members pay at‑cost for stays
buying‑in with shares as a co‑owner either
part‑time coliving from €2k/month
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What's a coliving hub?
A shared home and workspace, where we also share some of our purpose and learnings.
For a workation to escape routine, as a retreat to dig into projects, or as a base.
Be you an entrepreneur, remote worker, digital nomad, a creative, or anything else!
Learn about coliving at some of our favourites, Sun and Co in Spain, Nine in the Canaries and Playworking in Montenegro. So what if we owned one collectively to use at-cost…?!
We're creating amazing new spaces—reinvigorating old ones!
Benefit from shared facilities (cinema, bikes, workspaces, ice-cream maker, …).
Get closer to nature whilst remaining connected to the wider world.
Stay affordably, buying into use of properties as you are able.
Be part of community respecting innovation and independence.
Our purpose as a member-owned housing co‑operative will be providing affordable co‑ownership, giving us flexible and guarenteed use of spaces at cost.
As participants in a dynamic ecosystem we share its opportunities whilst generating rental revenue as a social enterprise — reinvesting in hosting workshops, talks, and activities, enriching not just ourselves, but the wider community. By embracing diversity and serendipity as a community we shall create vitality in our lives!
By doing it collectively, we reduce our footprints and enhance the effects, across locations…
Facilities to accommodate all of us…
- choice of accommodations — studios, ensuite, basic rooms, 'pods'
- dedicated coworking — separate lively and quiet workspaces
- a lounge, casual areas, library and privacy nooks
- outdoor space, ideally with sauna and firepit/bbq
- close to public transit and shops
- multiple station kitchen and dining for collaborative cookups
- address use and luggage storage for the (digital) nomads amongst you
- a minibus for communal trips
- strolls from the door and activities nearby
The original campaign
- conversion of an old mill in the Portuguese mountains with a direct train to Lisbon
- many hundreds interested with 135 pledges for launch (stats)
- I met the town council and some of us visited during a parsnip festival(!)
- rejected as too much work and risk for a first effort, also the umm pandemic…
The plan—part deux—the south of France🇫🇷
We've two paths to choose between, if you pledge you get to decide which!
A. Smaller satellites <€100k6–12 rooms plus pods · few facilities · cheap so quickly adding multiple locations
B. A larger hub >€100k12–24 rooms and dedicated cohousing · many facilities · quite rare
We can only move ahead as more of you pledge to be part of it. Join-in to participate in a community you can return to, at-cost for whatever share you own—from just €1500. Make your pledge, join our FB group to ask questions, or contact jacob@hub.house / +33652516291.
What's a pledge? — Simply your expression of interest to join the co-operative, paying for shares only if you approve of the chosen property. Otherwise you simply walk away.
Whilst there's tons of choice for satellite properties, even one with its own hot spring(!) — the best candidate for a larger hub in the Cévennes, could be acquired with a few more pledges for cohousing around €25k (~45m2). Its village has shops, a station, even tennis, all at the door…
Why France?
It's cheap for acquisiton and there's no surprises. Property sales have fallen through the roof, over 2000 agents closed in the past 2 years — combine with new renovation requirements for rentals that owners don't want to pay for, thus prefer to sell giving an excellent opportunity for conversion. More to the point, I'm familiar with the country having done renovation here. Infrastructure is good, and everything runs like clockwork. Well, except when they're on strike…
It's sorely overlooked amongst digital nomads due to generally being expensive, yet exceptionally popular for tourism, thus appealing for anyone wanting to escape their home-office for a while! There are many possible regions, such as…
The lower Cévennes / Saint-Ambroix
Super appealing with tons to explore – the excellent Cèze and Ardèche river gorges, and (as a daytrip) the famous Pont du Gard roman aqueduct, plus up into mountains. Not to mention the small towns of Anduze, Uzès and Alès. Really offers everything.
How might I use it?
The ideal use for Hub House co-ownership is to have roots and wings — an annual retreat or base that you come back to between travels. If you're less nomadic, bigger properties will offer full-time cohousing.
- come back every year (at different times!) to meet new folks and particpate in events
- stay some months to focus on work, freeing yourself to enjoy travels at other times
- if you're location independent, use as a base, storing seasonal clothes for when needed—perfect if you're not a minimalist
- to have and decorate a space of your own, using cohousing as a homebase, travelling sometimes
- save money staying longer and spend more on shorter escapes elsewhere
- stay in cheaper apartments during travels, and come back for the community
- come to meet nomad friends who can easily stay in the same place with you
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Help promote and build the community!
