Re: Is Cohousing Cheap(er)?
From: Liz Ryan Cole (lizryancoleme.com)
Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2013 15:05:44 -0800 (PST)
I have been following this discussion with interest as we (Pinnacle Cohousing - 
Lyme, NH) move forward on design of 18 (first phase) homes.  Whether the 
construction cost per square foot is $120 or $180, isn't one of the significant 
savings for cohousers based on the fact that we can build comfortable homes 
with at least some the amenities we would like included, because we can share 
the extensive library or grand piano, while building fewer private square feet? 
 I think a 1200 square foot home with the shared cost of common space is 
certainly going to be less expensive than the single family home at 2500 or 
3000 square feet (you can tell we are not in a city).

What is no one mentioning this? thanks  liz


Liz Ryan Cole
lizryancole [at] me.com
Pinnacle Cohousing at Loch Lyme Lodge
Lyme, NH
Home 802.785.4124
Work 802.831.1240
Lodge 603-795-2141


 On Dec 31, 2012, at 2:25 PM, R Philip Dowds wrote:

> 
> OK, to refine the question:  Will you and your family live more cheaply in a 
> development organized as cohousing, than you would in a similar housing unit 
> in the same neighborhood, but not organized as cohousing?  My answer remains: 
> You will live different, maybe even better, but don't expect cheaper.
> 
> RPD
> 
> I'll make one significant concession:  AAA reports the averaged annual cost 
> of owning and operating a passenger vehicle is now in the $9K to  $11K range. 
>  If cohousing maintains a shared vehicle or two, and access to that vehicle 
> allows your family to drop from 3 cars to 2, or 2 cars to 1 -- or even 1 car 
> to none -- now you're saving interesting money.  What I've seen so far in 
> cohousing is that the legal and political hurdles are often high for a 
> communally owned car -- but coho-ers are more likely than regular folk to 
> find ways of privately sharing a vehicle and its costs among two or three 
> households.
> 
> But you still can't share your healthcare or your daughter's four years at 
> college.
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> On Dec 31, 2012, at 11:46 AM, oz <oz [at] ozragland.com> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> First, an appeal to authority: I co-authored a few articles on
>> affordability for the next issue of Communities magazine (alas, only one
>> was accepted). I've also visited about 30 communities.
>> 
>> ...
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