| Would you like to own land by June 2011 and be ready to cob a house in August-September? My husband, our roommate, and I want to join people ready to start a collectively owned community in British Columbia. Our goal is to buy a large parcel of land where we can build cob houses and down the road, cultivate and grow some of our food. Note that buying affordable land close to Vancouver is the goal of this community. Also: This is not a cohousing community; you will be apportioned square footage to build your house out of a large tract of land purchased in common.
A lot of communities have restrictions. We emphasize privacy and freedom. No dietary restrictions or spiritual affiliation is necessary. Responsible use of alcohol and tobacco on your premises is OK.
In fact, this will be a community gathered only for the purposes of buying land, cobbing and thus making life more affordable. Join ONLY if you recognize people’s right do as they please in their own house/ land as long as it doesn’t affect you. Houses should be as far from each other as possible in accordance to the legal water use limits and building restrictions. We especially want to encourage artists and people with building skills to contact us. Shared meals are an individual matter, but this community will not operate on the basis of a shared meal or shared worship model. If this is what you would like, this is not the community for you. We would like this to be affordable: $17,000 per person, $50,000 per family, or less if we get a good piece of land and enough members, and we can get permission to cob that many dwellings and drill the needed wells. You must have your own income. Contact us only if you have at least $15,000 to start and your own income.
Land ownership
There are two standard ways.
1. We pay for land outright and subdivide it later. This is ideal, because it would enable you to have a title to your own plot, so you can sell it, develop it, etc, in your own time. The drawback is that subdividing costs money beyond the initial price of the land.
2. Tenants in Common: we buy the land together, and own it together. The drawback is that you don’t have a title to your parcel, and that, in order to sell or transfer your land each party involved must sign off on any sale of your land.
We want to buy the land outright, but we are open to discuss tenants in common.
Are you ready to own land and stop worrying about the future? Act now.
Please contact me ASAP. Status: new | |
Population Adult Members: 0 (need members) Open to new children: Yes Open to which gender(s): All genders welcome Age Focus: Young Adults :: Middle Age Age Restrictions: No (No alcoholics) | Government Decision Making: By majority rule Leadership Core Group: Yes (Only while it's forming) | Labor and Money Financial Style: Members have independent finances (Members will contribute equally to pay property taxes and expenses such as building permits) Open to Members with Pre-existing Debt: Yes (In each family/household one member must be debt free. To protect the investment and our land, only that member's name will be in the charter. No members with previous debt can be co-owners. Members that acquire debt would have to be taken off title to secure the future of the community. But you will not be asked to leave.) Labor Contribution: Expected (Yes. A group pf people can cob faster. We will all help build all housing. The amount of labor expected from members will vary according to needs, skills and ability. Never more than 20 hours a week/4 hours a day after homes are built. We wil decide these matters together, down the line.) Join Fee: No (We will pay for the land equally and have equal rights.) Regular Fees: Yes (For improvements, taxes, needs.) | Land and Buildings Rural (We would like to buy land less than 2 hours from a major city. for instance, Vancouver) Land Owned By: (we will decide on a land ownership instrument) | Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 1-5% (More as time goes by, and the community learns permaculture.) Share Community Meals: Rarely (This is up to individual members) Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Diet is up to each individual Dietary Practice: Omnivorous Alcohol Use: Used occasionally (Used in your house as you see fit) Tobacco Use: Used Occasionally (Used in your house as you see fit) | Social Factors Open to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and/or Transgender members: Yes Restrictions on Romantic Relationships (between consenting adults): No Shared Spiritual Path: No (Ecumenical.) Which Spiritual Path(s): Other Educational Style(s): Home schooling (up to parents) | |
