates should follow the builders construction schedule and he can tell you at the initial meeting (when the contract is signed) when to expect to write checks. The other is PLEASE hire an inspector to do a specific new construction inspection. It too will coincide with construction schedules. Usually it’s three or four inspections and the fee is well worth it. It’s very exciting to see a design on paper transform into a building process. Enjoy it!