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.
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Home Projects That Boost Value Whether you’re planning to move soon or not, it’s smart to be strategic about which home projects you take on. Your time, energy, and money matter – and not all upgrades offer the payoff you might expect. As U.S. News Real Estate explains: ". . . not every home renovation project will increase the resale value of a home. Before you invest in a swimming pool or new addition, you should consider whether the project will pay itself off by getting prospective buyers in the door when it’s time to sell. " That’s why, before you pick up a power tool or call a contractor, your first step should be talking to a local agent. Planning Ahead Pays Off If you plan to move relatively soon, you’ll want to get a jump start on your to-do list. And even if moving isn’t on your radar yet, life can change quickly – and a new job, a growing family, or shifting priorities can fast-track your plans. You don’t want to be scrambling to fix up your home if your timeline changes. Smart updates now = fewer headaches later. By planning ahead, you can spread out the work over time, which is easier on your wallet and your stress levels. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy the upgrades while you’re still living there and have the peace of mind your house is ready to impress when it's time to list. What Buyers Want (and What’s Actually Worth Doing) If you’re not sure which projects are worth your time and money – here's some information that can help. A study from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows which upgrades typically offer the best return on your investment (ROI) (see graph below): If an update you're already thinking about overlaps with those high-ROI upgrades, great. Odds are it'll improve your quality of life now and your home’s value later. But don’t take this list as law. This is based on national data and is the sort of thing that's going to vary based on what’s most sought-after where you live. That’s where your agent comes in. As an article from Ramsey Solutions says: “ The best way to gauge what you can expect in terms of resale value on home improvements—especially if you’re planning to sell soon—is to talk to a real estate agent who is an expert in your market. They’re sure to know the local trends, and they can show you how other homes with the features you want to add are selling. That way, you can make an educated decision before you start ordering lumber and knocking down walls.” You'll just want to make sure you don't overdo it. Too many high-end updates can make your home the priciest in the neighborhood. That might sound great, but it can actually turn buyers away if it's outside their expected price range for the area. The right agent will help you make smart updates that buyers will love, without going overboard. Whether the project is big or small, it pays to be strategic. And an agent is a key piece of that strategy. Bottom Line It doesn’t matter whether you plan to move soon or not, it can still pay off to make strategic updates that’ll help you love your home now and stand out later. What’s one upgrade you’ve been thinking about – and wondering if it’s worth it? Let’s make sure it’ll pay off when the time comes.
Once your offer is accepted, an inspector will assess the condition of the house, including things like the roof, foundation, plumbing, and more. That information is incredibly important and paves the way for you to re-negotiate with the seller, as needed. So, you don’t want to skip this step. An inspection is your chance to avoid costly headaches and get peace of mind. Let’s connect to talk about other ways to make your offer stand out.
Housing Market Forecasts for the Second Half of the Year From rising home prices to mortgage rate swings, the housing market has left a lot of people wondering what’s next – and whether now is really the right time to move. There is one place you can turn to for answers you want the most. And that’s the experts. Leading housing experts are starting to release their projections for the rest of the year. These insights will give you clarity – and a little more optimism than you might expect. Business Insider sums up the forecasts (and why they’re good news for you): “As mortgage rates go down this year, affordability may improve slightly for homebuyers. Inventory is also expected to grow, which should help moderate price growth and make finding a home easier.” Let’s break it down. 1. Mortgage Rates Should Come Down (Slightly) While a major drop isn’t on the table, forecasters are calling for a modest decline in rates in the months ahead as the economic outlook becomes more certain. Based on the information we have right now, here’s a look at where they say rates should be by year-end (see graph below): Even this slight decrease is a welcome change. A seemingly small decline can still help bring down your future mortgage payment and give you a bit more breathing room in your budget. Just remember, everything from inflation to employment and broader economic shifts will have an impact on where rates go from here. So, don’t try to time the market. And do expect some volatility along the way. 2. Inventory Will Continue To Grow Inventory has already improved a lot this year. A big portion of the growth the market has already seen is because homeowners are getting tired of sitting on the sidelines. They’ve tried the wait and see approach with rates, and it hasn’t really paid off. And at a certain point, you need to move no matter what the market is doing. This is one reason more homes have been listed lately. And experts say that should continue. As Lance Lambert, Co-founder of ResiClub, says: “The fact that inventory is rising year-over-year . . . strongly suggests that national active housing inventory for sale is likely to end the year higher. ” If rate forecasts pan out as the experts say, that could be enough to tip some more sellers off the fence and back into the market – giving you even more options for your move. 3. Home Prices Are Moderating As more homes hit the market, there will also be less upward pressure on home prices . Expert forecasts are still calling for growth, but the pace of that growth is slowing down as inventory climbs. The average of all 7 forecasts shows prices will rise about 2% this year (see graph below): That means you could finally get a little bit of relief from rapidly rising home prices . When you combine the forecast for healthier price growth with projections for slightly lower mortgage rates, that could mean more buying power in the months ahead. Keep in mind, though, the housing market is hyper-local. So, this is going to vary by area. Some markets will see prices climbing higher. And some may even see prices dip a little if inventory is up significantly in that location. So, lean on a local agent for insights into what’s happening in your area. Bottom Line So, if you want or need to move this year, know that the experts say things should start looking up. Let’s connect so you can take advantage of any market shifts that work in your favor.
