Covenants can be good and bad. Unfortunatly people get a little power and think they run the universe.

I live in a neighborhood which has covenants. They are not enforced, and I am charged $70 /year to the homeowner's association. I have yet to see my $70 go to anything worthwhile, but I pay because I consider it the honest thing to do. I know many of my neighbors who don't and won't pay. The only thing I wish my HA would enforce was that people had to put grass in within 6 months of moving in. Weed control is a big problem, and it would be nice if certain neighbors realized it as well.

Everybody knows of a Homeowners Association that is abusive. I personally know of 1 person that lost their house because of one. They were in the wrong, but I still feel the HA took things too far and should have had their power curbed by the courts.

My advice, before you buy a house in a neighborhood, do your homework on the HA. If they are over-zealous do not buy.

-Steve G.