Do you know folks whom you'd like to share such a community with? Earn free coliving shares for every referral that you introduce to the community. Simply submit your email, and either tell folks to give your contact details when they pledge or use your unique referral link. If they're accepted as a member and purchase shares (ex. investment) they'll get a 5% discount and you'll also get 5% in shares. (This will be funded by a 10% increase on the cost of later shares.)
Your email:
We're running it together—to all have a stake!
Whether you participate as a co-owner, an investor, or simply visit on rental, you do so as a member of our cooperative society, functioning within the space as a do-ocracy. To join us make a pledge then once we've agreed our plans, you'll be invited to apply for our community shares…
The simple way to consider how it works as a member is that when you buy into the co-op (with shares), you get to use the co-op's facilities at cost, proportional to its capacity (fractional use) for the value of shares you hold. Put even just a small amount of money into the co-op for a significant discount on coliving accommodation. When it no longer suits anymore, you can withdraw your shares to get the money you paid back.
Operations
- incorporated as a Co-operative Society in the UK for the mutual benefit of its members
- fractional co-ownership with community shares, returning their cost if you withdraw them*
- guaranteed use rights and value codified in the co-op rules held by the regulator
- flexible booking with at least 35% unallocated advance capacity
- volunteer staff (with stipends) looking after maintenance, driving and some catering
- maintenance fund covers costs into the future to avoid bad surprises
- community fund from revenue surplus allows us to invest in good surprises — events and new facilities
- may expand as a network of multiple properties exchanging co-owner use
- may expand to include premium commercial properties and those serving more specific needs such as for families and older age
(The following are indicative.)
Operational costs cover our recurring expenses for utilities, volunteers, and (importantly!) maintenance/renewals:
- ~€300 per month member expenses for any time with your shares
- else ~€350 (pod) – €950 (plus) per month for rentals (mid-season)
Capital costs are what we're raising to purchase, renovate and fit-out the property, split between multiple shareholders:
- coliving shares give use of the facilities at cost, flexibly adjusting to less time in a better unit or season (studio, summer), or more in a cheaper (pod, winter)
- cohousing shares (where available) give dedicated use of a private unit and all facilities, at cost (with your own fitout and decoration)
- preference shares give dividends up to 10% (potentially contributing to cost-free stays)
If you stay longer than your share value or have none, you pay the standard rental rates. If you don't use your credit, you can trade it with other members, or give to a friend.
With more properties we'll gain more freedom and variety whilst still bumping into some of the same people within a larger community network!
Your instigator is…
Jacob Jay — I created the first ever coliving hub offering public access coworking alongside short and long term accommodation (10 rooms +bunks) as a social-enterprise, operating 4 years from 2010 in Delhi. After closing due a lease hike, the idea of co-ownership came to me. Location independent almost since birth(!) I understand the value of both having a base, and escaping to new places.
I'm looking for more founding members! You'll join me in ratifying the co-op's articles for incorporation, buying-in first with me. See the pledge page or reach out. The board will initially be the founding members, as I'm not proposing coliving peers this time around.
Say hi jacob@hub.house anytime, or meet me (from June 20th) for Bansko Nomad Fest, and join the likely many coliving debates… If you pledge, we'll have calls and arrange visits together.
Our values… we don't believe in believing too much!
🧙 Diversity and 🧚 dynamism.
How can I join-in?
For a bunch more details, see the questions page.
- pledge (below), confirming with €1
- join the facebook group where we can participate in general discussion
- vote on properties to visit and put together plans — or simply wait for final candidate
- a group visits will be arranged (join the whatsapp)
- founding members form the co-op (see structure below) purchasing shares towards acquisition
- when pledges and plans match, the founding members will vote to open membership
- you'll be able to buy into the co-op with a deposit on your shareholding
- an offer will be made for purchase and if accepted the desposit paid
(may repeat, with members able to withdraw their deposit if changed) - the remaining shareholdings will be paid to conclude purchase and get the keys
(taking 2–3 months) - any final members will join, closing funding for renovations
…or get updates: