Page 12 RAEM June 1982 The au thor and a friend Rusty Park © Matrix Institute Have you discussed your hopes and dreams? Are you willing to commit your energy and money come hell or high water? To Love, Honor, and Convey How To Create A Communal Ownership Contract Owning land or buying a house doesn't mean you have to be — or get — rich. Nor does it mean you have to join or form a community with lots of people. You can do it with just a few close friends. I know. The communal ownership contract described below made it possible for four of us to buy 40 beautiful acres with an initial investment per person no higher than $4000 and in one case as low as $1000. Here's how. — Mark Roseland © by Becky West Buying land (or a house) communally can be a piece of cake. All you need is a place that grabs your heart, a small amount of money, and plenty of time to do your homework. A successful and happy purchase of 40 undeveloped acres in Oregon with three other people prompts me to share this information. We bring to our land a diversity of knowledge and experience. We are a writer, a nurse, a medical technologist and a special education teacher, of various ethnic and regional backgrounds. None of us have high-paying jobs, none of us have lots of money. What we all have is a vision, a common desire to live on, own and care for land. We found trust, knowledge, and the relationships you have with each other to be the essential ingredients for communal ownership. (Hopefully, lots of trust and knowledge.) Have you discussed your hopes and dreams? Are your attitudes toward life similar? Are you willing to commit your energy and your money for a period of time come hell or high water? Although your contract will set the structure for your legal interactions, your day-to-day interactions will be much less defined. Begin with the intricacies of group dynamics. Assure one another of your willingness to be open, honest, and flexible. This is your foundation. Make it unshakeable. With your interpersonal relationships clarified, it is time to look at some contractual considerations which you can later tailor to your particular needs. The following factors are integral to a successful and legal communal ownership contract. They are stated here briefly in a checklist form to provide the contract designer easy access to important considerations. This model may not
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc4NTAz