“Oh. you’re moving into the neighborhood? I don’t really want to interfere with your attempt to lease or buy a home in this HOA. But I work for the government. And it’s my job to make sure the landlord didn’t make any misrepresentations to you when he agreed to lease or sell his home to you.
“For example, did the owner tell you whether the ratio of HOMEOWNERS to TENANTS was out of whack here? Since renters have a reputation for not properly maintaining their homes, FHA loans and company reimbursements may not be available to anyone in the neighborhood.
“And did the landlord tell you that several people own multiple properties in this HOA? He didn’t? Mortgage companies don’t like to hear that, because if the owner defaults, he may do so on more than one property at a time. So this whole neighborhood could be redlined. You didn’t know that either?
“Ah, and one final thing. Did the landlord tell you that you, the tenant, could be hit up for special dues and assessments if the HOA’s kitty is underfunded? Yes, Real Estate law requires buyers and renters be informed about all possible defects before a contract of any kind is signed.
“Oh! You don’t want to live here after all? We hope we weren’t the ones who scared you off. By the way, don’t tell the landlord we had this chat. Bye bye.”
Ward Lucas
Author of
Neighbors At War: The Creepy Case Against Your Homeowners Association
