Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Phased move-in

[Richard Pendleton (rmp011]

Nubanusit Neighborhood & Farm in Peterborough, NH did phased move in.  Many
folks (patient ones at that) moved in during construction.  

I would not assume the mortgage folks would withhold a mortgage (they didn't
for our buyers).  Furthermore if the common amenities (we are technically a
condominium) are not complete, the buyer (or bank) could withhold the $
representing that amount to build said amenity.  At least one buyer asked
about that but went ahead with 100% in the end.  No banks required any
withhold.


As well as the great comments others have offered, also think about
construction safety around residents during phased move in.  

We still have homes available!  www.peterboroughcohousing.org

If you have more questions let me know.

> - ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:45:33 -0700
> From: Kristin Wells <cbuilderdd [at] gmail.com>
> Subject: [C-L]_ Phased move-in
> To: Cohousing-L <Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org>
> Message-ID:
>       <b53160490903270845q39f4c36ev47c9ac83b2cd184b [at] mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> We are about half way through construction and it appears as though half
> of
> our buildings will be done a couple months ahead of the other half due to
> the way construction has moved around the site. We are interested in the
> possibility of allowing people to move in once their building is
> completed.
> I tried to look up this topic on the archives, but wasn't having much
> luck.
> 
> Our initial talk with a mortgage broker said it would be extremely
> unlikely
> that banks would allow a mortgage to close if the entire project wasn't
> complete. The common house is part of the latter half as well. She did say
> that for cash buyers, it shouldn't be a problem, but there aren't too many
> of those.
> 
> It is looking like the city will allow it.
> 
> Do any communities have experience with this? What did you find? Let me
> know
> if I need to explain more.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> - --
> Kristin Wells
> Daybreak Cohousing, LLC
> 503.754.6776
> Kristin [at] daybreakcohousing.org
> www.daybreakcohousing.org
> 
> 
> - ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:09:52 EDT
> From: NetiPotLady [at] aol.com
> Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Phased move-in
> To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
> Message-ID: <ccb.46e10762.36fe5450 [at] aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> 
> Stone Curves Cohousing In Tucson, AZ was built in phases and people  moved
> into Phase 1 before Phase 2 was completed.  I believe this was  set up
> this way
> before construction began.  Our Common House was the first  building
> completed
> and then 20 homes in Phase 1.
> 
> Gina Kruse
> Stone Curves Cohousing
> 136 E. Limberlost Dr. #101
> Tucson, AZ  85705
> (520) 327-1336
> _ Netipotlady@aol.com_ (mailto:Netipotlady [at] aol.com)
> 
> 
> In a message dated 3/27/2009 8:45:55 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
> cbuilderdd [at] gmail.com writes:
> 
> 
> We  are about half way through construction and it appears as though half
> of
> our buildings will be done a couple months ahead of the other half due  to
> the way construction has moved around the site. We are interested in  the
> possibility of allowing people to move in once their building is
> completed.
> I tried to look up this topic on the archives, but wasn't having  much
> luck.
> 
> Our initial talk with a mortgage broker said it would be  extremely
> unlikely
> that banks would allow a mortgage to close if the entire  project wasn't
> complete. The common house is part of the latter half as  well. She did
> say
> that for cash buyers, it shouldn't be a problem, but  there aren't too
> many
> of those.
> 
> It is looking like the city will  allow it.
> 
> Do any communities have experience with this? What did you  find? Let me
> know
> if I need to explain  more.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> - --
> Kristin Wells
> Daybreak  Cohousing,  LLC
> 503.754.6776
> Kristin [at] daybreakcohousing.org
> www.daybreakcohousing.org
> _________________________________________________________________
> Cohousing-L  mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at:
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> - ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 4
> Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:38:38 -0700
> From: Raines Cohen <rc3-coho-L [at] raines.com>
> Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Phased move-in
> To: Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Message-ID:
>       <285bce120903270938j3f4e84aekb803cdf4c0df2682 [at] mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> Kristin,
> Congratulations on having the end in sight! I'm looking forward to
> visiting
> Daybreak on one of my swings through Portland.
> 
> I think you'll find that as construction finishes, mortgages close, and
> people move in to their new cohousing homes, people get too busy to post
> much on the list. This phase tends to last for about a year, so move-in
> and
> first-year stories are underrepresented in the Coho-L community.
> 
> There are precedents for phased development, especially if specifically
> planned for in project design, but banks and cities are nervous,
> especially
> these days, about being left to clean up after condo developers cash in on
