Of course there are benefits--if you've lived where you keep up your curb appeal and your next door neighbors are tweakers working on cars all night long with cops continually raiding them, letting their trees go and wind blows dead leaves all over the neighborhood, rednecks letting their 10 dogs more than allowed bark all day and night while they hang outside listening to awful country music drinking and smoking and yelling and fighting . . . yeah, a HOA can be a blessing for property values. 
3:)
In other neighborhoods, where the OWNERS self-maintain and threaten each other with death if they misbehave, and sometimes have to get the City or County in on it, and as a result the areas are pretty and quiet . . . then we don't need no stinkin' Gestapo HOA!  

Yes. I have seen purple houses, piles of construction  debri, etc in neighborhoods without hoa's. On the other side, I have seen some real jerks that get agressive with enforcing some hoa rules. I have noticed an increase in buyers saying" I don't want to see any houses that have an HOA", although most can be flexible if hoa restrictions aren't too bad.

Not having to mow the grass, rake the leaves, etc...

Community pools, spas and other amentities.  And of course protection against the dreaded "car up on blocks in the front yard."  Of course, I've yet to see that anywhere w/o an HOA.

Yes, I believe there is.  Amenities which support home values.   I live in a gated community and it is supported and serviced 24/7 with contracted Security.  We also own our Community/Restaurant and event center as well as the tennis courts (active tennis association), swimming pools (active swimming clubs/teams) and located on a lake with access to marina and boat slips.  So many other amnenities supporting community committees that all together help the complete package for the neighborhood remain solid and a standout.   

Nathan Gesner Yes, you don't have boats, RV's, commercial vehicles, and you don't see lawns that need to be cut in the subdivision.

Yes, there are many.

I would not live any other way... never have and never will. HOA's are the one best thing to keeping property values stable. I've sold in communities without them or with weak HOA's and those houses always sell at a discount and take longer to sell. I listed a home in a weak HOA once where my client mowed her lawn and that of the two houses on either side of her until the home sold so that buyers wouldn't be scared away.

Having lived ibn a "Conventional" neighborhood, I moved into a "Gated " community with age restrictions (48 years min.) some 15 years ago. In my opinion, I would never move out of an HOA. The benefits are many. I no longer mow the lawn, shovel snow,maintain my sprinkler system. My community is beautiful and my monthly maintenance is $168.00 As for restrictions, I really don't see any unreasonable ones. You are asked to present to the association any changes to your property such as landscaping, house colors etc. BTW we are also one of the most solvent communities in New Jersey, with a surplus over $5 million. Also, many people think you are living in small homes. My home is 3,400 sq. ft.

I don't know if there is to all HOA's, but for some, the benefit is huge Nathan Gesner.  They are usually not the ones that are $20/month.  For me, the benefit would be the fact that the community has to keep up with the Rules and Standards that are in the HOA documents, that everyone read and received upon purchase of their home, which is in regards to how your house and property looks, meaning it has to be maintained.  Very specific as far as landscaping, decorations, and house color(s).  So that being said, no one has the neighbor with trash (couches, washing machines) in their yard, nor the vehicles up on blocks (in front of the house or in the driveway).  Weeds and anything broken is a huge 'no-no'.  And, ta! da!, it works!  Everyone who does not comply gets a Reminder(s), and you only get so many, until you get Fined!  So if you cannot fix the issue, you hire someone to do so, and that applies to snowbirds as well as year-rounders.

I have this nice new listing in a weak hoa.  Let's just say the new buyer is not adverse to the rooster next door or the sofa on the front porch across the street.  HOAs, if run correctly, do their job.

 Yes and no.

I know my friend once called the HOA and reported the tall grass on one of the neighbor's house. It was mowed the next day.

Yes, if you are willing to play by their rules.

Yes, there are many benefits. 

Advantages and disadvantages as others have said.  Which do I prefer and why?  Now, that would take up more space than I have here.

Who could possibly top the creative response from Candice A. Donofrio?
I think she has the bones for a movie script... 

There are benefits depending on what you care about. Personally John and I have owned three homes with no HOA. -Kasey

We deal with many HOA's and some are almost impossible to deal with. The rules, the regulations, the people on the Board...

I do but most of ours are simple and the covenants and restrictions help preserve value and consistency. 

Are their benefits? Yes.

Are those benefits worth the cost?  Not in my opinion.

However, my response is subject to change if I get one of those bad neighbors.

At this moment my neighbor is raising a robust crop of dollar weed. This commits me to a weekly regimen of dollar weed purging.  I guess cops are less inclined to care for yards. AN HOA could prove useful in protecting the surrounding yards.

The benefits can be great with community facilities and quality controls.

NO!

Well, at least you'll know your neighbors won't have cars on jacks in their front yards and furniture in their front yards with an HOA!

I do live in a gated community with HOA. Yes, there are rules, but at the same time, life is much more simple than living in your own SFR.

Yes, but one needs to watch the board officials to make sure they don't start running it like it's their own, there for their benefit and that of their cronies.

Most of the benefits involve property values. Having a set of guidelines to keep the association nice for all add to the value for owners' investment in their home. There are rules which govern the quiet enjoyment, keeping the property cared for and well maintained, and there are often added amenities owned by all.

pros and cons  I believe it's CCR dependent and also if one or two people can change the rules and if they are enforced.  Totally depends on how it's run.

There are a number of advantages regarding maintenance, and having some rules that prevent messy yards, junkcy cars in the drives, RVs in the narrow streets, etc. Also amenities like a pool, clubhouse, etc.

Yes and no, it depends.

YES...if run right and not made a big deal but just a supervisory function

For those that do not want the fresh air and as long as there are no special assessments.

Living in a HOA is a way of life. Many prefer no maintenance and amentitoes like a pool or club house. Those who garden, fix cars or have motorcycles, a boat and a jet ski, may want a single family home with a garage to tinker with their toys

I do, but the renters live across the street sure push all the buttons! 

It depends on the owner and the HOA.  For some, they like the structure and rules that some HOA's provide.  For others, they don't want to be told what they can and can't do on their property.

Pros and cons on both.  I like to paint my house my color but do not like neighbor junk car.

For over 27 years I lived in a townhouse and was President of my association. There are benefits such as landscaping, insurance from the studs out, garbage pickup and snow removal, outside maintenance such as replacing a roof, gutters, limits on the amount of pets and pool, exercise room and clubhouse. It really depends on your lifestyle and how much time you want to spend doing the things above.

Depends on the cost and what the fee includes...need a good management company as well

You bet!

Yes.

I do like knowing if the neighbor decides to paint their home a tacky color, the HOA will be all over it.

there are , as pointed out below, and there are items that work against the,. the key is if there is a HOA , is it enforced. if not, then it is a waste of money

Ours is $12/month. Covering a huge area. Use boy scouts for clean up.  The rate has not gone up once in 31 years. Got lots of reserve. 

Not in my eyes at my age

It's not for everyone - it's not for me perosanlly, however it may be in the future when I retire