137 replies to this topic

[Good2bme]

We haven't had any trouble with the HOA in the year and a half that we've been here. We hear "stories" about things the HOA has done, but it's never stuff that's actually happened to the person telling the story - more "I know a person who had such and such happen...".

Regarding archery equipment, I think you'd find that it would actually be illegal to use archery equipment (or a pellet gun, for that matter) in your yard in many towns, including Folsom.

[Renroc]

We haven't had any trouble with the HOA in the year and a half that we've been here. We hear "stories" about things the HOA has done, but it's never stuff that's actually happened to the person telling the story - more "I know a person who had such and such happen...".

Regarding archery equipment, I think you'd find that it would actually be illegal to use archery equipment (or a pellet gun, for that matter) in your yard in many towns, including Folsom.

Yeah its a 2nd Amendment right for some. In our case its ceremonial for tribes. - I am thinking about joining the El Dorado Hills Bowmen. As our last archery range our family had is now the parking lot of the new Casino. May be a safe place but Im still going to keep a target in the backyard.

[Good2bme]

Just a note on the EDH Bowmen - you don't have to belong to the club to use the range. I've gone up there several times with my dad. Good fun.

[Renroc]

Just a note on the EDH Bowmen - you don't have to belong to the club to use the range. I've gone up there several times with my dad. Good fun.

Yeah I put in a few bucks every other time i go. Sometimes I pay, sometimes I dont. But its really the only GREAT thing about El Dorado Hills for us thats free for exception to the great library and the Thursday or Friday night music.

[Roy]

It is funny that HOA is supposed to protect the value of your house but Serranno houses end up with much lower price compare to Folsom.

I totally agree with OP. Currently HOA is more than $500/quarter. It keeps rising and I won't be surprised it would be $250/month in a few years. Keep in mind that you cannot claim tax deductable on HOA. Say if you plan to stay in Serrano for 10+ years, you can expect HOA average at $300/month, that equals to extra $50k loan. Considering it is not tax deductible, it equals to $70k loan. And most importantly, HOA only increase and it won't go! All you get is front yard lawn work and gate, plus some rediculous rules.

After thorough investigation, I decided to stay at Folsom. If I have to move to EDH, I will pickup Promotary which HOA is much lower.

I will avoid it as a virus. I simply don't want to pay $170/month (as of now) for front lawn mowing ($40 value) and gate ($10 at most?).

Edited by Roy, 09 March 2009 - 10:02 PM.

[palango]

After thorough investigation, I decided to stay at Folsom. If I have to move to EDH, I will pickup Promotary which HOA is much lower.

The current HOA rate (has stayed this for a few years now) is $91 a month @ Promonotory. They do have rules, BUT they don't really enforce it that much. They leave you alone. You CAN park your cark in front of your house and the HOA is NOT going to ticket you. They are waaaaaaaaaaay more relaxed than Serrano.

[mylo]

*gasp* First it's cars parked in driveways, then unauthorized ornamental grasses, what next? Marijuana plantations in the common areas?

[Orangetj]

It is funny that HOA is supposed to protect the value of your house but Serranno houses end up with much lower price compare to Folsom.

I don't have any particular love for the HOA but keep in mind that the prices of homes in EDH in general are lower than comparable homes in Folsom. This isn't Serrano specific. I don't enjoy writing the check to the HOA every quarter, although my mortgage and HOA combined still end up being less than they would have been had I purchased the identical home in the Parkway at the time we purchased our home. On top of that, our home in Serrano has a slightly larger back yard (that's not saying much, though!) and has preserved open space both directly behind and in front of the house (very, very nice). For US, it was and remains a better deal. It would be even better if the HOA dues were cut in half, though!

Based on some of the "horror stories" I hear about the HOA, I guess we must be lucky in that we've lived here for 2 years now and have had no real problems with the HOA. We've gotten the occasional "courtesy notices" about having a car parked overnight on the street when friends have visited, but we've never been fined.

All that said, Serrano is but one neighborhood in EDH. Promontory is very nice, as are several others. For that matter, so is Folsom. I feel fortunate to have lived in this area for quite a while and to have had the opportunity to experience life in several different parts of town (i.e. Sacramento, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Folsom, EDH). It all comes down to what's important to you as a buyer. One thing I've found is that there simply is no perfect neighborhood, there are only those with compromises that may or may not align with what's important to each person.

[Roy]

*gasp* First it's cars parked in driveways, then unauthorized ornamental grasses, what next? Marijuana plantations in the common areas?

Wow, most areas in Folsom do not have HOA, we will see Marijuana plantations soon in our neighbours

[Roy]

I don't have any particular love for the HOA but keep in mind that the prices of homes in EDH in general are lower than comparable homes in Folsom. This isn't Serrano specific. I don't enjoy writing the check to the HOA every quarter, although my mortgage and HOA combined still end up being less than they would have been had I purchased the identical home in the Parkway at the time we purchased our home. On top of that, our home in Serrano has a slightly larger back yard (that's not saying much, though!) and has preserved open space both directly behind and in front of the house (very, very nice). For US, it was and remains a better deal. It would be even better if the HOA dues were cut in half, though!

All you mentioned pros have NOTHING to do with HOA! They are included in the price of your House/Lot, NOT HOA!

You are right that EDH home prices are lower than Folsom but that's only after 2005. EDH used to be 20k-30k higher than similar homes in Folsom.

