Cohousing-L Mailing List: Possible cohousing property on Cape Cod

[David Heimann (heimann]

> > > > >
The things you need to know are: land is expensive and valuable on Cape
Cod; it's likely you will be bidding against one or more developers; the
units need considerable work (as described above).
> > > > >

Hello Lisa and others,

	Since forming cohousing groups often work with developers to get 
the cohousing done, could one of the developers Lisa mentions as likely 
existing be persuaded to work in conjunction with a group of committed 
cohousers, in exchange for their having a ready group of buyers when all 
the spadework is done?  It could be a win-win!

Regards,
David Heimann
Jamaica Plain Cohousing


From: Lisa Wolf <tigerlisa [at] gmail.com>
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
Subject: [C-L]_ possible cohousing property on Cape Cod
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A really nice timeshare resort in Mashpee, Cape Cod, MA will likely be
folding at the end of this year. This property seems ideal for cohousing!
The more I think about it, the better it seems. People could move in right
away, while doing the needed work. We think the resort was built about 40
years ago.

There are thirty-three winterized units with heat and AC. Most have two
bedrooms, while a few of them have three BRs, and one has only one BR. Each
unit has a living room, a den with a removable divider, a kitchen, 2 baths,
and a patio. The units are relatively widely spaced, and the resort is on a
pretty good-sized piece of land. It's shady, however, and the soil is
sandy, so gardening could be a challenge. There's a bike path running the
length of the property, and the ocean is two miles away. Groceries and
shopping are about three or four miles away. The grounds also include
potential common spaces including an office, an in-ground heated pool,
tennis courts, and a separate building, the Lodge, with ping-pong tables,
seating, TV, etc. The individual units each need about $200K of work (roofs
and other structural issues) that the timeshare owners are showing
reluctance to finance, which is what will likely cause its demise as a
timeshare. On the positive side, the unit interiors are in very good shape,
and the grounds have been well-kept. The internet service recently got a
major upgrade.

The things you need to know are: land is expensive and valuable on Cape
Cod; it's likely you will be bidding against one or more developers; the
units need considerable work (as described above). I thought if there was a
forming group that was interested in Cape Cod, this could be a good
option, and knowing about it in advance could help you plan how to proceed.
Contact me off-list for more information. NB the resort does not know I am
putting the word out to a cohousing list!

Crossing my fingers,
Lisa (member of Bay State Cohousing in Malden, MA)
tigerlisa [at] gmail.com