Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Effect on surrounding property values

[Andy Cahn (andycahn]

So, your potential neighbors are worried that their taxes will go up if they 
allow a co-housing project into their neighborhood. At least they're worried 
that their property taxes will go up. It means that they think your project 
will make the neighborhood a more desirable place to live and the value of 
their homes will go up. Turn the question around. Would they prefer that 
their valuations went down, that their neighborhood became a less desirable 
place to live? Property taxes are usually only around 1 or 2 percent of the 
value of the home each year. If, by moving into the neighborhood, you make 
each house  in the neighborhood worth an extra $10,000, each of your new 
neighbors are getting $10,000 in value for a cost of $100-$200 per year. 
Heck, they couldn't borrow money that cheaply. Offer to pay any increase in 
their taxes for them if they'll promise to pay you any increase in the value 
of their home when they sell. I bet when it's put that way to them, they'll 
see the light.

Good luck.

-Andy Cahn
Equinox Cohousing - a newly formed group looking for land in the eastern 
suburbs of Seattle.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Get more from the Web.  FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com