HOA Fees Help Maintain Home Values
Some people love HOAs, some people hate them, but like death and taxes, you can’t avoid them if you live in Mueller Austin, Texas. One question I got asked last week when I was standing outside one of my home listings here was “How much are the HOA dues?”
The basic answer is that every home pays at least $42.50 per month in 2011. This was up from $40 a month in 2008, and having seen the budget, most of that increase was due to higher than usual water bills for the HOA – new landscaping getting established in addition to prolonged drought.
What does the base level $42.50 per month cover? It covers maintenance of common areas – 140 acres of parks, trails, landscaping and the lakes. It also covers swimming pools and playgrounds. Note that all of the common areas are not restricted to residents – the parks are public, and the Ella Wooten pool has public access during the normal swimming season.
The fees go up depending on the style of home you live in, and what additional things they cover:
Row Homes: $151.50 per month. This additionally includes landscape maintenance on the front of the row homes, and insurance for the structure.
Garden Homes: $70.50 per month. This also includes maintenance of the front bed / garden areas, and irrigation for them too.
Mueller House Condos: $242 per month market rate and $135 per month affordable.
Greenway Lofts: varies by floorplan.
For the purposes of the HOA assessment, the Garden Court Homes (there are two courtyards of Muskin and Saldana Homes) are classified as yard homes, and are only $42.50 per month.
Let me know if you have any other questions about the Mueller development – I’ve lived here since the beginning, and am happy to help. Garreth 512.215.4785.