BTW, if I can vote, I would definitely vote to desolve HOA, or, I would ONLY pay $70 for front yard lawn maintainance and gate!

[Andrea V]

It is funny that HOA is supposed to protect the value of your house but Serranno houses end up with much lower price compare to Folsom.

I totally agree with OP. Currently HOA is more than $500/quarter. It keeps rising and I won't be surprised it would be $250/month in a few years. Keep in mind that you cannot claim tax deductable on HOA. Say if you plan to stay in Serrano for 10+ years, you can expect HOA average at $300/month, that equals to extra $50k loan. Considering it is not tax deductible, it equals to $70k loan. And most importantly, HOA only increase and it won't go! All you get is front yard lawn work and gate, plus some rediculous rules.

After thorough investigation, I decided to stay at Folsom. If I have to move to EDH, I will pickup Promotary which HOA is much lower.

I will avoid it as a virus. I simply don't want to pay $170/month (as of now) for front lawn mowing ($40 value) and gate ($10 at most?).

why would you take out a loan for HOA dues??

If you (not you specifically) can not afford the HOA's then do not live there... I think that is part of the point of those HOA's... to keep out people who "can't afford" to live there...

[palango]

The Serrano HOA is THE most strictest HOA in the USA (bar NONE). They even fought and LOST a homeowner that had a solar roof that was STATE law. They are a bunch of power hungry yuppies that have nothing better to do than to ticket for parking in front of your own fereaking house.
lastly (when I had access to the MLS last year) everytime I did a search for Foreclosed or Bankowned, or short sale homes, Serrrano OVERWHELMINGLY (by a 3:1 margin) had more distressed propertiers than anywhere in the rest of EDH and Folsom COMBINED.

All these foreclosed homes in Serrano where the owners have walked away and NOT paying the HOA, where do you think the deficit in the budget comes from??? From the EXISTING homeowners that are footing the bill to have the lawn of the foreclosed homeowners. NO DOUBT that Serrano HOA will climb to over $300 a month.

SErrano HOA has very little (IF ANY) competitive bidding process for their Security, Lanscape maitenance, etc. Just to maintain that stupid man made pond by the Visitor center, the homeowners are paying $30k a year???

I call the Serrano Homeowners THE biggest suckers on the face of the planet. You can sell a Serrano homeowner anything because they are that gullible.

[Roy]

why would you take out a loan for HOA dues??

If you (not you specifically) can not afford the HOA's then do not live there... I think that is part of the point of those HOA's... to keep out people who "can't afford" to live there...

Whether HOA is reasonble has nothing to do with the affordability for MANY peoples. If one of the point of HOA is to raise the level of affordablity, to increase the cost to scare away "poor" people and increase value of your house, then we all know this is not working at all. you pay $170/month to hire people to check the street? Wow, that's the smart way to increase your house value. But unfortunately we all know the result. ALL the Serrano home owners are underwater. Serran area house price dropped almost like those in Stockton. So what's the value HOA added?

I take out a loan for HOA to remind people that Serrano houses cost $70K more than those without HOA and apperantly this is partially reflected in current Serrano house price.

This stupid and rediculous high HOA will only keep out smart people away. I can afford it but I just won't give my money for foolishness.

[palango]

Serran area house price dropped almost like those in Stockton. So what's the value HOA added?

Great question. The whole MYTH about Serrano HOA will maintain property values has gone down the toilet because compared to other communities and other HOAs in EDH, Folsom, Serrano values have dropped massively. Terracina drive used to be flooded with $1 million homes, but now you are looking at the same homes for 500-600K (an almost 50% DROP from the 2003-2005 prices; way to go HOA).

The best thing Serrano HOA can do is to cut the HOA dues by 50%; cut the lawn service and the cannot park in front of the house crap; eliminate the HUGE list of not approved plants AND eliminate 75% o f their administrative staff, Christmas parties on the members dime, etc. They also need to do a massive bidding and transparent bidding process for any "maintenance" or outside vendors and award contracts to the most cost effective companies.

They (Serrano HOA) are a bunch of ripoffs and the homeowners that actually support them are the biggest , most gulliable bunch of yuppies on the planet.

[Andrea V]

Whether HOA is reasonble has nothing to do with the affordability for MANY peoples. If one of the point of HOA is to raise the level of affordablity, to increase the cost to scare away "poor" people and increase value of your house, then we all know this is not working at all. you pay $170/month to hire people to check the street? Wow, that's the smart way to increase your house value. But unfortunately we all know the result. ALL the Serrano home owners are underwater. Serran area house price dropped almost like those in Stockton. So what's the value HOA added?

I take out a loan for HOA to remind people that Serrano houses cost $70K more than those without HOA and apperantly this is partially reflected in current Serrano house price.

This stupid and rediculous high HOA will only keep out smart people away. I can afford it but I just won't give my money for foolishness.

I do not think the HOA ruined the neighborhood... it was the losers who though "hey *I* can live there now too... with my ARM loan, I'll go from an apartment to a house... then I'll get mad that the HOA enforces the rules that *I* signed up for, and was aware of... then as I am losing my house, I won't pay the HOA, and I'll trash the house... cos who cares.... I'm just walking away from it anyway."

The HOA was there BEFORE the market sucked... and that place was cool, and pretty... then the ARM losers came and ruined a LOT of neighborhoods! Even MY neighborhood had a lot of BANK OWNED messed up houses that were not distressed before them.