Part 2 of the TW Shortt Reports series on homeowners’ associations

By T.W. Shortt, CRB®, CRS® | Principal Broker, REALTY WORLD® Knox Realty Group, LLC — The Fort Knox Office™

If you are shopping for a new home near Fort Knox, Hearthstone is worth a visit. As you walk through a model, picture how you would use the house and yard. Would you like a fence for the dog? Where would you keep your camper? How much do you value an association that maintains shared property? Hearthstone’s recorded covenants help you answer those questions before you choose a home.

Radcliff has had HOAs for years

At Hilltop Terrace, a Masters Street listing described dues that helped pay for a neighborhood pool and tennis court. Hardin County land records name that association as early as 2011, and the Vineland Park Homeowners Association was incorporated in 2005. Hearthstone gives today’s buyers a newer local example.

When I first visited Hearthstone, even the sales representative described it as being in Elizabethtown. Fischer Homes markets the development under Elizabethtown, while individual listings on Hearthstone Lane show Radcliff addresses. One sold listing reported HOA dues of $25 a month. Ask for the current amount when comparing homes.

What buyers may welcome

The association maintains common property, including landscaping and improvements, subject to budget limits and the board’s reasonable judgment. Owners maintain their own lots. The declaration animal provision allows household pets, and its limits on hotel or transient uses may appeal to buyers who prefer fewer short-stay turnovers. (§§ 8.1–8.2, 10.6, 10.10)

A few rules to check before you buy

• Sheds and above-ground pools are prohibited. An in-ground pool, hot tub or sauna requires advance approval. (§§ 10.9, 10.20)

• Fences and exterior paint color changes require prior written approval. The developer may also specify fence styles. (§§ 9.2, 10.18)

• Campers, boats, and trailers must be stored in an enclosed structure, out of view. The board may permit occasional parking. (§ 10.11)

Thinking about Hearthstone or another neighborhood near Fort Knox?

Call REALTY WORLD® Knox Realty Group at 270-319-3212. Tell us what matters most to you, whether that is a fenced yard, a shorter drive to Fort Knox, or a home without HOA dues. We can arrange a tour at Hearthstone, help you compare it with other new construction and resale homes in Radcliff and across Hardin County, and help you get the HOA documents for the property you are considering.

If Hearthstone is on your list, call us before your first model-home visit. We can explain how buyer representation works, accompany you on the tour, and help you ask questions that matter before you pick a lot or sign a contract.

Hearthstone’s declaration was recorded August 17, 2026, in Hardin County Deed Book 1605, pages 1127–1165. Ask for any later amendments or separately issued rules that apply to the lot.

Brokerage Disclosure
REALTY WORLD® Knox Realty Group, LLC does not hold the listings for the Hearthstone homes discussed in this article and does not represent Fischer Homes or the developer. These homes are publicly marketed. Our brokerage can represent prospective buyers under a separate buyer representation agreement.

Realty World Knox Realty Group, LLC

You own the house—but what obligations come with the deed?

By T.W. Shortt, CRS®, CRB®, Principal Broker

REALTY WORLD Knox Realty Group, LLC — The Fort Knox Office™

Your Home, Their Rules? What Hardin County Buyers Should Know About HOAs

You own the house—but what obligations come with the deed?

By T.W. Shortt, CRS®, CRB®, Principal Broker

REALTY WORLD Knox Realty Group, LLC — The Fort Knox Office™

Hearthstone, the new community on the south end of Radcliff, offers a timely reason to discuss homeowners’ associations—and understand exactly what you are buying.

It also illustrates how easily confusion begins.

During an early visit, a sales representative told me the development was in Elizabethtown. Hearthstone is in Radcliff, although its Elizabethtown mailing address can create a different impression. Fischer Homes’ Hearthstone community page also markets the neighborhood under Elizabethtown.

A mailing address does not establish municipal boundaries. Buyers should understand which city governs their property, and which private restrictions govern its use.

That brings us to another misunderstanding: HOA membership and fee-simple ownership are not competing forms of ownership.

You Can Have Both

Career Development | TW Shortt Reports

By T.W. Shortt, CRS®, CRB®, GRI®

Principal Broker, REALTY WORLD® Knox Realty Group, LLC — The Fort Knox Office™

Former Florida Real Estate Instructor and School Administrator | Retired U.S. Army Senior Drill Sergeant

You have thought about entering the real estate business. You enjoy working with people, know your community, and believe you could help buyers and sellers.

Then somebody says, “That licensing exam is tough.”

Suddenly, the question becomes: What if I fail?

Before you let that question decide your future, consider the work of Stanford psychologist Albert Bandura.

In his 1977 article, “Self-Efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change,” Bandura explained how people’s beliefs about their ability to perform a task influence whether they attempt it, how much effort they invest, and how long they persist. He called that belief self-efficacy.

Applying that idea to prospective real estate agents offers a useful lesson: confidence can grow through preparation and demonstrated progress.

Build Evidence That You Can Learn