I think the HOA issue is blown out of proportion. Yes, there are many HOAs that are awful and abusive and hateful, and the culture surrounding such HOAs is DISGUSTING. Most HOAs, though, don’t really do too much. Often they maybe enforce parking if you’re near a metro, and maintain greenery, that’s it. When you’re looking for a place to live, you might find a place that’s great in every way except a minimally invasive HOA so you end up there anyways. It’s happened to me twice, no issues. 🤜🪵