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Do you need HOA approval for a backyard?
I’m thinking about buying a house in a community with an HOA. I know there are a lot of rules and what you can and can’t do to your house—but what about outside? Do you need HOA approval for your backyard?
Heather Bernhard · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Unfortunately, yes. HOAs come with a lot of rules, and they do extend to your backyard.
Here are some common HOA backyard rules you should know:
- They can tell you what kinds of plants to grow. Some HOAs may only allow you to have certain types of plants—this is generally to ensure that you don’t grow anything that might infringe on your neighbor’s backyard.
- They may not allow you to plant trees. Depending on your community, you may be told that you can’t plant any trees or that you can only plant certain types. Again, this is so you don’t grow anything that might mess up your neighbor’s yard.
- You may not be able to keep certain things outside. Your homeowners association may limit what you can have outside. For instance, some don’t allow you to keep trash cans where they are visible, or you may not be permitted to store your bicycle on your patio.
- Storage structures may not be allowed. If you want to add a shed to your backyard, check with your HOA first. There are often limitations on size and shape, and you may not be able to have one at all.
While HOA rules may seem overarching and even sometimes silly, they really are for the good of the community.
If you’re looking into buying a new home, now is the perfect time to figure out insurance options.
The Jerry app is a good place to start. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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