Is Living in an HOA Right for You? Take This Quiz to Find Out!
Inner Circle • March 19, 2025
If you’re thinking about moving, you might want to dedicate some of that thought to how you feel about buying a place in a homeowners’ association (HOA). They’re becoming more and more common, so there’s a good chance the house of your dreams may be smack dab in the middle of one.
Love them or hate them, HOAs come with rules, fees, and a unique lifestyle that isn’t for everyone.
Take this quiz to see if HOA living is your perfect match or a recipe for frustration!
The Rules:
For each question, pick the answer that best describes you and note the point value. At the end, total up your score and check your results!
1) How do you feel about uniformity in a neighborhood?
- I love it! Matching mailboxes and identical landscaping bring me peace. (+10)
- I don’t care what my neighbors do. (Within reason, of course…) (+5)
- I’m considering a pink front door and a flock of yard flamingos. (+1)
2) How do you feel about paying HOA maintenance fees?
- It’s worth every penny to not have to do yard work. (+10)
- I don’t love the extra cost, but I’ll enjoy having less to worry about. (+5)
- I can either do things myself, or hire someone to do it for less money. (+1)
3) Your neighbor’s holiday lights are still up (but not lit) in June. How do you react?
- Wouldn’t happen. I’d have the HOA on speed dial and call on January 1st. (+10)
- As long as they’re not being lit, I’ll survive. (+5)
- Sounds like my kind of people! (+1)
4) You want to put up a basketball hoop in your driveway. What do you do?
- Check the rules and get written approval before even buying a basketball. (+10)
- Put it up and deal with the HOA if they say something. (+5)
- Install it and paint a three-point line on the street while I’m at it. (+1)
5) Your HOA sends you a violation notice because your trash cans were left out an hour too long. Your response?
- Apologize and pay a fine, even if they didn’t fine you. Rules are rules. (+10)
- Grumble but move them and appreciate the fact that they didn’t fine me. (+5)
- Throw some leftover fish in the can and leave them out longer out of spite. (+1)
6) How do you feel about community events, like chili cook-offs and movie nights?
- Can we make it a weekly event?! (+10)
- Might go, might not. Depends on my mood. (+5)
- Hard pass. I barely want to see them walking out to their car in the morning. (+1)
7) What’s your ideal approach to home improvement?
- Submit plans to the HOA, wait for approval, then proceed carefully. (+10)
- If it’s outside, I’ll check the rules first. Inside is none of their business. (+5)
- I barely want to file permits with the building department in town. (+1)
8) You have too much junk in your garage and want to park your car in the street overnight. Thoughts?
- Garages are for cars, not junk. Would never be an issue for me. (+10)
- It’s just for a night or two, so I’ll just do it and hope I don’t get fined. (+5)
- They’re lucky I don’t just park it on my front lawn. (+1)
9) How do you feel about security patrols and gated entrances?
- Love it! It keeps me and all of my neighbors safe. (+10)
- It’s fine, but I don’t need it. I could just get a security system installed. (+5)
- My friends shouldn’t need a background check to visit me. (+1)
10) How do you feel about neighborhood meetings?
- I’ll attend every one and take detailed notes. (+10)
- If I have time, I’ll go. If not, oh well. (+5)
- I avoid them at all costs. I’m probably a topic on their agenda. (+1)
Your Results:
80-100 points:
You were born for HOA life! You love structure, rules, and well-maintained neighborhoods. Enjoy your perfectly manicured community and don’t forget to remind your neighbor that their lawn is exactly 0.2 inches too long.
40-79 points:
You could live in an HOA, but it wouldn’t be your dream. Some rules make sense, but others might test your patience. As long as the benefits outweigh the annoyances, you’ll survive.
10-39 points:
You and an HOA would mix about as well as oil and water. The idea of asking permission to paint your shutters makes your skin crawl, and you’d rather be fined than conform. A neighborhood with no HOA (or an underground resistance movement) is more your speed.
