Are HOA's An Expense Issue?

[Josh Oaten]

I am looking to start my REI journey around Phoenix, Arizona. When researching single family homes around the $250K-$300K price range in places such as Gilbert, Goodyear, Tempe, Litchfield Park I am finding that most of these places come with HOA fees. Is this normal? Could it be the price range I am looking in or could it be the areas I'm looking?

Are HOA fees an issue for seasoned investors, let alone someone just starting out like me and should I try to steer clear of places that come with a HOA tie or is it just an inevitable fact of REI?