“So it’s a commune?” It’s the question we hear most often, and the short answer is no. Cohousing and communes are both alternatives to the usual way we live, but they work very differently. Here’s how.
You own your own home
In a commune, property and money are often held in common. In a Circle Living neighbourhood, you buy your own home and own it like any other property, with your own kitchen, bathroom and front door. What you share is the space between the homes: gardens, play areas, a workshop and a common house for meals and celebrations.
Your finances stay your own
There’s no shared income and no shared bank account. Each household earns its own living, pays its own bills and makes its own choices. Neighbours contribute to the upkeep of shared spaces, much like a body corporate.
Decisions are shared, not your private life
Residents have a real say in how the neighbourhood is run, from garden plans to the common house calendar. But decisions about your own home and your own life stay with you. During the Founding Circle, future neighbours learn simple, fair ways of making decisions together, so meetings stay focused and everyone is heard.
Community, with a door you can close
You might share a meal in the common house, help with a working bee or celebrate a birthday together. Or you might stay home with a book. Joining in is a choice, not an obligation. That balance is what makes cohousing work for so many different people.
Designed for connection
Cohousing neighbourhoods are deliberately planned so that everyday paths cross: homes face shared gardens, the common house sits at the heart of the site, and there are places to stop and talk. Connection happens naturally, without anyone forcing it.
Open to everyone
There’s no required belief system and no leader to follow. Our neighbourhoods are home to young families, older singles, couples and empty-nesters. What brings people together is wanting deeper connections with those around them and a lighter footprint on the earth.
Find out more
Curious whether cohousing could suit you? Watch our latest Open Hour, read how it works, or register your interest to hear first about new neighbourhoods. It’s free and doesn’t commit you to anything.