Share this post
Thinking About Renting Your House Instead of Selling? Read This First. If your house is on the market but you haven’t gotten any offers you’re comfortable with, you may be wondering: what do I do if it doesn’t sell? And for a growing number of homeowners, that’s turning into a new dilemma: should I just rent it instead? There’s a term for this in the industry, and it’s called an accidental landlord . Here’s how Yahoo Finance defines it: “These ‘accidental landlords’ are homeowners who tried to sell but couldn’t fetch the price they wanted — and instead have decided to rent out their homes until conditions improve.” Why This Is Happening More Often Right Now And right now, the number of homeowners turning into accidental landlords is rising. Business Insider explains why: “While there have always been accidental landlords . . . an era of middling home sales brought on by a steep rise in borrowing rates — is minting a new wave of reluctant rental owners." Basically, sales have slowed down as buyers struggle with today’s affordability challenges. And that’s leaving some homeowners with listings that sit and go stale. And if they don't want to drop their price to try to appeal to buyers, they may rent instead. But here’s the thing you need to remember if renting your house has crossed your mind. Becoming a landlord wasn’t your original plan, and there’s probably a reason for that. It comes with a lot more responsibility (and risk) than most people expect. So, if you find yourself toying with that option, ask yourself these questions first: 1. Does Your House Have Potential as a Profitable Rental? Just because you can rent it doesn’t mean you should. For example: Are you moving out of state? Managing maintenance from far away isn’t easy. Does the home need repairs before it’s rental-ready? And do you have the time or the funds for that? Is your neighborhood one that typically attracts renters, and would your house be profitable as one? If any of those give you pause, it’s a sign selling might be the better move. 2. Are You Ready To Be a Landlord? On paper, renting sounds like easy passive income. In reality, it often looks more like this: Midnight calls about clogged toilets or broken air conditioners Chasing down missed rent payments Damage you’ll have to fix between tenants As Redfin notes: “Landlords have to fix things like broken pipes, defunct HVAC systems, and structural damage, among other essential repairs. If you don’t have a few thousand dollars on hand to take care of these repairs, you could end up in a bind.” 3. Have You Thought Through the True Costs? According to Bankrate, here are just a few of the hidden costs that come with renting out your home: A higher insurance premium (landlord insurance typically costs about 25% more) Management fees (if you use a property manager, they typically charge around 10% of the rent) Maintenance and advertising to find tenants Gaps between tenants, where you cover the mortgage without rental income coming in All of that adds up, fast. While renting can be a smart move for the right person with the right house, if you’re only considering it because your listing didn’t get traction, there may be a better solution: talking to your current agent and revisiting the pricing strategy on your house first. With their advice you can rework your strategy, relaunch at the right price, and attract real buyers to make the sale happen. Bottom Line Before you decide to rent your house, make sure to carefully weigh the pros and cons of becoming a landlord. For some homeowners, the hassle (and the expense) may not be worth it.
Condos Could Be a Win for Today’s Buyers Not every homebuyer wants the biggest house on the block. Some want something simpler, more affordable, and easier to maintain, especially in a market where every dollar counts. That’s where condos come in. For first-time buyers, they can be a smart way to get into homeownership without stretching your budget. For downsizers, they offer less space to maintain with the flexibility to stay in a great location. And right now, condos are one of the most buyer-friendly parts of the market. Condo Inventory Is Up, And That Means More Choice According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), there are 194,000 condos for sale right now. That’s the second highest amount we’ve seen in the last three years (see graph below): Just remember, this is the national figure. The exact number is going to vary based on where you’re looking to buy. But, generally speaking, you have more options and less competition. You’re not stuck waiting for something to pop up or rushing into an offer just to beat someone else to it. You’ve got plenty to choose from. And if you’re particular about layout, location, or amenities, this is your chance to be selective. That’s a big shift from the market frenzy of just a few years ago. Compared to early 2022, we’ve got nearly double the condos available now. That gives you more breathing room to find the right fit. Prices Are Cooling, and Buyers Hold More Negotiating Power And since there are more for sale, many sellers are more open to negotiating right now. So, you may be able to get a better price. As Redfin explains: “. . . condo buyers in many cities may be able to find sellers who are willing to give concessions and/or sell for less than their asking price.” Condo prices are starting to ease in many markets. According to Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), condo prices dipped 1.3% in June compared to last year. And over half of the top 100 U.S. metros saw condo prices drop slightly year-over-year. Data from Redfin shows what the recent dip in prices looks like (see graph below): That doesn’t just help with affordability, it also shifts the power dynamic. Condo buyers in many markets are now in a position to negotiate on price and ask for concessions, like help with closing costs. Bottom Line Condos aren’t just a fallback option. In today’s market, they’re one of the most strategic ways to buy. With more options, softening prices, and more room to negotiate, now could be the right time to make your move. Could a condo check more boxes than you expected? Let’s talk through your options and find out.
