A really good summary of cohousing from the Quicken Loans web site, of all places. For folks new to cohousing, this is an excellent one-page summary of what it is, the pros, and the cons.
I don't rate the article's cons very highly: most cohousing groups have decided on a governance and decision-making structure before they build, and if you're going into a cohousing arrangement then you will have (or should have) done your homework to know understand that you can participate in social events to the extent that's comfortable to you.
The fourth bullet under Cons though -- "Limited Sales Market" -- that's an interesting point. Cohousing communities do need a solid re-sale plan for when a unit goes on the market. And, from the community's POV, they want to know that the person entering their community understands what they're doing and the community they're joining.
A triffic article on an ecovillage community in New Zealand.
Here's the passage that headline's quote is drawn from (and possibly also addressing some of the Cons from the Quicken Loans article above):
It's not always rainbows and sunshine living this lifestyle, says Hendra.
"There's quite a big transition when people first move in here, some people do it quite quickly, others take a longer time. But one of our guiding principles is about being sympathetic to that. Part of that process is realising that you're not going to be best friends with everybody, but you can be civil, and you can be respectful, and you can work together on like-minded things."
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