Buying land inside HOAs--advisable or bad idea?

[Sylvia Castellanos]

I have been looking at the prices vacant lots sell for in a couple of semi-rural counties. What I am finding is that the lots within HOAs sell for double or even triple of lots in regular communities. I would like to start a conversation about buying lots inside HOAs so I can learn from your experience.

Let me describe the pros and cons as I see them (correct me if I am wrong, please). I know there is an annual fee and there may be additional fees. A couple of land investors have told me that after dealing with all the HOAs' rules, they never want to buy inside an HOA again. The flip side is that I would not be paying that much in fees, because my intention is to flip the property and since I am not planning to build, I won't have to deal with that many of the HOS's rules. The biggest point is how much more the lots sell for.

Never having dealt with HOAs, I am neutral on the subject. My intent is to learn from the experience of people in the group.