from Home Buyers FAQ on www.yourvalleyproperty.com
What can you tell me about various communities, what each one offers, and what is allowed by the HOA? They all look the same to me.
You’d be surprised at how different the Valley’s communities can be. Some offer fantastic common areas and green spaces. Others are very basic.
Some are incorporated and others are not. This is important to know by the way, an unincorporated neighborhood (sometimes called a county island) does not enjoy the same city amenities as the surrounding communities. Police, Fire, Trash Pick-up, Water and Waste Disposal are all contracted or private services. This may be at an additional charge. You will need to weigh the price of private services against city taxes to help determine if an unincorporated area is for you.
I can safely say that the majority of areas in the Greater Phoenix Valley have HOAs. You may view this as a positive or a negative. You might think an HOA will infringe on your personal rights, in which case I would suggest we set your home search up to include only non-hoa communities. My personal opinion is that the HOA doesn’t bother me so much as it makes my neighbors behave.
Amenities offered in each neighborhood vary greatly and HOA fees are all over the map. Some communities have pools and recreational facilities, there are many with golf courses, some offer front yard landscaping as part of your paid-fee service. Some are gated and others are not.
I am determined that you encounter NO surprises. I always make sure you have your CC&R’s in hand well before the time of closing and I will ask that you please read them.
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