HOA fees are soaring — use these tools to keep your unit affordable

Homeowners Association (HOA) fees are on the rise: The amount for regular dues jumped 44% to $757 between 2024 and 2025, according to HOA management software company Vantaca, which studied more than 3,300 associations. And, with inflation hitting home maintenance costs and property taxes increasing across the U.S., a higher HOA fee can quickly make your monthly housing costs even higher. If you've gotten a notice that your dues are increasing this year, there are a few strategies and tools you can use to make your costs more affordable. Part of the jump in fees is due to the increase for HOA master policies, which cover a community's property and liability. Not only are policy premiums rising — the average premium nearly doubled between 2021 and 2025, from $53 per door to $105 per door for condo buildings, per Vantaca — but the risk is being shifted back to HOAs as deductibles rise while policies cover less. For example, changes in wind and hail deductibles are shifting repair burdens onto HOAs. Deductibles for this kind of coverage are increasingly moving from more affordable flat-dollar models toward higher deductibles that are a percentage of the building's insured value. In fact, 98% of HOA master policies had percentage-based wind and hail deductibles last year, compared to 40% in 2021, Vantaca found. This means HOAs may need to cover a larger deductible for claims related to this kind of damage. …