When an HOA is Not OK

For Some Home Buyers, a Homeowner’s Association is a Deal Breaker

Depending on your point of view, a homeowner’s association is either a force for good, protecting property values and providing desirable amenities and services (see this survey here), or a meddling overlord, intent on infringing on your rights to do what you please with the property you rightfully own. Ideally, a good homeowner’s association can maintain a tidy, desirable community without resorting to overzealous policing, but it is, to be sure, a difficult balancing act.

Here in northeast Florida, and especially in St. Johns County, homeowner’s associations are more the norm than the exception. This is especially true in the newer communities like Nocatee, Shearwater, Twin Creeks, etc. But for home buyers who would prefer to have a little more autonomy with regard to what they do on/with their property, there are still plenty of options in and around Jacksonville.

Here are just three to start with:

543,992 Listings

$408,990 3 beds  2 baths  1,386 sqft 477 CHERRY ELM Drive
St. Augustine, FL 32092

IDX

$369,900 2 beds  2 baths  1,581 sqft 156 MOONLITE Drive
Welaka, FL 32193

IDX

$405,000 2 beds  2 baths  1,521 sqft 4232 GENOA Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32210

IDX

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IDX MLS IDX Listing Disclosure © 2025

Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Sometimes, there are tradeoffs when choosing a community without a homeowner’s association, such as a lack of amenities, and perhaps a lack of consistency in how yards and homes are maintained and used. But for those that are willing and able to “go it alone,” so to speak, a community with no HOA can be a good fit.

If you’re interested in finding a home in a community without an HOA here in northeast Florida, get in touch with us today. We can show you quite a few more options that may meet your wants and needs.