8 Jan 2008

Looking for Off-Campus Housing: 1st Focus on Your Group

Looking for landlords & houses is what 1st comes to mind, and thats what people in the 'business' both at Mac & Outside, would like you to believe is most critical to a sucessful outcome: a home for you & your housemates.

My view is that BEFORE finding a house or a landlord or an area or worrying about who is out there to 'cheat' you in the housing business:

• THE #1 FOCUS should be --- FORMULATING & TESTING YOUR GROUP.

The GROUP of housemates is the FOUNDATION of all else that follows: EITHER a happy cohesive unified team of house mates who will both share the fun & the work, trust each other, AND stick together to deal w potential 'issues' be they w the house or the landlord or within their own group. OR a disssonant collection of selfish & effectively inconsiderate people living together <--- a symptom of distrust.

THIS - is a classic example of the wise application of the Pareto Principle ---> From 1st year --- spend the 20% quality time up front creating your Group & assessing its base of shared values [which will hold the group thru thick & thin] ---> the 80% of tenancy.

ONCE the GROUP is in place, then the task of agreeing on WHAT the Group wants in a house, and finding the right landlord at the right price follows.

STRONG GROUPS --- Have a much better chance of finding & retaining good houses during their stay at McMaster.

I have seen groups who can qualify as 'a band of brothers' or the 'ya ya sisterhood': there is chemistry & congruence --- people work WITH & FOR each other - whilst still being individuals w their own lives.

Happy House Searching


Anjali

Thanks for the article! We'll edit this and then add it to our series of housing articles!

Here is my edit:

Looking for Off-Campus Housing? First Focus on Your Group

Anjali X

When thinking about living off campus, looking for a landlord and a house is what first comes to mind. People in the housing “business” both at Mac and outside would like you to believe that finding a home for you and your housemates is critical to a successful outcome. My view is that BEFORE you find a house or a landlord, and worrying who is out there to “cheat” you in the housing business, your number one focus should be formulating and testing your group.

The group of housemates is the foundation of all else that follows. You will either have a happy and cohesive unified team of housemates, who will stick together, trust each other and share both the fun and the work or you will have a dissonant collection of selfish and effectively inconsiderate people living together. This is a symptom of distrust. How will these people stick together to deal with potential issues, be they with the house or the landlord or within their own group?

This is a classic example of the application of the Pareto Principle. (Anyone else remember it from first year econ?). As the Principle states, 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. Thus, you should spend quality time with your group up front, assessing your base of shared values, as these will hold the group together through thick and thin.

Once the group is in its place, then the task of agreeing on what the group wants in a house, and finding the right landlord at the right price follows. Strong groups have a much better chance of finding and retaining good house dynamics during their years at McMaster. I have seen groups who can qualify as a ‘Band of Brothers’ or a ‘Ya Ya Sisterhood’. There is chemistry and congruence, as people work with and for each other, while still being individuals with their own lives.

Happy house searching!

wtf i don't know why the font ended up like that.