HOA Fees Keep Rising - And a Supreme Court Case Could Impact Communities Across America

For many homebuyers, the biggest financial questions are usually straightforward:

What will my mortgage payment be?

What will my interest rate be?

Can I afford the monthly payment?

But increasingly, there's another expense becoming impossible to ignore: HOA fees.

In fact, according to recent Realtor.com data, nearly 44% of homes listed for sale in 2025 included HOA fees, up significantly from just 34% in 2019. The median HOA fee has also climbed from $108 per month in 2019 to $135 per month in 2025.

As HOAs become more common and more expensive, a new legal battle headed toward the U.S. Supreme Court could have implications for homeowner associations across the country.

What Is the Corporate Transparency Act?

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) was originally passed to combat money laundering, fraud, and other financial crimes by requiring certain entities to report information about their owners and decision-makers to the federal government.

The controversy is that some interpretations of the law could require volunteer HOA board members to submit personal identifying information, including names, addresses, dates of birth, and government-issued identification.

Organizations representing homeowner associations argue that Congress never intended for neighborhood HOAs to be treated the same way as shell companies or complex business entities.

As legal challenges continue, advocates are asking the Supreme Court to clarify whether volunteer-led community associations should fall under the law's reporting requirements.

Why This Matters to Homeowners

For the average homeowner, this may sound like a distant legal issue.

But HOA boards are often made up of volunteers who already manage budgets, maintenance, vendor contracts, architectural reviews, and neighborhood concerns.

If additional federal reporting requirements are imposed, some industry groups argue it could make it harder to recruit volunteers willing to serve on HOA boards.

Whether you love your HOA or hate it, most communities depend on residents stepping up to help manage neighborhood operations.

HOA Fees Are Becoming a Bigger Part of Homeownership

The legal debate comes at a time when HOA costs are already under increased scrutiny.

HOAs are no longer limited to condos and townhomes. Roughly one-third of single-family homes listed for sale now carry HOA fees, and that percentage continues to grow as newer communities become part of the resale market.

Several factors are contributing to rising dues:

• Higher insurance costs

• Increased labor and maintenance expenses

• Inflation-related material costs

• Aging community infrastructure

• Reserve funding requirements for future repairs

These expenses are being passed through to homeowners in the form of higher monthly dues and, in some cases, special assessments.

What Buyers Should Be Asking

When purchasing a home in an HOA community, many buyers focus heavily on the monthly fee amount.

But the fee itself is only part of the story.

Buyers should also review:

• HOA financial statements

• Reserve studies

• Recent meeting minutes

• Pending litigation

• Planned special assessments

• Historical fee increases

Many real estate professionals would argue that a well-funded HOA with slightly higher dues is often preferable to an underfunded HOA that may face large special assessments down the road. Community discussions among homeowners frequently point to reserve funding and financial transparency as some of the most important indicators of HOA health.

What This Means for the Charlotte Area

Across the Charlotte region, HOA communities continue to make up a large portion of available inventory, particularly in newer developments throughout Concord, Harrisburg, Huntersville, Mooresville, and many suburban neighborhoods.

As HOA fees become a larger part of the overall cost of ownership, buyers are paying closer attention than ever before to what those fees cover and how associations are managed.

At the same time, any legal changes affecting HOA governance could eventually impact how these communities operate.

Final Thoughts

The debate surrounding the Corporate Transparency Act may ultimately be decided in Washington, but its effects could be felt in neighborhoods across the country.

Meanwhile, one thing is already clear: HOA fees are becoming a larger and more important factor in homeownership decisions.

For buyers, that means looking beyond the monthly mortgage payment and understanding the full cost of ownership.

For sellers, it means recognizing that informed buyers are asking more questions than ever about HOA finances, reserves, and future obligations.

As the housing market continues to evolve, HOA costs and governance will likely remain an important conversation for years to come.