Cohousing-L Mailing List: Liberty Village Progress (fwd)

[Fred H. Olson (fholson]

Ron Petralito   rongroup [at] aol.com 
is the sender of the message below but due to a problem it was
posted by the Fred the list manager: owner-cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org
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With great excitement and appreciation for all who have contributed to making
this a reality, Liberty Village, Maryland's first cohousing community,
announces today that it has signed a development loan with Woodsboro Bank of
Woodsboro, Maryland.   We will begin infrastructure construction of our 38
unit neighborhood in Libertytown, Maryland immediately, with the first modular
home occupied in January 1999.  The fee simple lots that are being sold will
include 34 duplex units, one single family unit, and three full size lots.  Of
these, six lots have been designated for homes designed specifically for the
physically handicapped.

As a group we're all eagerly engaged in the process of selling our current
homes and working out arrangements to buy our lots and begin building.
Turning friends into neighbors is a compelling process.  We're still looking
for a few good neighbors, too!  To find out more about us, we invite you to
visit our new improved website at www.libertyvillage.com , or if you feel like
chatting, call 1-800-400-0621 or email us at info [at] libertyvillage.com

Come Discover Maryland's Friendliest Neighborhood!



More Details:
   We are SELF DEVELOPED with a core design team of an architect, civil\
engineer and an experienced developer.  Looking back now it seems evident that
we did not save time by being self-developed, but we certainly became
determined to succeed.  What we saved financially by being self-developed, we
probably gave up in time.  We lost only three members over those five years
and gained a very dedicated, tight group of 21 families.
   Over the years we have had a lot of TRAINING in conflict resolution,
facilitation of meetings, and consensus and we plan to continue that training
(Laird Schaub is to be here for a three-day training in communication next
weekend).  Five families started this group nine years ago (two remain), got
up to 9 families, lost a piece of property five years ago, dropped back to
five families and started over.
   Our site plan and homes, except the out-lots, were DESIGNED BY OUR
ARCHITECT MEMBER, Ron Petralito, and are to be built by Apex (modular) Homes,
with whom Ron has had a working relationship for several years.  Using Ron's
Modular Designs we are able to offer each family the opportunity to "plug
together" separate kitchen, living room and bedroom design combinations to
create a home that will be tailored to their unique needs and budget
limitations.  By utilizing this approach and modular construction we will
create a community with a variety of home designs while maintaining firm house
costs and timely construction scheduling.

   At a late date (the deal with our selected bank was going nowhere) we
engaged a new MORTGAGE BROKER to secure the site improvement loan.  Within two
weeks he was able to secure term letters from two local banks.  Take heed of
the advice from Katie & Chuck about not trying to arrange financing without a
skilled, informed, and especially, connected mortgage broker.  We believe it
helped when our deal maker became sold on the cohousing idea himself.  His
joking comment was: "So this is where you 60's people are hiding out (we three
presenters are in our fifties)!"  When he also commented that we would have a
lot more community if we got rid of air conditioning and built more front
porches, we knew that we had the right man.  He placed the loan quickly
because he believed in our project (our presentation), and he is well
connected in the local banking community.                         
   It should be noted that our DEVELOPMENT APPRAISER was very happy to have
the contact list of banks and appraisers put together by Denise Meier. His
report was very positive toward cohousing.
   For those of you struggling out there, keep your focus on the ultimate
goal, seek professional help in the areas of site planning, house design and
financing, be persistent, and you WILL make it.  We did and we started in
1989!

Merlin Porter-Borden
Liberty Village Cohousing Community 

"Sometimes (wo)man hits upon a place to which (s)he mysteriouly feels that
(s)he belongs.  Here is the home (s)he sought, and (s)he will settle amid
scenes that (s)he has never seen before, among men (s)he has never known, as
though they were familiar...from...birth.  Here at last (s)he finds
rest. 
                        W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, 1919