A New Approach to Homesharing - Perch Houses

Learn about an innovative new concept that brings together women 55+ to co-live in affordable, spacious, beautifully designed houses for the best times of their lives. 

 A Live & Interactive Discussion with Wing Pepper and Kyle Sobus CO-Founders Perch Houses. Research indicates that older adults benefit from the increased companionship, support in completing daily tasks, and increases in well-being associated with home sharing.

• Kyle Sobus kyle@perchhouses.com
• Wing Pepper wing@perchhouses.com

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Question Asked

• What is referral process? How do you assess potential residents for health/cognitive needs or will you only consider "healthy" adults?
• On-call medical services, perhaps?
• My grandmother lived in (rented) a house that had been converted into 4 apartments, each with it's own kitchen, bath, and living room. The renters were connected but with their own space.  Do any of the Perch Houses follow this model?
• How many Perch Houses do you have in operation?
• The 4-apartment house was in Front Royal.
• do you offer referral sources for ppl to navigate their relationships ongoing after you've created the community plan with them?
• How do you handle parking, since many of the residents will drive at that age.
• Are there Perch Houses in Massachusetts?
• What's the formula for charging the amount of rent?
• Do you list nearby amenities with these homeshares? Do you also list nearby neighbors, as well?
• How do you address conflict in the home?
• are you expanding past your area. I'm in Connecticut,  we need it here!!
• what is the management fee for you to manage, usually a percent of rent in a normal lease situation
• After a while when someone needs assisted level of care but doesn't want to move from independent, do you have a policy or way to move them along?  Or can someone bring in home healthcare services (PT OT,etc.)
• Have you encountered any zoning issues or have you had to apply for special zoning?
• are you considering sharing your model or sharing your management model for a fee, not sure franchise is the right term?
• "What about furnishing, especially the common areas?
• Since you don't own the real estate, what happens to the residents if the owner wishes to sell the property? Do you have a really long-term lease with the owner(s)?"
• Do you work with specific real estate agencies to find houses? Or do you search out properties yourself?
• airbnb is definitely inceasing prices in Naples, fl. Huge need for this there.
• what is your average length of lease for residents?
• how do you provide storage for everyone?
• What happens in the scenario that someone needs to break the lease?
• Consider working with SRES real estate agets. you can get referrals in your area online. Seniors Real Estate Specialist.
• What is your pet policy?
• Thought because his name is Wing that he thought about Perch.
• Thanks so much to Perch and Steve.  My wheels are spinning thinking of clients who might want to consider this concept.  One is mobility handicapped, but I think it could work with her, too.

Chat Transcript

12:09:24     From  Gail Kohn : Villages

12:11:12     From  Sandra Frazier : I love the housekeeping services.

12:13:46     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : The Forgotten Middle  - An analysis of middle-income seniors and ability to afford housing and health care https://www.norc.org/research/projects/the-forgotten-middle-in-2033.html

12:13:53     From  Sandra Frazier : Social economics of health

12:14:19     From  Gail Kohn : Why not multigenerational?

12:14:20     From  Elizabeth Nolte   to   Hosts and panelists : Why did you decide to market only to women and not men?

12:14:53     From  Kimbra Ness   to   Hosts and panelists : The forgotten middle also applies to this age group

12:16:19     From  Joy Loverde   to   Hosts and panelists : What does the contract stipulate when a resident  suddenly gets sick?

12:17:11     From  retta Young : I own a house, female, how can I put my house in the program or qualify for it?

12:17:38     From  Kimbra Ness   to   Hosts and panelists : Retta - I was thinking the same

12:17:49     From  Laura Riley   to   Hosts and panelists : Nice to see the concept coming to fruition.  Meet with Kyle some time ago.  Will you be coming to Baltimore County?

12:18:21     From  Edith Harriet   to   Hosts and panelists : no no they were not related at all

12:18:30     From  WENDL KORNFELD   to   Hosts and panelists : Only two of the four golden girls were related to one another.

12:18:55     From  retta Young : Have you thought about doing this for men?

12:19:42     From  Edith Harriet   to   Hosts and panelists : how does this differ from roommate referral

12:20:22     From  WENDL KORNFELD   to   Hosts and panelists : Will the concept be extended to include men who have a house to share with another man? Men’s potential isolation issues are serious and seem underserved by many providers.

12:20:44     From  Renee Dunham   to   Hosts and panelists : Have you stories about the integration of the residents into the surrounding community?

12:22:10     From  Gail Kohn : Job referrals is Age-Friendly!!

12:22:25     From  Renee Dunham   to   Hosts and panelists : How have cooking and meals worked out with residents? Do you offer assistance, or do the residents work this out themselves?

12:23:14     From  Tom DeMuth : Do you own the homes offered for home sharing or do you manage the program for homes owned by others?

12:23:34     From  Sandra Frazier : I've lived alone for the past 20 years and I'm 65.

12:23:52     From  Kimbra Ness   to   Hosts and panelists : Assisted and independent living often lowers a seniors cognitive skills...  although they offer activities they are generally geared to 80+.  The young senior is not challenged

12:23:59     From  Janet Nelson : How do you fund the home purchases? Do you have investors?

12:24:48     From  Ryan Salmon   to   Hosts and panelists : I am an occupational therapist, carpenter and now providing virtual home safety and accessibility modification assessments and consultation.  I also plan to sell height adjustable kitchen counters, islands, cabinets, clothes racks for closets and many more innovative products to make homes safer and more functional.  Go to safeaccessiblehome.com to learn more and be in touch

12:25:54     From  Gail Kohn : Bedrooms each with a bathroom

12:26:28     From  Sandra Frazier : I have two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

12:26:32     From  Joy Loverde   to   Hosts and panelists : Sorry I have to leave. Great concept. Will be interested in leaning more about contract details.

