How much are HOA fees and will they affect my mortgage?
Yes. Lenders treat HOA dues as part of your monthly housing cost, so they affect how much you can borrow. There's no single "typical" fee — single-family HOAs can be modest; condos and high-amenity communities can run hundreds or thousands a month. What matters for the loan is the number on the association's current schedule, plus any special assessment payment that's already in force.
Typical process
Your loan officer builds a housing-expense figure often called PITIA: principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and association dues. Those dues go into your debt-to-income ratio the same way the mortgage payment does. If dues are $400 a month, that's $400 less of monthly room for the loan. A coming special assessment that's already been levied can get counted too. Ask the lender, in writing, how they're treating current dues and any known assessment.
There's a second, quieter problem: the project, not just you. For many condo loans, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA look at whether the association itself is healthy. A common red flag is a high share of units 60 or more days behind on assessments — industry guidance often cites about 15% as the point where the project can become ineligible. Litigation, thin reserves, and a budget that doesn't fund replacements can also stall or kill project approval. You can be a perfect borrower in a building the agencies won't touch.
What controls this
Your loan program's underwriting rules, not the CC&Rs. Conventional, FHA, VA, and portfolio lenders do not all use the same project tests. The association's budget, delinquency report, insurance, and litigation statement are what the lender reviews. Regular dues amounts live in the current budget and the resale/estoppel certificate, not in last year's listing remarks.
Next steps
Get the current dues, the fee schedule for the last few years, any special assessment, the reserve study, and the delinquency rate before you waive your review contingency. Ask your lender whether this community is already on an approved-project list and whether a full project review is required. Don't budget only for the mortgage. Add dues, insurance you have to buy yourself, and a cushion for assessments.
When to talk to a licensed lawyer
Talk to a real-estate lawyer in your state if a late or ugly resale packet could affect your ability to close, or if the association's litigation or assessment situation is being downplayed in the listing. Your lender and agent can explain the loan math; a lawyer can help you read what the documents actually commit you to.
> This is general information from an AI helper, not legal advice. Confirm it against your documents and your state’s law. If a deadline or hearing is coming up, talk to a licensed lawyer.