Do house prices increase faster in HOA or non-HOA neighborhoods?
I doubt there is good data on the topic because HOA's vary wildly in terms of what services they provide and what restrictions they impose on homeowners. Regardless of what happens on average, you need to evaluate on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis. The notion that HOA's can help property values is often attributed to the idea that they can force a minimum level of upkeep, but many cities have rules that are intended to do the same. The effectiveness of such rules also varies wildly. Focus on the area you're interested in living, then find out if there's an HOA and what it does/doesn't do. Some HOA's are very hands off and only exist to fund upkeep of some common areas, some seem to control most everything. If you're looking at an area where the HOA has substantial financial responsibilities (like a condo/townhouse complex where they replace roofs/paint exteriors, etc) then make sure when you review the HOA finances that they have healthy cash reserves. It's also worth talking to potential neighbors to find out about the HOA. If buying in a new city/county, make sure to read up on their codes/ordinances.