homestead in community in Western Massachusetts

Great opportunity for owner/builder to build your own home on 99 year leased land owned by the Valley Community Land Trust, in Colrain MA. No payment for the land, and about $100/month lease fee. Own your own home and build equity. For more info see:http://vclt.org/VanNuys . Beautiful location on quiet road, 10 minute drive from Greenfield, MA . You'll have 2 other VCLT homeowner lessee neighbors, one already living in old farmhouse, all sharing 30+ acres, with each exclusively leasing 1.5-2.5 acres beneath their homes.2 lots available- you and your friend can help each other build your own homes and live happily ever after!

Al Ladd wrote:Great opportunity for owner/builder to build your own home on 99 year leased land owned by the Valley Community Land Trust
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Own your own home and build equity.
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Sounds wonderful! Curious what you mean by build equity. Generally, "lease" means NOT owning something, "equity" means owning something, and "build equity" means to gradually own a larger and larger fraction of something until you eventually own the whole.

So a lessee who builds a house on the Trust's land would have 100% equity in the home they build (unless they borrowed money to do it) immediately without any building up to it, and they'd never ever have any equity in the land they lease. Right? Am I misunderstanding something?

Yup, you've got it. The homeowner doesn't own the land, but does own the "improvements", home and buildings, and has the right to sell them if and when they leave, though at an appraised value that makes sure the land value is removed. Community Land Trusts started out with a rural/land reform mission, but have gravitated more towards urban missions addressing affordable housing. Ours was started in the late 70's, and is sort of unusual now. Check out VCLT.org for more info. We believe the proper relationship for people to land is stewards, not owners. We're not really an intentional community, as our households are separate and conventional, but having the institutional connection with one's land trust neighbors (the piece I live on has 5 households) is a big step up from normal American alienated neighborhood.

Bump. This is an AMAZING opportunity for permies! doesn't seem to be taken yet.

How many people could live on the parcel? what's the zoning/building code situation?

Yes, this land is still available. Two buildable lots available for no money down. Possible loan or grant towards site development. Nice spot, 10 minute drive to Greeenfield MA, a very nice and indeed "green" town, and 30 minutes drive from Amherst or Northampton, MA, or Brattleboro , Vermont. Our land trust , Valley Community Land Trust, has been through turmoil these last couple years, but is in a better place now, and we're over 30 years old, so we've endured many changes in our internal composition, and in the world around us.

Hello. My name is Ky McMillion. I am very interested in homestead living, and very willing and capable of helping someone on their land. I had dreams of building an off-grid community of my own, however life had other plans for me. I am a 43 year old father of three. My eldest son is a college freshman this year, and paying for his education has definitely let me know that city living is way too expensive for my family to sustain.  My wife and I run a nonprofit which provides a variety of high quality low cost services to people in need. We have many skills. We homeschool our two younger children. Their ages are 11 and 9 years old.  I am in search of an opportunity to help someone on their land and help them build their homesteading community. I understand how much work it is to do alone. I am not sure if you would like help on your land, but I am hoping you know someone who does. We currently live in Boston Massachusetts, but are willing to relocate. I am hoping you are interested in our help or know someone who would be. I truly thank you in advance for your time and consideration. I hope you receive this message and i hear from you soon. Have a blessed day and stay healthy.

Ky McMillion wrote:Hello. My name is Ky McMillion. I am very interested in homestead living, and very willing and capable of helping someone on their land. I had dreams of building an off-grid community of my own, however life had other plans for me. I am a 43 year old father of three. My eldest son is a college freshman this year, and paying for his education has definitely let me know that city living is way too expensive for my family to sustain.  My wife and I run a nonprofit which provides a variety of high quality low cost services to people in need. We have many skills. We homeschool our two younger children. Their ages are 11 and 9 years old.  I am in search of an opportunity to help someone on their land and help them build their homesteading community. I understand how much work it is to do alone. I am not sure if you would like help on your land, but I am hoping you know someone who does. We currently live in Boston Massachusetts, but are willing to relocate. I am hoping you are interested in our help or know someone who would be. I truly thank you in advance for your time and consideration. I hope you receive this message and i hear from you soon. Have a blessed day and stay healthy.

Hi, you may be interested in a post we just made in the communities section of permies, about a community that we are forming in central NY state.
thanks,
James