Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: recognizing time versus financial investment in early days

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Jun 13, 2017, at 12:48 PM, Kathryn McCamant <kmccamant [at] 
> COHOUSING-SOLUTIONS.COM> wrote:
> 
> With all due respect, Sharon, I think you’re experience in marketing 
> cohousing was at a different time in the very strong Washington DC market. I 
> too had the experience of thinking it was easy to market cohousing, 

I didn’t mean to suggest that it was easy. It is hard. But I haven’t seen any 
reports of traditional real estate marketing working in terms of producing 
buyers that really want to live in cohousing. And it’s very expensive. Printed 
flyers, ads in major publications, etc. The places where I’ve seen this tried 
were in Florida, actually.

The poster had mentioned needing money for marketing and then having each 
household pay $2,500. I don’t think that is the most productive use of time or 
money. Personal contact doesn’t just mean friends and family — it means 
speaking to groups that are likely to also attract people interested in 
community living.

Katie’s point about social media is well-taken. I think I was using “flyers” as 
a generic term for no or low cost right now contacts. Facebook and all the 
others are of the same ilk.

Looking at blogging might be a good way now to get attention. Put up a blog — 
Prairie Spruce has a wonderful one started as soon as they  began organizing. 
It gives the best picture of cohousing that I’ve seen. Entries range from 
informative to funny to inviting. What’s happening in the orchard? Who won the 
curling championship?

http://prairiespruce.com/blog/

“Black Sheep Welcome” is hilarious. personal, and seductive. About a black 
sheep fitting in. Who wouldn’t want to join this group? And especially hear 
more from the author? 

> So when Prairie Spruce announced that we would be participating in a Curling 
> blender at the Tartan Curling rink, I was torn. I wanted to hang out with my 
> cohousing friends, but curling? Seriously, curling? I usually use the phrase 
> ‘I’d rather poke a stick in my eye’ when asked about curling.

> I took a chance and had a great time. Have I returned from the dark side? Has 
> the curling gene finally shown up? Nope. I took my camera along and had a 
> blast taking pictures. Since they were fun four end games, no one cared that 
> I was on the ice taking pictures. It was absolutely the best time I’ve ever 
> had curling. Prairie Spruce fielded (iced?) two teams. Prairie Spruce One was 
> Henning, Warren, Murray, and Suzanne. Prairie Spruce Two was Dave, Lil, 
> Roger, and Knud. We were the only group that fielded two teams, had a team 
> photographer, as well as a cheering section of Kim, Suzanne’s daughter, 
> Laurie and Claire.

> The moral of the story? In cohousing, even black sheep belong!


http://prairiespruce.com/black-sheep-welcome/

> I have found it to be much more challenging to find our committed buyers ever 
> since, especially getting buyers to commit $$ to a project in the early 
> stages. Add to that the fact that younger generations seek their housing in 
> different ways than we did, much more digitally than flyers on bulletin 
> boards. In fact, I think us “old timers” talking about how easy it was to 
> market our communities has been a real disservice to new groups who feel like 
> they are failing because people aren’t flocking to join them. 

Actually, I don’t remember it being so easy in the 1990s and people had lots of 
horror stories. I think our standards have raised so we are more realistic 
about money. We go to the deal-breaker quicker. The failed communities that 
littered the landscape are legendary. One number was only 1 of 10 will get 
built. I don’t hear those sad stories any more. 

Now money is right up there as a first concern. It isn't ignored until 
construction plans start being discussed. People want cohousing _and_ market 
rate middle class homes. I think that is different too. Standards of acceptable 
have changed.

> If we are going to grow the cohousing market, we need to mature our approach 
> and be willing to spend money on marketing like the rest of the housing 
> market does. Otherwise, we have a very limited market of “hard core 
> communitarians.”


I would love to hear which money marketing approaches have produced members who 
made it to move-in. In the past, money brought lots of interest but not takers. 
Our experience with realtors in DC on resales has been dismal. One didn’t even 
show prospects the common house. 

No matter what, I agree that selling a new project is never as easy as it would 
seem it should be. Who wouldn’t jump to live in cohousing?

I’ll write more about blogging in a separate post.

Thanks Katie for clearing that up,

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org