Is this HOA fee worth it?
A pool and a clubhouse don't always justify $350/mo.
Example situation
“New construction community has a $285/mo HOA. Amenities: pool, clubhouse, fitness center, gated entry, and lawn maintenance. There's also a $180/mo CDD on top of it. So total additional monthly is $465. My buyer's budget is tight at $2,800/mo PITI. Adding $465 pushes them to $3,265. They love the community but I'm worried they're house-poor.”
Judgment —
At $465/mo in fees on a tight budget, this community is pricing your buyer out of comfort.
Reality —
Your buyer's all-in monthly goes from $2,800 to $3,265 — that's a 17% increase that doesn't buy square footage or equity. The HOA at $285/mo covers real amenities, but lawn maintenance alone is worth maybe $100/mo if they did it privately. The pool and clubhouse sound great until you realize most homeowners use them 4 months a year. The CDD at $180/mo is a non-negotiable infrastructure bond that never goes away — it's functionally a permanent tax increase.
Cost —
HOA + CDD = $465/mo = $5,580/yr = $55,800 over 10 years. That's a second car payment. HOA fees also typically increase 3-5% annually in new communities as the developer hands off to homeowners. In 5 years, that $285 HOA could be $340+. Your buyer needs to budget for the fee they'll be paying in year 5, not the fee on the sales sheet today.
Move:
Pull the HOA budget and reserves. If reserves are under-funded (common in new communities still under developer control), fees will spike when the HOA transitions. Show your buyer the 5-year projected cost: $465 today → likely $520+ in year 5. If their budget can't absorb that, look at communities with lower fees or no CDD.
Real OneShot output — 1 input, 1 answer, no comfort