Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Reluctant Husbands

[HTilstra (HTilstra]

>From a rational perspective, here are some reasons I can come up with ....

Cohousing can, if smartly implemented, ensure a better quality of living for
your housing dollar. Ignoring the abstract idea of creating a pleasant
neighbourhood which is partially yours, you may be able to afford a better
location and better design in comparison to houses you may currently look at
buying. How?

Opportunity to claim savings from the economies of scale possible. Bottom line
is that land is cheaper per square metre if bought in larger quantities.
Cohousing projects also get more shelter for the dollar if built in a way that
maximises the potential for standardisation of components. 
 
Potential DIY cost-savings (sometimes known as "sweat equity". Once a group is
on agreement about the objectives of the cohousing project, members can
achieve key elements of the project. Most people can learn to tile or paint.
Who cannot plant a tree? You can still save thousands of dollars by "project
managing" the construction. As long as you are consistent in applying the
standardisation principle, you will find potential builders keen to bid
competitively on a tender, which involves the building of 25 units! 
 
Scope for input. Ever doodled designs on a napkin or intrigued by a house in a
magazine? You will not be trying to undo a 1970's extension to a 1920's house.
Whilst a cohousing project in Melbourne may require demolition or
accommodation of an existing structure, you can avoid repiling, rewiring and
replumbing. The scope is here to apply contemporary designs and technology.
 
Likely stamp-duty savings (Australia; imagine other countries may have
comparable tax advantages). As with other off-the-plan purchases, stamp duty
is calculated on the value of the property at time of sale. So, stamp duty
will be based on the cost of your share of the land bought. If you were to
purchase a unit once most of it has been built, you will no longer save on
stamp duty.
 
· Potential access to a particular style of housing not commonly sold on the
market. Most developers will try to squeeze as many 1-bedroom units with as
little storage space as possible on their designs. The objective of a
developer is to make as much money as possible. The objective of a cohousing
group is to achieve as high a quality of life out of a design as attainable.
 
· Better use of land. In typical cohousing projects, cars are kept to the
outside (or underneath), which allows for pedestrian spaces and communal
greens. Commonly, private gardens are at the rear of dwellings. Less land
allocated to roads means more land for space where it matters. 


Hans
(hanstilstra [at] hotmail.com)