Regime Fees vs. POA Dues: What Villa Buyers Actually Pay For

Buying a villa on Hilton Head Island usually means paying two kinds of fees. Knowing which is which makes it much easier to compare properties.

Community or POA dues

Most planned communities have a property owners' association (POA). Its dues typically pay for shared roads, security and gates, and community-wide amenities. Every owner in the community pays them, whether you own a house or a villa.

Regime fees

Villas and condominiums in South Carolina are usually organised as a horizontal property regime. The regime fee pays for the building and its grounds. Depending on the regime, that can include exterior maintenance, roof reserves, landscaping, a shared pool and the master insurance policy on the building.

Questions to ask

• What does the regime fee cover, line by line?
• How healthy are the reserves, and is a special assessment planned?
• Does the master policy include wind coverage, and what's the deductible?
• What are the rental rules for the building?

Two villas with the same price can cost very different amounts to own. We pull the budget and recent meeting minutes for any regime you're considering, so you're comparing real numbers.