HOA Dues Across the Portfolio: Where the Monthly Really Goes

Typical structures by community type

• $0 — no HOA: central/east Simi Valley, most of Tamarack and Bridle Path edges, older Northridge/Granada Hills tracts, the City of San Fernando, most of Pacoima and Sylmar flatland.
• $50–$250 — planned SFR: Wood Ranch and Big Sky (Simi), Porter Ranch gated tracts, Valencia/Stevenson Ranch villages, Moorpark's Mountain Meadows/Campus Park, Camarillo master plans, Oak Park.
• $300–$650 — condos/townhomes: Warner Center towers, Thousand Oaks and Camarillo complexes, Port Hueneme beach condos (insurance-heavy budgets), CSUN-area Northridge.
• $400–$1,000+ — guard-gated: The Oaks and Calabasas gates, Hidden Hills (city-plus-association structure), North Ranch and Westlake Island, Bell Canyon (with its own services).

These are representative ranges, not quotes — the only number that matters is the actual association budget for the specific property.

What dues actually buy (and hide)

Read the budget, not the marketing: guard-gate dues fund staffing (labor costs rise annually); condo dues increasingly carry the building's master insurance policy — the single fastest-rising line item in 2026 — plus reserves. A low-dues association with thin reserves is a special-assessment risk, which is worse than honest higher dues. Brian pulls the HOA document package (budget, reserves study, minutes, litigation disclosure) on every association purchase during the contingency window.

Underwriting dues like a price

At 2026 mortgage rates, $100/month of dues displaces roughly $15K–$20K of loan-supported purchase price. A $600/month condo association is, functionally, ~$100K of price — which is why the no-HOA Simi tract and the lower-dues Moorpark plan often beat the glossier alternative on total monthly. Compare totals (P&I + tax + insurance + dues + Mello-Roos), never list prices.

Frequently asked questions