Feb 20, 2026
Home prices are high, and all-cash offers and bidding wars are making for a cutthroat market in many parts of the country. Add in closing costs, inspections and other fees, and it’s enough to make some buyers wonder whether a new home is the right decision.
However, there’s another cost pressure that some homeowners may not be budgeting for: HOA fees, those recurring dues paid by homeowners to maintain community spaces, pay for pools, landscaping and other neighborhood niceties.
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These fees are rising across the country, and many owners who are locked into HOA communities are saying it’s simply not worth the price.
How much HOA fees are costing homeowners
Average monthly HOA costs hit $135 in 2025, according to Realtor.com (1), an 8% increase year-over-year. That number goes up — way up — in pricier neighborhoods or expensive condo buildings, with $1,000-plus monthly fees becoming increasingly common in expensive markets. Realtor.com also reported that 43.6% of home listings now require an HOA fee, for single-family homes and condominiums alike.
"Not only must prospective homebuyers contend with high home prices and mortgage rates over 6%, beyond principal and interest payments are homeowners insurance, property taxes, and HOA dues," says Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner. "These ancillary costs of homeownership are straining homeowners in many parts of the country."
Seven of the top ten metro areas with the highest average HOA fees are in Florida (1), with Miami taking number one with a whopping $617 per month on average in a median-priced home — not surprising for the city’s high concentration of luxury highrises and condominiums (2). But not all buildings with high fees are providing state of the art luxe living. Aging buildings are in need of expensive maintenance, and new regulations in the wake of Surfside’s Champlain Towers South collapse are creating new costs for HOAs to deal with (3).
"Many buildings are now reaching the age where deferred maintenance can no longer be postponed," Ana Bozovic, realtor and research firm Analytics Miami founder told Realtor.com (1). "The post-Surfside regulatory changes accelerated this reality by mandating structural inspections, reserve studies, and full funding of reserves."
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HOAs are driving the home affordability crisis
For many homeowners, the monthly HOA fee is the final monthly housing expense after the mortgage, utilities, and other maintenance costs. The fees often sneak up on the buyer after they’ve calculated their ability to pay for a home.
“It’s not always clear to prospective homebuyers to budget for these costs since they sit on top of the basic principal and interest payments on a home, but these costs are rising and are a significant portion of what homeowners pay every month,” said Berner (4).
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With increases in severe weather, ongoing maintenance in aging homes and demand for new-build subdivisions, developers are more likely to lean on HOA fees to cover costs (5). Not only do HOAs dictate the upkeep of amenities and housing compliance, but they can impose “super-liens” by taking control of a home over the bank if the owner is behind on HOA payments, as well as other fines and special assessments on homes.
HOA fines for non-compliant homes (6) or late payments can be hundreds of dollars a month, and special assessments (7) can introduce surprising, varied costs to homeowners to pay for projects that are outside the HOA’s budget.
How you can prepare for pricey HOAs
If you are a prospective buyer, high HOA fees may limit your pool of affordable homes. If you are already in your home, you can advocate for yourself and potentially get those rising costs down.
Don’t let the initial cost from the HOA scare you off, and never underestimate the power of negotiation. For the most part, the monthly fee itself is not negotiable, but buyers might be able to negotiate how it gets paid or who pays for it (8). During closing, a buyer could ask the seller to cover six months’ or a year’s worth of HOA fees, especially if the seller is eager to make the sale or the house has been sitting stale in the market.
Before you move in, review the HOA’s financials, which are often available upon request. Looking at their reserve funds for emergencies and their overall budget can prepare you for potential special assessments or monthly cost hikes.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Realtor.com (1), (4), (8); Million Luxury (2); National Institute of Standards and Technology (3); MoveZen 360 (5); U.S. News (6); Rocket Mortgage (7).
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Chris Clark is a Kansas City–based freelance journalist covering personal finance, housing and retirement. A former Associated Press editor and reporter, he writes plainspoken stories that help readers make smarter financial decisions.
