Can A Homeowners Association Take Your House ?

Definition of "Can a homeowners association take your house ?"

Angelica Vazquez real estate agent

Written by

Angelica Vazquezelite badge icon

Ez Choice Realty

Falling behind on your payments is a significant issue for many homeowners. Not every unpaid bill leads to foreclosure, especially if there is no lien on your house. If you have a mortgage on your home, that is usually your first lien, but did you know that a Homeowners association (HOA) can put a lien on your house too? So what happens if you don’t pay your fees to the HOA? Can they take your home? Let’s find out!

The short answer is, yes. The Homeowners association can take your house if you miss your payments and there is a lien on your home. An HOA can foreclose its lien if the conditions, covenants, and restrictions (CC&Rs) allow it to do so, and they typically do. The fees owed to the HOA usually cover several services such as insurance, lawn care, pest control, amenities, maintenance, and many others. If you check the HOA’s rules and regulations, you can become familiar with HOA fees and know what kind of services to expect your monthly dues to cover.

Typically, if you miss one payment, you will be notified by the HOA that you have an outstanding debt. It is most likely that they will make you aware of missed payment consequences, such as being charged interest until you pay or incur a late fee. If you remain delinquent or fail to make payments regularly, they might warn you of legal actions that will be taken against you. But how much power does an HOA have? Can they go as far as to foreclose and take your home?

They definitely can process a foreclose and take your home. When can they take your house, or how far can you go without paying your bills? That depends on the state regulations. Some states have more restrictions as to when an HOA can initiate a foreclosure. In contrast, others don’t have any restrictions, and the homeowners association can foreclose on a home for as much as a few hundred dollars. Do check with your local real estate agents if you want to learn more about HOA’s near you.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Questions

Popular Real Estate Glossary Terms

Note having more than one maker, if one or more of the makers default on the note, all makers are sued jointly, rather than just one or all, to make restitution ...

Also called an installment sales contract or contract foe feed. A type of creative financing in real estate allowing the seller to finance a buyer by allowing him or her to make a down ...

Depressed or raised framed in portion of a wall, ceiling, or door. A panel board pattern is decorative and gives the effect of a series of highlighted squares or rectangular pieces. ...

Right of a current stockholder to maintain the percentage ownership in a real estate company by purchasing new shares on a proportionate basis before they are issued to the public. It ...

Inverted gable roof design where the two side slope upward from the center to the eaves with a valley in the middle. The roof resembles the wings of a butterfly, hence, the name. ...

The definition of front foot is a person or an entity that has an advantage or has the initiative. It could also be used to suggest that someone is taking an offensive position. Based on ...

The adjudication definition is a legal ruling or judgment used in the justice system when a case is settled or finalized. To define adjudication, we must look at the justice system and how ...

Emotional value of property to the particular person. An example is an owner of a house who is attached to it because his deceased parents lived there. ...

The landing at the bottom and/or top of a stair case providing support for the structure. ...