We rented for a year in a town sized HOA that had pools, playgrounds, pools, and other ammenities. A seemingly very nice area in one of the top median income c

We rented for a year in a town sized HOA that had pools, playgrounds, pools, and other ammenities. A seemingly very nice area in one of the top median income counties in the country. They ran a contest to see who had the most amazing yard. The first, second, and third place finishers all ended up with massive fines, and had to tear out tens of thousands of dollars worth of landscaping. It turns out that their wonderful yards had not complied with every policy and procedure of the HOA. We purposely have bought in non HOA areas now and almost every year hear horror stories from co-workers and friends that confirm our choice. Incidentally, when we moved out of the rental and bought our non HOA house, our car insurance dropped substantially. The crime in the HOA town was much higher.