Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: coho and property value

[Rob Sandelin (Exchange) (Robsan]

Todd wrote about impact of property value:

The impact of cohousing on the value of surrounding property is, like most
real estate, subject to the whims of perception. In this society, multiple
family dwellings signify a greater potential for rentals. And renters mean
(to fine upstanding American homeowners): 1) people who don't have as much
investment in their property and may let it run down; 2) people who are
more transient; 3) people who can't afford to buy and are therefore lower
in class.

Right, but is there any reason why cohousing would have any more or less 
impact than any OTHER form of multi-family housing project?  Whereas a 
multi-family project in a single family neighborhood could impact property 
values, why would cohousing have any different effect than non-cohousing 
multi-family projects? I don't see any valid reasons it would, at least none 
that could be proven with any sort of data.  

I guess the real question here is how do cohousing multi-family projects 
compare with non-cohousing multi-family projects in terms of impacts on 
surrounding property values.  My expectation would be that they would be 
exactly the same as I can see nothing in cohousing which would have any 
effect on property value assessments.  

Granted, I have heard numerous examples of how cohousing projects have 
improved the neighborhoods they are part of, but not in any ways which would 
necessarily have an impact on tax assessments or resale of non-cohousing 
neighbors. 

However, to quote Spock: "Captain, the data is insufficient for analysis."

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood