It would be fair to say that most Americans believe the ideal is to buy their own nice, big house, fill it with furniture and other “stuff” and have their own shiny car sitting in the driveway. It isn’t called the American Dream for nothing! That ideal isn’t surprising since American society in general tends to place a great value on individual rights and property.
Scott Burns, a popular personal finance columnist, points out, “Prosperity has raised our expectations. We expect to own our house, to have our own bedroom, our own bathroom, our own car, our own phone (preferably mobile), our own TV set, and we want to eat what we want for dinner, not what everyone else is having.”
However, he says, “That makes life very expensive.”
Energy costs and the price of food and other basics are going up and not likely to come down anytime soon, making many mid-lifers worry about how they will make retirement ends meet.
Many people are also beginning to become disenchanted with the excesses of consumerism and would like to simplify their lives. Perhaps the kids have flown the nest and downsizing makes sense. Or, the idea of living with good friends or family within walking distance becomes more appealing as we get a little older.
In the face of these trends, the idea of settling into a close-knit community that fosters social interaction and significantly reduces living costs becomes much more appealing. One such option that is gaining momentum is called co-housing. While it takes a number of different forms in practice, it has some essential characteristics.
