Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Membership increase after land purchase

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On Sep 29, 2008, at 4:28 PM, Louis-H. Campagna wrote:

> Last weekend, we were chewing the fat about what might happen to our  
> membership right after the land purchase.

Once you find land, people will be more likely to move up from  
watchers to committers because they will be able to see that the  
location works for them. But ohers will leave because it doesn't work  
for them. Location, location, location is the mantra for real estate  
and that goes for cohousing too, although perhaps a bit less. People  
are willing to move for cohousing, and even to find new jobs.

With a land choice it will be easier to sell the project because there  
is one less vague promise to make.

But at every stage of the project, membership and commitments will be  
fluid. People always have life changes, and your project will change.  
The person who wanted the cherry tree orchard with chickens may leave  
as soon as you decide you can't afford that much land. This inevitable.

People will also leave because they lost their job or took a new one,  
or the project is delayed too long and they have to make a commitment  
to a school for their children.

It's a fluid process.

Another warning on land. The preferred development method -- as I  
understand it and I'm not a developer -- is to take an option on the  
land and not pay for it until you are built and it is paid for out of  
the home sales and/or mortgages.

Unless you have the funds readily available, you don't want to pay  
interest on a loan for the land while you are still recruiting  
members, or are ready to build. This interest can sink the project.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
Coauthor with John Buck of We the People
Consenting to a Deeper Democracy
A Guide to Sociocratic Principles and Methods
ISBN: 9780979282706
http://www.sociocracy.info