[BCN] who wants to buy a house?

Thu Jul 12 15:55:38 EDT 2007

Hello BCN list - I've been asking Micha to post things for me on this list for a while, but thought it was time I joined myself.

I recently had a near miss with buying a house in Jamaica Plain - I made an offer on a rental property owned by a neighbor/friend of mine, asking him to finance the sale himself (rent-to-own), but he didn't go for it, drat.  But I'm really determined to become a homeowner, some way, some how.  This owned home would have to, and I would like it to, involve several other people, probably 5-8, to make it affordable, and I'm looking for those 5-8 people who are interested in settling down and committing to a long-term home.  I think of long-term as 3-30 years.  That home would hopefully be in Jamaica Plain, where I have lived since 1995, but could also be in Roxbury or Dorchester.  It might be organized as a single family or a 2 or 3 family, depending on what works financially and what people prefer.

I don't make a lot of money, but I do have stable employment and good credit.  Alas, there is no trust fund for me, and not much savings to speak of, although I've been working at it.  So buying a house would have to be a very creative endeavor, which may involve forming a co-op corporation, finding an owner willing to do a rent-to-own arrangement, or any number of other creative schemes I haven't thought of yet (maybe you've got ideas).  While I have a lot of respect for the BCC model of zero/shared equity, I would prefer a limited-equity model (I can explain more about what that means if you want to know).  

I am deeply motivated by, and have oriented my life around a commitment to working for a just and equitable society and economy, and against capitalism, racism, militarism, and the associated list of other horrors.  Most of my work in that area involves helping people start cooperative businesses - worker owned co-ops, but also consumer owned and agricultural co-ops.  I relate best to others who are similarly motivated and committed.  That said, I'm also into having a happy and joyful life while I'm here, and to that end I play music with others in a couple of bands, find a lot of joy (and some frustration) in my gardens, and like to do a lot of little creative projects.  I find joy in my friends, and like being around a lot of people.  I don't like loud or late parties, or being around people who are habitually wasted.

What I want in a home is this: ideally I'd like to live in a vegan household (although I don't eat strictly vegan myself) with a robust love of cooking and sharing wholesome, healthy food.  (Actually, I love my present home and roommates and ideally I'd continue living there, if it weren't for the damned landlord getting fat off our hard-earned rent money).  It's important to me that we are mindful and do what we can to eat locally, minimize our waste, conserve energy and fuel, and are involved in the social and political life of the neighborhood.  I'd be into some big hippie projects like solar heating, composting toilets and greywater systems, and a pedal-powered washing machine!  As much as I like people in their 20s, I don't want to live in a house that's dominated by that age demographic, I'd like to live with older people, some genuine old folks, and people with kids!  (I'm 33.)  I would like to relate to my roommates as people and friends without our interactions
 being governed by too many rules and formalities.  Such as, house meetings are good, but I don't want to *twinkle* at the people I live with.  And I'd rather just learn where everything in the kitchen is kept, than go labeling everything (I don't want the kitchen to look like a church basement).  And maybe most importantly, I try my hardest to be dependable and reliable, to follow through on what I've said I'll do, and I like the same in other people.  If I see that something's broken, I fix it.  If I don't know how to fix it, I find out.  If I need a tool to fix it, I go buy or borrow it, I don't use my roommate's nice kitchen knives or sewing scissors instead.  Those are important things to me, that people take responsibility and continually develop their capabilities.  I love buildings (I work in construction), and I want to live with people who will love and take care of the place they live in.

....OK this is getting to be way too much information for just an introductory email, so I'll stop, even though I could go on (that's another thing, I'm thorough).  The main thing is, if this sounds good so far, if you've been enjoying life in a co-op but wished it were more permanent and secure, wished people didn't move in and out so much, maybe we should talk.  Again, there is no house yet!  I'm not advertising a room for rent, or calling a meeting.  I just want to meet individual people who are potentially interested this idea, might want to get together over coffee or something and talk over possibilities.  Please get in touch if this sounds like you...

Solid,
Stacey Cordeiro

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