Wahoo, I’m moving back to Berkeley !!!

Yes, it’s true. After a “year abroad” in Pleasant Hill, I’m moving back to Berkeley. I’ve been accepted into the Walnut House Cooperative. The Coop is a non-profit owned 22-unit apartment house just north of downtown Berkeley on Walnut Street.

I’m impressed by the selection process (realistic number of people interviewing, timeline) and the fact that they have been “in business” since the early 1980s. The model is a “limited equity coop,” in which you purchase a share and receive a reasonable interest rate, but don’t keep up with the housing prices. Bottom line: the down payment and monthly “assessment” are very affordable, but you don’t get a landfall if you move out after housing prices skyrocket.

Everyone works eight hours a month, and I’ll likely be on the maintenance committee. The building seems well kept up (it has had significant earthquake work, and remodels happen as needed), and my bathroom is getting some work done before I move in.

I’ll be moving in on the weekend of June 14-15, so if you want to help with the move, let me know 🙂

Lee