Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Expect a spurt in coho unit sales / turnover / development?

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On Mar 28, 2013, at 9:32 AM, Fred H Olson <fholson [at] cohousing.org> wrote:

> 3/25 Sharon V wrote:
> 
>> we will have a huge number of turn overs this year -- 6 units. That is
>> a sea change. Tsunami is not too much of a stretch.
> 
> Has the real estate market recovered enough that we are about to have
> a big spurt in turnover (and development) generally?  If so, what are
> the consequences of that?  The quote from Sharon suggests it would be
> a mixed blessing.  Change can be difficult.

The changes here don't have a lot to do with the market or the economy except 
indirectly as any market would. In a booming economy some people "cash out" and 
pursue new opportunities. Our changes are:

1. One person who had had difficulty for years finding the job he wanted in DC 
found it in Vermont where he went to college. Was happy moving back.
2. One was a move for health reasons -- to assisted living. 
3. Another probable move to assisted living. 
4. One to an area of the country where the person always wanted to live and is 
near aging and ill parents. 
5. One to live on a boat-- an adventure that was a long time dream. They are 
not selling and may return but not promising.
6. One to a larger house for more children nearer grandparents and family. 
7. One to avoid a long commute to a new job and a larger house to accommodate a 
grandmother/childcare provider.
8. One because of a terminal illness.
9. One to a new cohousing community in an area of the country where she had 
previously lived and is ready to go back.

That's a lot of planned moves that will take place this year and next but I 
don't think any were because of the market. Even the timing is personal and not 
always convenient. Some were planned several years ago. Two units have been 
rented for 1-2 years because they weren't selling and now seem to have buyers 
so we lost founding members and now lose the renting households.

Change is certainly difficult. It means interesting new people but it also 
means a period of education and heavy support as they learn their way around. 
Much of this is what a household experiences anytime they move but we know 
about it more than if a new family moved in to the neighborhood.

Plus since we are losing some founding members and children who were born here, 
it's hard to welcome new people you are missing or grieving for the old. 

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org