Couple bought a home with $158 HOA fees and planned to stay for life — now a proposed $7,500 monthly bill could force them out

Buying a house is a long-term investment, and people put a lot of thought into it before purchasing. Jill Menson and her husband thought their home in Magnolia Cove, Catawba County, was going to be their last, but the HOA had other plans. The North Carolina HOA proposed a sixfold increase in their fees, which worried all 22 homeowners, as per WSOCTV 9. Not everyone had an extra $90,000 a year. The story was shared on October 27, 2026, and it had 715,305 views, over 5,100 likes, and 3,833 comments.

Magnolia Cove residents

The news outlet interviewed residents of Magnolia Cove to hear what they have to say about the $7,500 monthly HOA fee. Most homeowners were worried they wouldn't be able to keep up with the increased fees, which could leave them facing foreclosure or bankruptcy. Diana Brokaw, a resident, said, "It's ridiculous. Who has $90,000 extra a year to pay for fees that you’re just told are going to happen?"

Jill Menson thought this was their last home. She said, "We are going to be forced out with nowhere to go, because no one is going to get a dime for their houses even if we put them on the market." Menson added that the homeowners were completely alone against the HOA. They had no financial help from the government. "No one is helping us," she concluded.

HOA voted

Menson explained that five years ago, the HOA's fee was just $158. This summer, they increased it to $1,200 along with a $10,000 assessment fee. Now, the HOA wanted $7,500 from each home. The HOA explained in a statement that read, "The increase is mainly driven by the Association’s legal and collection costs from owner accounts that haven’t been paid. Owners who stay current help bring those costs down over time." After an online meeting via Zoom. The $7,500 fee decreased to $2,500 after the HOA voted on it, WSOC-TV 9 revealed.

Fee shock

Most Americans who live in a community with an HOA tend to have complaints about the board or the board members. In this case, the complaints were understandable. The 2024 American Community Survey revealed that HOA fees vary across the country. 5.6 million (26%) homes paid less than $50 a month, while three million homes paid more than $500. $500 is already a big number. Imagine how the Magnolia Cove residents felt when their HOA proposed a $7,500 monthly fee.

Another study by 2-10 in 2024 revealed that 35% complained about expensive HOA fees, 51% revealed that their HOA just increased their fees, while 65% reported it happening from time to time. Lastly, more than half (54%) of the respondents have had a negative experience when it came to their HOA.

'More than my mortgage'

People in the comment section were shocked by the HOA's greed. @williambarger8043 wrote, "HOA's are a scam. Why would anybody join an HOA to have them tell you how to keep your yard and house? They can go eff themselves. I want to know what they are doing with that money besides pocketing it." @cmhowson50 commented, "That fee is more than my mortgage payment! That is insane! (Let me clarify that I was referring to the first increase of $1,250.00 being more than my monthly mortgage)."

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