members pay at‑cost for stays
buying‑in with shares as a co‑owner
for part‑time coliving from €2k,
Hello there! I'm Jacob, mildly nomadic, and yes digital — yet grounded in the real world. Having founded the first coliving hub having public coworking, in 2010 in Delhi (of all places!?), I've embarked on a new project, now looking for adventurous community-minded folks to join me buying a big old ruin (okay, not quite!) in France🇫🇷 to turn into a great community space and base!
Yours-truly (right) with one of the cool owners of Bansko Nomad Fest who's doing something similar, they bought an Auberge in Switzerland, and you may have heard of the huge Semkovo coliving in Bulgaria with its 225 units also as a co-op…
This approach is focussed on guaranteed flexible use through part ownership (also dedicated units) — growing to multiple properties amongst which we may roam or base ourselves.
Pre-pandemic I found an old mill in the Portuguese mountains and had hundreds of you interested; I met the town council and some of us visited during a parsnip festival(!) but ultimately rejected it, also umm pandemic travel…
I'm looking to restart the project, since doing renovations here in France I'm now selling my current one so am keen to find folks to collaborate with in creating a great new dynamic space next. I'm also open to splitting in another country too (Albania, Portugal,…?) so just let me know if you're up for such a crazy plan!
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!
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. With fractional shares for part-time use, dedicated units, or as an investment…
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'll create vitality in our lives!
By doing it collectively, we reduce our footprints and enhance the effects, across locations…
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 have fallen through the roof, 2000+ agents closed, and new renovation requirements for rentals means owners 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.
Candidate properties
- 40mins to beach in Haut Languedoc ⭐️
600+m2 ~€135k · best all-rounder for towns and nature; few dedicated units - borders of the Cevennes and Ardeche
1500m2 €93k· fab diverse nature, many cheap dedicated units - bottom of the central Pyrenees
2000m2 ~€150k · more intentional living, tinyhomes, but less varied attractions - edge of a medieval town in the Averyon
2600m2 ~€175k · ginormous with good land, decent attractions, big private apartments
All these have stations! Which could be best for us depends how many of us join-in. I'm simply tempted to grab a cute but tatty little one needing work myself, then whoever joins-in to help and use part-time can (stakes from just a couple thousand euros) — smaller would mean more locations in other countries faster. Yet being more purposeful with a bigger hub would be amazing if say just ten of us stuck €20k together to get started — offering performance spaces, workshops, dedicated units/tinyhouses and more!
Most of course require works — at least new fitout giving optimal layouts and facilities. I've not looked much at ready-to-use but there are some hotels. If we plan well, rewarding volunteers, seasonal contractors, and our own contributions, cost can be kept low for great value on par with projects nowhere near western Europe. (But see the caveats!)
Get on board Make a pledge…
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.
This project requires your support — I'll only move ahead if you pledge to be part of it — so why not 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 promote and build the community!
Do you know folks whom you'd like to participate in the community with? Earn shares for everyone that you introduce whilst helping to move the project forward. 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…
- 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
- have and decorate your own space, using cohousing as a homebase, travelling sometimes
- save money staying longer and spend more on shorter escapes elsewhere
- come to meet nomad friends who can easily stay in the same place with you
Get updates:
We'll run it together—to all have a stake!
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 your share of 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. (About the model…)
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†
- guaranteed use rights codified in the co-op rules held by the regulator
- flexible booking with at least 30% 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:
- <€300 per month member expenses for any time with your shares
lower for cohousing/dedicated units
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 or have none, you pay the standard rental rates. If you don't use all your share, you can trade with other members‡.
Our values… we don't believe in believing too much!
🧙 Diversity and 🧚 dynamism.
How can I join-in?
- pledge, confirming with €1
- join the whatsapp France group
- vote on and debate properties for plans to be created
- a group visit will be arranged for best candidate
- founding members form the co-op purchasing shares
- when pledges and plans match, founding members will open membership
- you'll buy into the co-op with a deposit towards your shareholding
- an offer will be made for purchase and if accepted its deposit paid
(may repeat, with members able to withdraw their deposit) - shareholdings will be paid up to conclude purchase and get the keys
- later members will join, closing funding for renovations
(late-issue shares shall have a higher cost) - any unused funds will be returned to shareholders
(could be used to acquire shares in the next property)
See the questions page for more details.