At twenty-eight, she was finally getting the house she’d been dreaming about since childhood—a place with enough bedrooms for the family we were planning, a yard where we could have barbecues with friends, and a garage where I could set up a workshop for my woodworking hobby.

“The HOA fee is very reasonable,” Linda continued, pulling out a folder thick with documentation. “Only $150 a month, and that covers all the common area maintenance, the community pool, and the excellent management that keeps this place looking so pristine.”

We’d heard horror stories about homeowners associations from friends and colleagues—tales of power-hungry board members and ridiculous fines for minor infractions. But Willowbrook Estates seemed different. The rules we reviewed were reasonable: keep your lawn maintained, don’t park commercial vehicles on the street, maintain the exterior of your home in good condition. Nothing that seemed unreasonable