SOME of the PROs: Your home investment is protected because other homes in your subdivision are priced somewhat comparable to the home you buy. Construction of outbuildings is usually restricted and, when allowed, they need to be finished to match up with the main residence. Controls implemented by the Architectural Control Committee of a homeowners association help the overall visual appearance of the subdivision. Tree cutting is often restricted and this can help retain the natural character of the properties. The style and height of fences is controlled so there is uniformity within the subdivision. Boats, campers and RVs usually are not allowed on the street and must be hidden from view. If there are common areas or amenities such as a swim pool, etc. you get the advantage of your neighbors sharing in the costs by payment of their homeowner association dues. SOME of the CONs: Land developers often price their building sites higher so they establish large square footage requirements and set a minimum dollar amount for houses built in their plat. These controls can make it difficult for a homebuilder to construct a new home at a reasonable price for the real estate marketplace. If you want to build your own outbuilding you will probably need to get approval of the design from the Architectural Control Committee. You might have trouble getting permission to cut down nuisance trees you don’t want even if they are on your own property. You might not be able to build a cyclone type fence or a special kind of fence that you want because of restrictions in the CC&R’s. If you have a boat, camper or RV you might have to fence off a specific parking area for your leisure vehicle so it is hidden from your neighbors view. This is very common when there are protective CC&R’s. If there are expensive homeowner dues in the subdivision where you want to build, because of maintenance of amenities such as a community swimming pool, it can be a negative. Some homeowners view a community pool as a liability because of its relatively high maintenance cost.