More Contracts Are Falling Through. Here’s How To Get Ahead. When you sell a house , the last thing you want is for the deal to fall apart right before closing. But according to the latest data from Redfin, that’s happening a bit more often lately. The good news is, it’s completely avoidable if you lean on an agent for insight into why that is and how to avoid it happening to you. This June, 15% of pending home sales fell through . That means those buyers backed out of their contracts. That’s not too much higher than the norm of roughly 12% from 2017-2019, but it’s still an increase. And it’s one you don’t want to have to deal with. The key to avoiding this headache is knowing what’s causing the issues that lead to a buyer walking away. A recent survey from John Burns Research and Consulting (JBREC) and Keeping Current Matters (KCM) finds that agents reported the #1 reason deals are falling apart today is stemming from the home inspection (see graph below): Here’s why. With high prices and mortgage rates stretching buyers’ budgets, they don’t have a lot of room (or appetite) for unexpected repairs. Not to mention, buyers have more options to choose from now that there are more homes on the market. So, if the inspection turns up a major issue, they may opt to walk away. Afterall, there are plenty of other homes they could buy instead. Or, if the seller isn’t willing to tackle repairs , a buyer may back out because they don’t want the expense (and the hassle) of dealing with those issues themselves. The good news is, there’s a way you can get ahead of any unpleasant surprises as a seller, and that’s getting a pre-listing inspection. It’s not required, but the National Association of Realtors (NAR) explains why it’s helpful right now: “To keep deals from unraveling . . . it allows a seller the opportunity to address any repairs before the For Sale sign even goes up. It also can help avoid surprises like a costly plumbing problem, a failing roof or an outdated electrical panel that could cause financially stretched buyers to bolt before closing .” What’s a Pre-Listing Inspection? It's exactly what it sounds like: a professional home inspection you schedule before your home hits the market. Here’s what it can do for you: Give you time to fix what matters . You’ll know what issues could come up in the buyer’s inspection. So, you’ll have time to take care of them before anyone even walks through the door. Avoid last-minute renegotiations . When buyers uncover unexpected issues after you’re under contract, it opens the door for concessions you may have to make like price drops or repairs, or worse, a canceled deal. A pre-listing inspection helps you stay ahead of those things before they become deal breakers. Show buyers you’re serious . When your home is clean, well-maintained, and already vetted, buyers see that. It builds trust and can help you sell faster with fewer back-and-forth negotiations. The bottom line? A few hundred dollars upfront can save you thousands later. Should Every Seller Do This? Not necessarily. Your real estate agent can help you decide what makes the most sense for your situation, your house, and your market. If you decide to move forward with a pre-listing inspection, your agent will guide you every step of the way. They’ll: Advise on whether to fix or disclose each issue Help you prioritize repairs based on what buyers in your area care about Make sure you understand your local disclosure laws Bottom Line If you want to avoid potential snags in your deal, a pre-listing inspection could be the way to go. Let’s talk about whether a pre-listing inspection is the right move for your house and market. Would you rather find out about a major repair now, when you can handle it on your terms – or after you’re under contract, when the clock is ticking?
