I never liked people telling me what I could or couldn’t do. I can’t imagine any benefit to living in an HOA-burdened home. My sister pays $800 a month for her townhome in Asheville. I think she’s nuts. Where we live the community pool, weight room, and exercise classes are free for seniors. My house was built in the 1940s with many upgrades since including A/C and vinyl windows. It’s brick with a slate roof that will last longer than we will, so our maintenance costs are low. We pay a kid $25 a week to mow the lawn in summer. I grow flowers and vegetables. There are local ordinances that prevent neighbors from junking up their lots with rubbish. An HOA in my situation would be nothing but grief.