Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Average Turn Over

[Larry Miller (larry.miller]

Kay Argyle wrote:

"I too have wondered what the range of turnover is among communities. The
subject usually only appears as a throwaway comment in a for-sale notice,
"our first unit to come available in three years."  Nobody boasts about "our
second unit available this summer." Is a low turnover the norm? Or do
communities with more turnover choose not to discuss it, the way communities
are sometimes reluctant to confess they don't (for shame!) have common
meals?"

I wonder if there is any such thing as a "norm." People in cohousing move or 
sell homes for a
huge number of reasons, some of which relate to cohousing or their specific 
community and some
don't. As an example, in our community after 4 years 12 homes out of 36 are not 
occupied by the
original purchasers. That's clear enough. However, a breakdown of these 12 
makes things a lot
less clear.
4 never moved in. One of those had died, two rent out the property because 
their plans changed,
and 1 had a family disagreement over moving here.
4 moved because they were dissatisfied. That accounted for 6 units because 1 
extended family had
purchased 3 units.
2 got married. One sold to a relative and the other is renting out.  

If I had to guess, I would suggest that turnover in cohousing communities is 
similar to that in
similar non-cohousing communities in nearby locations, at least more similar 
than to the
experience of other cohousing groups.

Larry Miller
Oak Creek Commons