Traditional Housing Copies Cohousing as People Focus More on Their Values

American home and neighborhood designs change constantly. If you put yourself randomly in a 20th century neighborhood, chances are that you could tell the decade it was built, even after the avocado-green siding is replaced. We may be in for an even bigger than normal shift in the next decade. How will a 2015 neighborhood be different than a 2007 subdivision? A recent Chicago Tribune article summarizes the eight great real estate trends of 2009:

1. Smaller Houses
2. More apartments
3. Increase in attached housing
4. More rental units
5. New urban centers with homes close to shops and restaurants
6. Common green spaces for outdoor enjoyment of homeowners.
7. Creating Community - where the developer provides social features beyond land, bricks and mortar.
8. Online marketing of homes

(see http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/dec/26/realestate/chi-real-estat...)

Do these features sound familiar?

The weaker economy and worries over energy costs may have spurred traditional home designs to take on characteristics of cohousing. But also a broader national mood towards simplicity and a richer lifestyle are likely to drive further change. As the general public realizes there is more to life than square footage, people will change their tastes. Clustered neighborhoods with generous green spaces like cohousing will not only alter the landscape but will foster neighborliness and improve the way people live and relate to one another.