Surging HOA Fees Are Pushing Homeowners to the Brink

• HOA and condo fees have surged 26–29% since 2019, with median condo fees hitting $420/month, pricing homeowners out of the market alongside high mortgage rates and property taxes.


• About 21.6 million U.S. households pay HOA fees; roughly 3 million pay over $500/month as insurance, labor, and materials costs climb.


• Owners face surprise special assessments for major repairs on top of monthly dues—some seeing fees double in a decade (e.g., one homeowner's jumped from $600 to $1,300).


• The condo market is at its weakest in over a decade, with strict post-Surfside safety requirements in Florida driving fees higher.


• HOA fees often cost owners more monthly than their mortgage principal and interest combined, forcing belt-tightening or service cutbacks by associations.