Other victims of the recession

The recession hit hard in America as well as here in North Idaho. Not only were families affected by job loss and the resulting foreclosures of their homes, but there were other victims as well. With an inability to make house payments came other difficulties including a decrease in revenue for Home Owners' Associations. HOAs, dependent upon periodic dues from the families in their neighborhoods found themselves strapped as they struggled to maintain the areas governed by their Conditions Covenants and Restrictions (CCRs). Just as neighbors suffered, so did their neighborhoods.

As the crisis worsened and cash reserves evaporated, many HOAs found themselves fiscally unable to afford things like frequent snow removal on their private streets, weed killer for their grassy buffers and money for the labor needed to maintain these services. As the resources ran out, so did many in the neighborhood. Others were stuck with nowhere to turn since the nearby foreclosures had dragged down their property values as well, leaving many homeowners upside down on their mortgages. Some, seeing the state of the foreclosed properties, or because of a lack of income due to job loss, lost their resolve to keep their own grounds tidy. With no strong HOA to enforce maintenance and appearance, those neighborhoods began to deteriorate as well.

Now, with the worst behind us, some of these neighborhoods are once again vibrant and well maintained. Even in these recovering neighborhoods though, there may remain some animosity within the associations. In some cases, the few members of the original boards feel shunned by their newer community members. The newer residents, unfamiliar with enforcement since moving in during its absence, are resentful of the HOA's efforts to improve the neighborhood. Deeming them dictatorial they will posture and complain and eventually, many will sell their homes since they cannot - will not - succumb to this new policing. The results of this discord can still be seen in neighborhoods throughout North Idaho. Some seem unlikely to recover, while others have recovered nicely.

Not everyone likes HOAs. Some refuse to look at properties governed by CCRs while others will not seek housing in any neighborhood without them. CCRs typically address things like maintenance of yards, unlicensed vehicles parked upon member properties, heights and types of fences, number and types of pets and some even the colors of the houses and rooftops within their boundaries. Of course their intent is to maintain a desirable neighborhood to keep property values high, but resentment from members who are unfamiliar with the rules make it difficult to gain compliance.

Some independent thinkers, of which we have a plethora in North Idaho, refuse to be told what to do and will look for neighborhoods where, even though CCRs exist, they are not enforced believing that it is easier to get forgiveness than permission. It is this type of HOA member that is the bane of many HOAs trying to bring their neighborhoods back from whatever state was created by a severe recession.

Now that the real estate market is buzzing again, many new homeowners are taking possession of unkempt properties, purchased at bargain prices and restoring them to their original luster. When those same people become active beyond their own property lines and get involved in their HOAs they can help direct the levels of forgiveness and determine the level of permission that will keep their neighborhoods the way the majority want to live. The best way to avoid being a victim may very well be to become proactive in building the type of neighborhood you know yours can be within the confines of your HOAs governing documents.

Trust an expert...call a Realtor. Call your Realtor or visit www.cdarealtors.com to search properties on the Multiple Listing Service or to find a Realtor member who will represent your best interests.

Kim Cooper is a real estate broker and the spokesman for the Coeur d'Alene Association of Realtors. Kim and the association invite your feedback and input for this column. You may contact them by writing to the Coeur d'Alene Association of Realtors, 409 W. Neider, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815 or by calling (208) 667-0664.