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What if you just quit paying? That would be unwise, as the HOA can quickly take legal action. They can even foreclose on a home if dues aren’t paid for a year or if the amount exceeds $1,200. I recently sold a home with nearly $30,000 owed to its HOA, which consisted of $3,000 in dues, $7,000 in fines, and $20,000 in attorney’s fees. Fortunately we closed just a few days before it was to be auctioned off at a sheriff’s sale. If you are not satisfied with your community’s HOA, the best option is to get involved. Attend monthly meetings and take your complaints to the board. Most of these meetings are sparsely attended, which means your concerns are more likely to be addressed than if you just complain on Facebook.
shed without consulting with the community’s standards, which can lead to hefty fines, and the costs of bringing the work up to code. An HOA’s responsibilities are to maintain property values, manage communal spaces (pools, playgrounds, walking paths, etc.), and enforce rules outlined in the community’s governing documents. Each HOA comes with different restrictions. However, Arizona has guardrails in place which prohibit HOAs from restricting the following: • Displaying the Gadsden flag, the Arizona state flag or an Arizona Indian tribe flag • Showing the U.S. or military flag in accordance with federal display laws • Setting up antennas and satellite dishes • Installing solar energy devices. In Arizona, when you purchase a property in an area governed by an HOA, you are obligated to follow the rules. The only way to leave is to sell your house. You could try to dissolve your HOA, but it likely won’t be an easy task, as usually 50-75% of the homeowners must agree to it, depending on what is specified in your governing documents.
OMATOES ARE THE MOST popular plant for the home gardener. They’re easy and fun to grow, and they’re quite nutritious. Tomatoes are high in vitamins A and C, provide a good source of potassium and contain antioxidants to increase protection from the aging effects of the sun. Tomatoes also contain lycopene, a proven cancer preventative. Everyone has a favorite variety they grow every season but there are several things to consider in your selection. 1 How will the fruit be used? The tiny cherry tomatoes, which are available in many colors, are great for salads. Red Robin, Sweet 100, Gold Nugget and Yellow Pear are popular favorites. Oblong paste tomatoes like Roma, San Marzano and Sausage Tomato are meaty and contain less juice. They’re great for canning, salsa and recipes that require diced fruit. The larger varieties such as Brandywine, Cherokee Purple and Jetsetter are wonderful slicing tomatoes. Early Girl is the earliest producer with heavy yields in the spring and Super Sioux can handle the summer heat. 2 How much garden space do you have? Plant breeders have developed compact plants that grow well in a large pot on the patio. These varieties usually produce smaller fruits with fewer per plant. Bush-style plants can support themselves and don’t require being staked. These will take less room in your garden. Many hybrid plants are bush style. Vine tomatoes must be staked or surrounded by cages for the best production. 3 Do you want lots of fruit at one time? If you are canning and preserving tomatoes, Now and ‘mater Tomatoes are easy and fun to grow, if you can answer these 5 questions BY WENDE GEHRT T
The realities of an HOA BY DAYV MORGAN
W HEN PURCHASING A HOUSE THAT’S part of a homeowners association, you are entering into an agreement with significant ramifications and tradeoffs to consider. There are many pros and cons to an HOA. When your neighbor’s yard has turned into a jungle or if they’re piling up junk cars, an HOA will pressure them to clean up their act. But the sense of comfort you felt over the HOA stepping in with a messy neighbor can turn to rage if you paint your home or add a backyard
Dayv Morgan is a Maricopa Realtor and owner of HomeSmart Premier.
480-251-4231 DayvMorgan@gmail.com
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5 What color? Tomatoes are available in a multitude of colors and sizes. Newly developed breeds have an elongated cherry shape, are small in size, multicolored and oftentimes striped. Colors range from pale gold, yellow, green, orange, red or purple. Yellow and orange varieties are generally lower in acid than red tomatoes. You’ll be the envy of your neighbors and friends when you grow your own tomatoes. You can find lots of varieties of tomato plants at the Master Gardener Plant Sale on March 1, 37860 W. Smith-Enke Road, starting at 7:45 a.m.
a determinate variety will produce fruit that ripens within a shortened time. Indeterminate varieties will bear fruit over an extended time. Determinate or indeterminate type will be indicated on the plant tag of each variety. 4 Heirloom verses hybrid tomato? Heirloom varieties have withstood the test of time. Seed has been saved and passed down through generations of growers. Heirlooms are almost as famous for being fickle in the garden as they are for their wonderful taste. Hybrid varieties are cross-pollinated from two different plants. They have been developed by growers for extra disease resistance, size or flavor. Fruit usually has thicker skin, which allows for less cracking.
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Wende Gehrt is a Pinal County Master Gardener.
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InMaricopa.com | February 2025
February 2025 | InMaricopa.com
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