12:27:19     From  Susan Walker : Do you screen the applicants - for independent status and mental status?

12:27:49     From  Kimbra Ness   to   Hosts and panelists : I am a Realtor and this is great information for my senior clients.

12:28:05     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Our discussions on safe and accessible homes and universal design https://www.retirementlivingsourcebook.com/videos?q=safe and accessible

12:28:48     From  Kathryn Brue   to   Hosts and panelists : What's the formula for the amount of rent charged?

12:29:42     From  Edith Harriet   to   Hosts and panelists : what is the cost to you

12:30:05     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : What Is Co Housing? https://www.retirementlivingsourcebook.com/events/what-is-co-housing

12:30:19     From  Gail Kohn : Takoma Park

12:30:31     From  retta Young : Great!!! I need direction. Thank you. I am a emptynester and was not sure what to do in this big house but dont want to sell it.

12:31:38     From  Cheryl Cole : do you offer referral sources for ppl to navigate their relationships ongoing after you've created the community plan with them?

12:31:59     From  Margie McNally   to   Hosts and panelists : It is fostering community and preventing isolation

12:32:07     From  retta Young : Its about living a decent life at the quality of a lifestyle you are accustom to.

12:34:12     From  Janet Nelson : What about furnishing, especially the common areas?

12:35:13     From  Virginia Keim   to   Hosts and panelists : How do you go about looking for an existing local co-housing?

12:35:59     From  Elizabeth Woodruff   to   Hosts and panelists : How does this plan work in areas zoned for single family living?

12:36:01     From  Sandra Frazier : Do you list nearby amenities with these homeshares? Do you also list nearby neighbors, as well?

12:36:07     From  Kimbra Ness   to   Hosts and panelists : Patio homes have gotten so expensive due to HOA dues and insurance.

12:36:34     From  Margie McNally   to   Hosts and panelists : My mom is paying over $6000 per month for assisted living. It is not sustainable for our aging population.

12:39:01     From  cheri reid   to   Hosts and panelists : Amazing value for Northern Virginia!

12:39:41     From  Patricia Currier : Those rents are unheard of here in the metro NYC area. I need to move south.

12:41:04     From  Janet Nelson : Since you don't own the real estate, what happens to the residents if the owner wishes to sell the property? Do you have a really long-term lease with the owner(s)?

12:43:04     From  Renee Dunham   to   Hosts and panelists : Have you run into zoning problems?

12:43:34     From  Sandra Frazier : I lived in Arlington, VA, very lovely area.

12:45:07     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Kyle Sobus (kyle@perchhouses.com)

Wing Pepper (wing@perchhouses.com)

12:47:18     From  WENDL KORNFELD   to   Hosts and panelists : Is the house owner required to be one of the residents? (Apologies if you already answered this.)

12:50:16     From  Elizabeth Nolte : How did you come up with the name Perch Houses?. What’s the significance of the word Perch?

12:52:17     From  Sandra Frazier : Rules are good, but when they break problems can happen.

12:53:17     From  Tom DeMuth : To establish continuity and community among residents, how long are the leases for residents?

12:53:29     From  Shawnda Jackson : How do you earn your money?

12:53:53     From  Elizabeth Nolte : Are any pets allowed?

12:55:19     From  cheri reid   to   Hosts and panelists : The renters don’t pay the percentage for your property management of the properties. The Landlord does.

12:57:47     From  Leslie McTyre : Have you thought of going with married couples?

12:59:41     From  Gail Kohn : Thank you for this, Steve.

13:01:15     From  Susan Walker : Thank you Steve.  I worked in a HUD affordable independent housing for seniors in DC and experienced the nuances of reasonable accommodations and how folks wanted to 'age in place' because the alternatives often meant loss of independence.  I love this model!!!

13:02:04     From  Cheryl Cole : I love this model as well! I'll be in touch!

13:02:37     From  Ryan Salmon   to   Hosts and panelists : Thanks Steve and Perch Housing!  Love this model

13:02:40     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Kyle Sobus (kyle@perchhouses.com)

Wing Pepper (wing@perchhouses.com)

13:02:56     From  Ryan Salmon   to   Hosts and panelists : Thanks Kyle and Wing!

13:06:11     From  Kimbra Ness   to   Hosts and panelists : This is great information for my senior clients ... I am a real estate agent in Minnesota

13:06:29     From  Ryan Salmon   to   Hosts and panelists : I recommend tapping into LinkedIn to network with realtors.

13:07:01     From  Kimbra Ness   to   Hosts and panelists : Downsizing and decluttering is a big issue... but once started is like a weight being lifted.

13:07:21     From  Kristina Kurma : its "rightsizing" ????

13:07:30     From  Shawnda Jackson : I agree, downsizing is a very big emotional decision. Many SRES’s have vetted people/companies to refer to.

13:09:33     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Our discussions on what to do with your stuff https://www.retirementlivingsourcebook.com/videos?q=stuff

13:13:32     From  Leslie McTyre : The more case-by-case decisions you take the better you are doing as human beings.

13:15:23     From  Patricia Currier : It goes with your name Wing

13:15:44     From  Elizabeth Nolte : Nice!

13:17:59     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : https://www.instagram.com/perchhouses/

13:18:03     From  Kimbra Ness   to   Hosts and panelists : Although, I love my family dearly... would rather live with a group of friends.

13:18:06     From  Leslie McTyre : Great session; great people!!  thanks!!

13:18:59     From  Earnestine Thomas : thank you