About the place

Wanted: New housemate (or couple) for our co-housing community in a former primary school in Itteren!

Since 2015, we have been living together in Itteren in a beautiful former primary school building on the Sterkenbergweg, just north of Maastricht. The old classrooms have been converted into unique private living spaces centered around a large communal living room and kitchen. The building is surrounded by a massive garden, and we even have our own gym hall! We are located in a very quiet, green area with a lovely view and a large fishing pond just a few minutes' walk behind the house. Our household is also home to several pets, including dogs, cats, and chickens.
What do we offer?
A unique and spacious living space of approximately 80 m² is becoming available. This space is split into several smaller rooms, making it perfect if you want a home office, studio, or creative space that is separate from your bedroom.
The building also features two large shared showers, multiple toilets, and a large communal kitchen with plenty of space to cook, eat, and chat together (always welcome, but never mandatory).
Costs
Monthly contribution: € 510,- (including gas, water, electricity, and internet).
Deposit: € 1000,-
Please note: Our community provides a living space to it's members in exchange for a fixed monthly contribution, which covers the mortgage and our maintenance fund. This is not considered rent, meaning it is not possible to apply for Dutch housing benefit (huurtoeslag).
Intention: We are looking for someone who intends to settle down with us for the longer term.
Living together
Within the house, we speak both Dutch and English. However, since not all of our residents speak Dutch, the primary language used during our house meetings is English.
Life in our house is based on mutual respect and shared responsibility. We manage the house ourselves, meaning everyone contributes to cleaning and maintaining the building and the garden. We hold regular meetings to discuss the management of the community. Since decisions are made collectively, we expect all members to attend these meetings and participate.
Good to know: There is carpeting in the communal areas, which makes the house less suitable for people with severe allergies. Regarding smoking: this occasionally happens in the communal areas, but we have a strict, respectful rule that there is absolutely no smoking inside when pregnant women or children are present.
Who are we looking for?
We are a diverse community with members currently aged between 20 and 60. We are looking for an independent person (or couple) who explicitly chooses and enjoys sharing a household with others. Experience with community living is a plus, but certainly not a must. Please note that we are not an assisted living facility, and our house is not suitable for minors or people looking for a temporary 'retreat'.
Interested?
Do you look forward to running into people in the kitchen, working together on the house and garden, and enjoying community life? Please send us an email introducing yourself. We would love to hear who you are and why you think you would be a great fit for our community. You can also use this email address for any questions you might have.
If there is a match, we will invite you over for a viewing and to meet the group. The final decision is made collectively during our general members' meeting. If everyone agrees, you'll be our newest resident.. Hooray!