First of all, a Homeowners Association (HOA) is an organization or community that create laws that owners of properties within their jurisdiction must follow. They also enforce those rules. Homeowners within the jurisdiction of an HOA are automatically members and don’t have an option in the matter.

Before you buy a home, your local Big Bear Realtor will tell you if the house falls into an HOA. You do have a choice before you purchase the property! No one will force you to buy a house but be sure you understand what it means to be in an HOA before buying. Let’s break down the benefits and disadvantages for you.

Con and Pro: Monthly Cost of a Big Bear HOA
There are monthly association fees involved for the homeowners but the amount ranges, depending on the HOA. If you are unaware of the annual fee, then it could come as a surprise! The fee is separate from the mortgage cost and typically, are two different organizations. As long as the home buyer is able to factor the amount into their monthly budget without going over, it doesn’t have to be a complete negative in the equation.

The perks that come along with the monthly costs could be worth the amount. The fees you pay go towards keeping up the community and (depending on the HOA) small maintenance tasks around the home or condo. Escape For All Seasons is a condo complex on Switzerland Drive in Big Bear Lake, CA. Their properties are right underneath the Snow Summit ski resort. All of their condos are in the Escape’s HOA. Their HOA takes care of small maintenance tasks for their owners. Any major repairs are taken care of by the proprietor, but it does save time and money when you can call up your HOA for some quick maintenance tasks around your condo.

Pro: Amenities and activities for Big Bear homeowners
There are often activities or amenities that come with being in an HOA. Some HOAs offer tennis courts, golf courses, playgrounds, pools, spas, and even community centers. Being in an association can be perfect for families! They are able to enjoy spending time with their loved ones and make lasting memories that they wouldn’t have had otherwise. Teaching their daughter or son how to swing a tennis racket, play golf, or how to swim for the first time are memories that will stay with a father or mother forever. Take into account what memories you will make! The return on investment might not be as important as the return on your happiness.

For sellers, keep in mind that positive emotions towards your property and the community increases the chances of the buyer purchasing your home. Amenities can help when an owner is selling because buyers see all the activities they can do without having to leave their neighborhood to do them. Easy access to amenities is a great advantage! Since every HOA is different, you will have to ask your Big Bear Realtor or call the Homeowners Association to find out what amenities come along with the property.

Pro: Big Bear Lake neighborhood Upkeep
The monthly costs can be seen as a negative, but there is a positive that comes from it! An HOA takes that money and puts it back towards the neighborhood. The amount received from the members is spent keeping up the community. A handful of examples are the swimming pools, sidewalks, and landscaping. Cleaning the pools, trimming the hedges, and repairing the sidewalks are usually included in the fees.

A member won’t have to worry about the upkeep of different amenities in the neighborhood. Not having the responsibility saves time and money in the long run. A homeowner who owns a pool will have to pay for repairs and cleaning, but HOA members don’t have those responsibilities because those are included in your fees!

What happens to your house when your next-door neighbor isn’t taking care of their property? The community’s appearance can impact the value of your home and the relationship you have with your neighbors. Being in an HOA helps you because it is one less thing to worry about! A common concern for homeowners is the curb appeal of their house and those around them. Will your neighbors clean up the pine needles or rake up all the leaves?

Thankfully, a homeowner won’t have to become anxious about these issues because of the set rules. Everyone has to keep up their property to follow the guidelines. Having an HOA board that enforces these rules lifts a lot of stress off a member’s shoulders.

Con: Restrictions for Big Bear homeowners
The main problem we hear homeowners have with being in an HOA is the fact that they don’t have free range to do as they please with their house. Not having complete control can be an issue for an owner who doesn’t believe in following limits that are placed on their property. It can be a hard realization to come to when a homeowner thinks that they own the house but still have to follow the rules of an HOA. There can be conflicts with other members and fines if the guidelines are not followed. As long as the owner agrees to the rules that the HOA has then this shouldn’t be a problem.

Pro: Everyone has the same restrictions in a Big Bear HOA
Your neighbors won’t be able to go against the restrictions either. The other houses in the neighborhood will have to follow the same rules. Homeowners are able to have peace of mind that a neighbor down the street won’t paint her or his house a neon yellow (if that color is against the rules).

Thankfully, following limits set by an HOA can stop arguments between neighbors before they even happen. Everyone knows the rules, and if they bought into the homeowners’ association, then they should be happy with the guidelines.

When you are selling a Big Bear home, being in a nice community will help improve your chances of getting a buyer. The neighborhood’s appearance gives off a better impression, drawing in more people to view your house. When a buyer drives up to a house, their first impression is key to them creating a positive or negative view of your house.

The neighbors are considered in the first impression too. Even if the house you are selling is gorgeous, it will be less likely to sell next to a rundown home. For members in an HOA, they commonly don’t have these issues because the HOA would take care of the problem and speak to the owners.

Con: Thinking of vacation renting in Big Bear Lake? There may be an issue!

In Big Bear, there are HOAs that will not allow the homes in their jurisdiction to be a vacation rental home. If a buyer is planning on making their future property a vacation home, then this can obviously be a problem! Big Bear buyers typically are trying to buy a property and put it on the rental market as an investment. Have your Big Bear Realtor check into the CC&Rs to see their rules with vacation renting (AKA transient rentals).

You should even take this a step further and confirm with the HOA president that vacation renting is accepted. Sometimes you can have outdated CC&Rs that were not updated from previous meetings, even if it was years ago, these may not reflect the current rules. There have been cases where CC&Rs said vacation renting is allowed however the HOA president denied the request due to recent board meetings voting otherwise. The CC&Rs are always updating and adjusting throughout the lifespan of an HOA.

Even if the house isn’t in an HOA, the area might not be suited to be a successful rental. Location, floor plan, amenities, and other factors need to be considered to see if it would be a good investment! Ask your local real estate agent in Big Bear about the area to see if it would make an excellent rental property.

Pro: HOAs can be a mediator for Big Bear residents
Arguments can easily happen between neighbors. An example would be if a tree needs to be cut down, but one neighbor refuses to pay for it because they say it’s on the other person’s property and it becomes a fight. Rather than hoping that the two of them work it out, they can go through the HOA.

Thankfully, not every argument needs an outside party to come in and fix the situation. Occasionally, neighbors can’t come to an agreement on what they should do. When you are in an HOA, one person can bring the incident to the management company. They will then talk it out with the mediator or board in the HOA to come to a decision on how to solve the problem.

It’s an easier way to finish a disagreement without having to go through any legal procedures. When buying a Big Bear home that falls into an HOA, double check that the house is currently complying with the rules set by the association. By checking on that, you will save yourself a lot of headaches. A past owner could have ignored the rules, leaving you to deal with the outcome. If there is a small problem that needs to be fixed, then it shouldn’t influence your choice. A big change is a different story; you may want to think twice if owning the house is in your best interest.

Every Homeowners Association is different. Don’t expect the same rules, costs, and regulations, if you are moving from one HOA jurisdiction to another. Check all the policies, restrictions, rules, and guidelines to know what your future will be like in that specific Big Bear Homeowners Association. Ask your local Big Bear Realtor if the home you are interested in falls into the jursidiction of an HOA.