HOAs in Puyallup: How Common They Are and What They Cost

Ask ten homeowners about their association and you will hear ten opinions, some of them loud. I try to keep it practical. An association is a set of costs and a set of rules. If you know both before you buy, you can decide whether they suit you.

Here is how common they are around Puyallup, what the dues pay for, what the rules usually cover, and what Washington law gives you as a buyer.

How common they are

It depends almost entirely on when the neighborhood was built.

So if you are shopping newer homes on South Hill, the east side, or in new construction, expect one. If you want no association, look at older neighborhoods and rural parcels.

Why newer neighborhoods have them

When a developer builds a subdivision, the county or city usually requires stormwater ponds, open space tracts, landscaping, and sometimes private roads or parks. Someone has to own and maintain those forever. The developer creates an association to do it and records covenants that bind every lot.

That is why you cannot simply opt out. The obligation runs with the land.

What the dues cover

This is what determines the amount.

Basic subdivision association

• Entry monument and common landscaping
• Stormwater pond maintenance
• Open space and greenbelt upkeep
• Liability insurance on common areas
• Management or bookkeeping

Dues for these are typically modest and may be billed annually or quarterly.

Association with amenities

Everything above, plus some of:

• Neighborhood parks and playgrounds
• Trails
• Private streets, sidewalks, and streetlights
• A gate
• A clubhouse or pool

Dues rise with each amenity.

Townhome association

Often adds:

• Exterior maintenance, including roofs, siding, and paint
• Front yard landscaping
• Sometimes water, sewer, or garbage

Condominium association

Usually the highest, because it covers the building:

• Structure, roof, and exterior
• Master insurance policy
• Common area utilities
• Elevators, hallways, parking areas
• Reserves for major replacements
• Sometimes water, sewer, garbage, or other utilities

Because dues change yearly and vary so widely, I will not print amounts. The listing states the current dues, and the association's budget shows what they pay for. As a rough ladder: basic subdivision dues are the lowest, amenity-rich communities are in the middle, and condos are highest.

Compare the total, not the dues

A higher fee is not automatically worse. A condo fee that includes building insurance, exterior maintenance, water, sewer, and garbage replaces bills a single-family owner pays separately.

When you compare two homes, add up for each:

1. Mortgage principal and interest
2. Property tax
3. Insurance you must carry yourself
4. Association dues
5. Utilities not covered by the dues
6. A realistic maintenance set-aside

Then compare the totals.

Lenders count dues in your debt-to-income ratio, so they also reduce how much you can borrow.

The rules

The dues are easy to see. The rules are where people get surprised. They live in the covenants, conditions, and restrictions, usually called CC&Rs, plus any rules and design guidelines adopted by the board.

Common subjects:

None of these is unreasonable on its face. The question is whether they fit how you live. If you own a boat, drive a work truck home, keep chickens, or plan to rent the house out someday, read the document before you make an offer.

Your rights as a buyer in Washington

State law protects buyers in common interest communities. Under RCW 64.90.640, a seller must give the buyer a resale certificate prepared by the association.

The certificate must include, among other things:

• Current assessments and any that are past due
• Special assessments that have been levied
• Anticipated repair or replacement costs above a set share of the budget
• The status of the reserve study
• Financial statements and the current budget
• Pending lawsuits and unsatisfied judgments
• Insurance coverage
• Any notices of violations against the unit
• Rental and occupancy restrictions
• Copies of the governing documents, rules, and recent meeting minutes

The statute also covers timing and cost. The association must provide the certificate within ten days of an owner's request, and the law caps what can be charged for preparing it.

Your review period. If you receive the certificate only shortly before or after you sign a purchase agreement, the law gives you a short window, measured in business days, to cancel. Check the statute or ask your broker how the dates apply to your contract.

This is a summary, not legal advice. For a specific situation, consult an attorney.

How to read the documents

It is a thick packet. Go in this order.

1. Rental, parking, pet, and fence rules. These affect daily life the most.
2. The budget. Is income covering expenses? Are dues rising every year?
3. The reserve study. This estimates the cost of future replacements and whether the association is saving enough. A poorly funded reserve means special assessments later. If no current study exists, the certificate must say so.
4. Meeting minutes. The best view of what is really going on: disputes, deferred projects, planned increases.
5. Special assessments. Any that are levied or under discussion.
6. Litigation. Lawsuits can affect financing and resale.
7. Insurance. What the master policy covers and what you must insure yourself.
8. Delinquencies. A high share of owners behind on dues is a warning sign.

For a condo, the reserve study, insurance, and litigation sections deserve the most time. For a basic subdivision, the rules and the pond maintenance budget usually matter most.

Special assessments

A special assessment is a charge on top of regular dues to pay for something the budget and reserves cannot cover: a roof, repaving, a lawsuit, storm damage.

