We had those very things in mind when we bought. The funny thing was we were inquiring about whether we could widen the driveway - the sellers were looking at us like we had two heads. It finally came out that the community doesn't care if you park on your own lawn! Score! Keep a boat in yard? It's practically required that you do! Perfect! I can see the mast of the F-27 in the community slip from my back yard, park boat trailers wherever, and drag my kayak across the street to hit the Bay. Kids park on a beach half a block away, and our community dues are $10 a year.

I hear my friends talk of multi hundred dollar fees, they can't keep their own property on their own property, and they need to bow down to the community association to change their doorknob. No thanks!