> the first few quick sales and leave town with an unfinished project. So,
> they tend to require things like:
> 
> - Shared resources like common houses completed
> - Completion bonds posted to guarantee that all elements will be finished
> - Signed contracts with deposits on all remaining units
> 
> If your members are relying on investments in the construction loan to be
> credited as down-payments as part of their purchase, or other funds
> rerouted
> as "silent seconds" to help people with affordability, you may find it
> impossible to close on those loans until all loans close; at Swan's Market
> Cohousing (Oakland, CA), we worked for several years to coordinate with a
> single lender to close 17 of the 20 loans simultaneously, so our loan to
> the
> lender would get credited as a down-payment in the escrow process. A cash
> buyer was able to close slightly ahead of the rest.
> 
> That said, I'd imagine any lender right now would be enthusiastic about
> loaning on a fully-sold-in-advance green project, given the alternatives
> in
> the market.
> 
> Separate from the financing, something to be aware of is that if some
> members move in and get in the habit of community living without a common
> house up and running, then it is often harder to build the habits of using
> the CH, common meals, etc. into your routines. In addition, you can get
> into
> "old" and "new" camps if you're not careful about integrating the early-
> and
> later-movers together.
> 
> Raines Cohen, Cohousing Coach http://www.CohousingCoach.com/
> Planning for Sustainable Communities
> at Berkeley (CA) Cohousing
> 
> On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 8:45 AM, Kristin Wells <cbuilderdd [at] gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
> >
> > We are about half way through construction and it appears as though half
> of
> > our buildings will be done a couple months ahead of the other half due
> to
> > the way construction has moved around the site. We are interested in the
> > possibility of allowing people to move in once their building is
> completed.
> > I tried to look up this topic on the archives, but wasn't having much
> luck.
> >
> > Do any communities have experience with this? What did you find? Let me
> > know
> > if I need to explain more.
> 
> 
> - ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 5
> Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:34:42 -0400
> From: Sharon Villines <sharon [at] sharonvillines.com>
> Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Phased move-in
> To: Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Message-ID: <4C89B95A-F62E-4645-B1D5-7EFCD1579CB1 [at] sharonvillines.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
> 
> 
> On Mar 27, 2009, at 11:45 AM, Kristin Wells wrote:
> 
> > Do any communities have experience with this? What did you find? Let
> > me know
> > if I need to explain more.
> 
> We moved in in two halves. The city just has to do a C of O on each
> half -- we are adjoined units. The unfinished units were fenced off.
> And we didn't have access to the CH at first.
> 
> The only negative of that was that others had to wait and were
> "seconds" in a certain sense. But on the other hand, we had figured
> out a lot of stuff before they got here so it was easier for them.
> Just be sure to include the people who are not living there. Once
> those of us in the first wave were onsite, dinners, etc. began
> happening without being announced on the email list. This excluded
> people who were already feeling left out.
> 
> One thing I was dumbstruck by is that this is the only time you will
> ever be in a situation where people are ALL moving in and unpacking at
> the same time. That experience was overpowering. I don't think anyone
> had thought about it or prepared for it.
> 
> In college there is that first day when everyone shows up with a van
> full of stuff but this was whole houses of stuff -- plus dogs and kids
> and bikes and cars. They moved in one day and their stuff was
> delivered a week or two later. The elevator breaks down because it's
> over-stressed. Magnify college times 10.
> 
> PLUS nothing works. The kinks are still in the pipes and electrical
> systems. That one outlet never got wired. They have to inspect to be
> sure of this or that. I was in the first wave and construction people
> were in and out all day long.
> 
> Everyone was stressed. No one could find anything. No one knew the
> neighborhood that well. Several of us had lost our apartments because
> we thought we were moving and then there would be another delay. So we
> moved into rooms in the area. We at least knew something about where
> to find a dry cleaners or grocery store. The liquor store was right up
> the street.
> 
> Practically everyone who hadn't lost an apartment had sold houses and
> moved in with parents or friends. Their stuff had been in storage for
> months and they had not a clue which box things were in.
> 
> And the pile of cardboard boxes was a wonder to behold every day. That
> went on for months and months as people continued to  unpack. I'm not
> sure how soon we had recycling. The second wave certainly didn't have
> to scrounge for boxes.
> 
> Just do everything you can to keep the group whole if you move in in
> halves.
> 
> Sharon
> - ----
> Sharon Villines
> Takoma Village Cohousing,Washington DC
> http://www.takomavillage.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> - ------------------------------
> 
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> 
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