They are most significant in condos and townhomes, where the association owns expensive components. Ask directly:

• Have there been any in the past five years?
• Are any being discussed?
• When were the roofs, siding, and paving last done?

If one has been approved before closing, your contract should address who pays it.

What happens if you do not pay or do not comply

Associations have real enforcement power.

• Unpaid dues accrue late fees and interest and become a lien on the property. In serious cases, associations can foreclose.
• Rule violations lead to notices, hearings, and fines.
• Unapproved changes may have to be removed at your expense.

Washington law gives owners notice and hearing rights. The practical advice is simple: pay on time, and get written approval before you build or change anything.

Master-planned communities

Large communities can have two layers: a master association for the whole development and a sub-association for your specific neighborhood. That can mean two sets of dues and two sets of rules.

Sunrise on South Hill, for example, has a master association. Ask whether a home sits under more than one association and get documents from each.

Benefits people undervalue

Associations get a bad reputation, but they do useful work.

• Common areas and ponds are maintained without relying on the county
• Standards keep neighboring properties from falling into disrepair
• Amenities such as parks and trails are close to home
• In condos and many townhomes, exterior maintenance is handled for you
• A functioning board gives neighbors a way to resolve problems

Owners who want low maintenance and consistency often prefer them.

Frustrations people underestimate

• Dues go up over time
• Rules limit personal choices
• Approval processes take time
• Boards are volunteers and vary in quality
• Enforcement can feel uneven
• A poorly run association can hurt financing and resale

Owners who want freedom to do as they please on their own land often do better without one.

Finding homes with no association

If you want none, focus your search.

• Set a maximum year built around the early 1980s.
• Look downtown, in the older valley neighborhoods, and on lower South Hill.
• Look at rural parcels and acreage.
• Use the dues field in a listing search, and ask a broker to filter for no association.
• Check the title report. Old covenants can exist even without an active association, and they can still restrict use.

That last point matters. A neighborhood from the 1970s may have recorded restrictions on fences, outbuildings, or animals that nobody enforces today. They are still on title.

Condos and financing

Lenders review the condo project as well as the borrower. Things that can cause trouble:

• A high share of units that are rented
• Many owners behind on dues
• Pending litigation
• Inadequate insurance or reserves

Certain loan types also require the project to be approved. Ask your lender to check early so you do not get attached to a unit you cannot finance.

If you want to change the rules

Owners are not powerless. Covenants and rules can be amended, usually by a vote of the membership at a threshold set in the governing documents, and boards are elected by owners.

If you buy into an association, go to the annual meeting. Read the budget when it arrives. Vote. If the board needs members, consider serving a term. Associations are run by whoever shows up, and a few engaged owners make a large difference in how well the place is managed and how reasonable the rules stay.

It is also worth knowing that Washington has been consolidating its laws on condominiums and homeowner associations under a single statute, with older communities being phased in. If you are buying in an older association, ask the manager which law currently governs it, since owner rights and board duties come from there.

Questions to ask before you offer

1. How much are the dues and how often are they billed?
2. What do they cover?
3. How much have they increased in each of the last three years?
4. Is there a current reserve study, and how well funded are the reserves?
5. Any special assessments, current or planned?
6. Any litigation?
7. What are the rules on parking, fences, pets, and rentals?
8. Is there more than one association?
9. Who manages it, and how do I reach them?

Frequently asked questions

Do most homes in Puyallup have an HOA?

Homes in subdivisions built since the late 1980s usually do, and all condos and most townhomes do. Older neighborhoods downtown and on lower South Hill usually do not.

How much are HOA fees in Puyallup?

They vary widely. Basic subdivision associations charge modest dues for common area and stormwater pond upkeep. Communities with amenities charge more, and condos typically charge the most because dues cover the building. Check the listing and the association's budget.

Can I find a newer home in Puyallup without an HOA?

It is uncommon. Most newer subdivisions have one. Homes without associations are mostly in older neighborhoods and on rural parcels.

What is an HOA resale certificate in Washington?

It is a packet the association prepares for a sale, including dues, special assessments, financial statements, the reserve study status, rules, and governing documents. State law requires the seller to provide it to the buyer.

Can an HOA in Washington stop me from renting out my house?

Many associations cap or restrict rentals in their governing documents. Read the rental provisions in the covenants and the resale certificate before you buy.

Related reading

• New Construction Homes in Puyallup: Where They Are Built
• Hidden Costs of Buying a Home in Puyallup
• Where to Find Newer Homes in Puyallup
• Puyallup Neighborhoods With Larger Yards and More Privacy

Equal Housing Opportunity. Austin Robertson, License # 21036843, Austin Robertson and Allena Robertson Real Estate Brokers, regulated by the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL). This article is general information only. It is not legal, tax, insurance, lending, or construction advice, and it is not an appraisal of any property. Robertson & Co. supports fair housing and does not describe or recommend neighborhoods based on who lives there. Costs, rates, and rules change. Confirm the details with the sources linked above before you act.