Then your caviling about condos is wrongheaded, because you can actually own them (and townhouses) outright. The “rent-like fees” are often for maintenance costs for shared infrastructure in complexes.

Do you even know what you’re complaining about?

Also missing is that many (especially new) SFH developments have HOA's that can be nearly as restrictive and heavy handed as some condo boards.

When buying real estate there is plenty of documentation explaining exactly what you are owning and what you don't. If you don't find the price fits the description of what you're buying, you aren't in any obligation to follow through until a mutual deal has been made.

Yeah, I don’t agree that you truly own your home in an HOA when they tell you that you can’t paint your house a particular color, etc.

And you can't do whatever you'd like to the sidewalk in front of your SFH. In fact, you can't even do plenty on your property without getting permits from the city. So perhaps the practical distinction is merely a difference in degrees.

https://web.archive.org/web/20071012030337/http://www.dallas...

https://www.cyburbia.org/forums/threads/restricting-paint-co...