collective live+work spaces for people going placeswith purpose
🎪like-minded housemates
🏇 nearby activities
🖥 practical workspaces
🛋️ shared facilities
🤝at-cost use with co-ownership in a co-op
a community-ownedgathering placeand basefor purposeful professionalsseeking dynamism and diversity
members pay at‑cost for stays around €275/month,
buying‑in with shares as a co‑owner
for part‑time coliving from €2k/month,
dedicated units from €25k, or for investment
Hello there! I'm Jacob, mildly nomadic, and yes digital — yet grounded in the real world. I founded the first coliving hub having public coworking, back in 2010 in Delhi (of all places!?). I'm now looking for adventurous community-minded folks to join me in buying a big old ruin (okay, not quite!) in France🇫🇷 to turn into a great community space and base!
I'm restarting the project as having since done renovations here in France, I'm now selling my current base and am keen to find more of you to join me — whether for a small stake or a dedicated unit. I'm also open to splitting for something in another country too (Albania, Portugal,…?) so let me know if you're up for such a crazy plan!
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!
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 guaranteed use of spaces at cost. Either with fractional shares for part-time use, or dedicated units.
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…
For updates, join the growing community:
Better still, scroll down to make a pledge!
The plan –part deux– the south of France🇫🇷
It's cheap to buy and there's no surprises, except maybe how many pastries you can eat. Property sales fell through the roof, over 2000 agents closed, and with new renovation requirements for rentals that owners don't want to pay, they prefer to sell. Infrastructure is good, and everything runs like clockwork. Well, except when they're on strike…
It's sorely overlooked amongst digital nomads, yet absurdly popular with tourists. There are many possible regions, such as…
The lower Cévennes
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, but fewer properties.
The western Averyon
Far inland, very green and quaintly rural but less adventurous amongst medieval towns, villages and deep meandering river valleys. Many properties, frequently having gardens.
Candidate properties
There's quite a few (see list and initial evalutions). Which might best suit, depends how many of us join-in and what most of us would prefer. I'm simply tempted to grab a cute but ramshackle little one needing work at around €75k myself, then see who else joins to help and use part-time (from just a couple thousand euros!). Yet a big hub could be amazing if say just ten of us stuck €20k together to get started…
A. Smaller satellites <€100k
part-time use · fewer facilities · faster to add more locations
B. Bigger hub >€100k
dedicated cohousing · many facilities (land, festivals!) · multigenerational
Of course all require work, a new fitout to enable optimal layouts and facilities. If we're careful choosing, using well-rewarded volunteers, seasonal contractors, and our own contributions to the effort, the cost can be kept low for very good value, at moderate running costs.
What's a pledge? — Simply your expression of interest to join the co-operative, paying for shares only if we all approve a property. Otherwise simply walk away.
I'll only move ahead as more of you pledge to be part of it, so join-in to participate in a community you can return to, at-cost for whatever share you own. Join our WhatsApp group to stay up to date, or contact jacob@hub.house.
Help build and promote the community!
Do you know folks whom you'd like to participate in the community with? Earn shares for everyone that you introduce. Simply make sure you've subscribed with your email and tell folks to give your details when they pledge. If they purchase shares (first phase only; ex. investment) and are accepted as a member, they'll get a 5% discount and you'll get 5% as shares.
Please contact me to let me know other contact details, or if you need a referral link as people you know will remember to give your details, but those you don't, won't…
How might I use it?
With facilities to accommodate all of us…
close to public transit and shops
strolls from the door and activities nearby
choice of accommodation — studios, ensuite, basic rooms, 'pods'
ergonomic coworking — separate lively and quiet workspaces
a lounge, casual areas, library and privacy nooks
outdoor space, ideally with sauna and firepit/bbq
multiple station kitchen and dining for collaborative cookups
address use and luggage storage for the (digital) nomads amongst you
a minibus for communal trips
The ideal use is having both roots and wings, an annual retreat or base that you come back to…
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
Whether you participate as a co-owner, an investor, or simply visit on rental, you will 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 for the shares 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 rentals revenue surplus allows us to invest in good surprises
may expand as a network of multiple properties exchanging co-owner use
(The following are indicative.)
Operational costs cover recurring expenses for utilities, volunteers, and (importantly!) maintenance/renewals:
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% (for potentially 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.
Our values… we don't believe in believing too much! 🧙 Diversity and 🧚 dynamism.
