Townhomes without HOA

[Michael Spearman]

Hey Seattle BP,

I'm seeing many townhomes on the market today that do not have HOA dues. Generally these homes have no common areas but have a connected wall/roof. These are appealing because I don't want to be forced into HOA requirements or pay dues, but I am also concerned about sharing walls with a neighbor without any governing association. I see a lot of posts warning about townhomes without HOA but these posts are pretty old and it's very common now in Seattle. This has got me wondering, what are the "limits" to my rights as a property owner of a townhome? In general, what are the laws/regulations to be aware of before pursuing any townhome properties? Are these laws generally written into a contract when purchasing and will they vary based on the property?

Thanks.

[Marc Luzuriaga]

just because there is no hoa does not mean there aren't any covenants in place. I actually have an attorney setting up covenants for a 4 unit new construction project in seattle with no hoa. It basically spells out who is responsible for what. What happens if the party wall or any other parts of the structure get damaged and who is responsible. The covenants shoould be recorded with the county. Sorry if this doesn't translate well I'm on my phone. :)