When you’re shopping for a home in Lancaster County, you may come across properties that are part of a homeowners association or condominium association. These communities can offer different amenities, maintenance arrangements, rules, and costs than properties without an association. Understanding what you’re buying into before you make an offer is one of the most important steps in the process.
An HOA or condo association is not automatically a positive or negative thing. Every community is different, and Carol Lehman always recommends reviewing the specific documents for any association before moving forward.
What Is an HOA?
A homeowners association, commonly referred to as an HOA, is an organization that manages and maintains certain aspects of a residential community. Homeowners pay regular dues to the association, and the association operates according to governing documents and established rules.
Depending on the community, HOA responsibilities may include maintaining common areas, landscaping, snow removal, recreational amenities, or other shared property. The exact responsibilities vary from one association to another.
In Lancaster County, HOAs are most common in newer developments and suburban communities, particularly in areas like Manheim Township, Hempfield, and parts of Lititz and Ephrata. If you are looking at properties in older Lancaster County boroughs or rural townships, HOAs are much less common, though they do exist in some planned communities.
What Is a Condo Association?
A condominium association serves a similar purpose, but condo ownership works a little differently. With a condo, you generally own your individual unit while sharing ownership or responsibility for certain common areas and building components with other owners in the community.
Depending on the condominium, the association may handle exterior maintenance, roofs, common hallways, landscaping, snow removal, insurance for shared areas, or other services. The details vary significantly between communities, so two condominiums with similar monthly fees could have very different levels of service and responsibility.
What Do Association Fees Cover?
One of the most important things to understand before buying is what your monthly, quarterly, or annual association fee actually includes. Depending on the property, fees may contribute toward some combination of the following:
- Landscaping and lawn maintenance
- Snow and ice removal
- Exterior building maintenance
- Roof maintenance or replacement
- Common area maintenance
- Trash services
- Recreational amenities, pools, or clubhouses
- Private roads
- Exterior insurance coverage for certain condominium properties
- Reserve funds for future repairs and maintenance
Not every association provides the same services. Carol will help you understand exactly what a specific association covers before you make any decisions.
Are There Additional Costs?
Association dues are not always the only costs to consider. An association may have additional fees or special assessments for certain projects or expenses. If a community has a significant repair or improvement that is not fully covered by its existing reserve funds, owners could be responsible for a portion of that cost.
This is one reason Carol recommends reviewing the association’s financial documents and reserve fund status as part of your due diligence, not just the monthly fee amount.
What Are Association Rules?
HOAs and condominium associations typically have governing documents that establish rules for the community. These rules could address things such as exterior modifications, landscaping, fences, parking, pets, leasing or rental restrictions, holiday decorations, noise, use of common areas, and storage.
Rules vary significantly from community to community. If something is particularly important to you — having a certain type of pet, renting the property in the future, or making exterior changes down the road — it is worth reviewing the applicable rules before moving forward. Carol will flag anything in the governing documents worth paying attention to before you commit.
Every Community Is Different
There is no universal answer when it comes to HOAs and condo associations. For some buyers, having exterior maintenance or community services handled by an association is exactly what they are looking for. Others prefer the flexibility that comes with a property that has no association at all.
Lancaster County offers both. Whether you are drawn to a low-maintenance condo near Lancaster City, a newer development in Hempfield, or a rural property in Eastern Lancaster County with no association at all, Carol can help you find the right fit for your lifestyle and priorities.
If you are considering a home with an HOA or condominium association, reach out to Carol before you get too far into the process. Reviewing the documents early makes a real difference.