You have a vision.
A vibrant, purpose-driven later life, free from the isolation of traditional living. A shared home filled with laughter, friends, and a genuine sense of belonging. The dream of a community that feels like family.
This vision is powerful, and it’s the easy part. The truly daunting question, the one that stops most people in their tracks, is “How the bloody hell do I do it?”
The dream feels possible, but the journey to get there can seem like a chaotic, complex minefield. It’s a journey filled with a hidden cost that nobody talks about: time. We’ve seen it firsthand. Trying to go it alone, to figure out all the legal, financial, and logistical hurdles of building a community, can easily cost over 500 hours of your life, per person.
It’s the cost of endless research, circular meetings, and chasing dead ends. And it’s the number one reason why so many aspiring communities burn out long before they ever get close to their goal.
The Heartward Story: A Cautionary Tale of Heroic Struggle
Our friend Heartward Cohousing is a testament to what’s possible when a group of people is willing to fight for their dream. They did it, they secured their first co-op homes and proved the system could be beaten.
But it was a heroic struggle. It was a painstaking, seven-year journey of late-night meetings, member conflicts, and a legal and finance rollercoaster that most people would have abandoned in the first year. They faced sceptical estate agents, lawyers who didn’t understand collectives, and lenders who were unsure how to value a property owned by a group.
Heartward’s success is a triumph, but it’s also a cautionary tale. It shows how brutal and inefficient the DIY approach can be. The movement doesn’t need more stories of heroic struggle; it needs more homes, created faster.
It didn’t have to be that hard. And your journey doesn’t have to be either.
The ReThink.Living “How”: A Shortcut for Your Sanity
We have seen the exact pitfalls and learned from them. We have built a framework that takes the best of what works from successful projects and streamlines the process into a repeatable, efficient system. We have done the work for you, so you don’t have to spend years learning it all yourself.
This is your shortcut, built on four core pillars.
Pillar 1: The Foundation Programme (Clarity is King)
The single biggest time-suck is having an unclear vision. Most groups spend months in circular debates trying to define their dream before taking a single step.
We solve this. The Foundation Programme is a guided conversation that helps you find clarity, align with your allies, and create a solid blueprint for your ideal community. It’s a safe, low-cost space to ensure everyone is on the same page and fully ready for the journey ahead. It allows you to decide if this path is for you, without the risk of a long-term commitment.
Pillar 2: The Property & Acquisition Minefield
Once you have a clear blueprint, you can stop the endless scrolling on Rightmove. We have spent years understanding the property world, so we know what to look for—and what to avoid—in a fraction of the time. We can quickly assess properties and land to determine if they can be financially and legally transformed.
Pillar 3: The Legal & Financial Labyrinth
The legal and financial system is not built for cooperatives, and trying to navigate it on your own is a guaranteed way to lose sanity and time. We have already done the legwork. We’ve built models and found lenders who understand our approach. Our team brings the solutions to you, so your group can focus on making choices rather than working out what choices are possible.
Pillar 4: Design & Planning
A project can stall for months or years in planning. We bring in top-notch consultants who have the expertise to navigate the maze. Your team works with us to implement a design that fits your community, and we ensure the process moves smoothly and efficiently toward approval.
From 7 Years to much much less: A Promise of Speed
We believe that your journey can be a year-long sprint, not a 7-year marathon
This is not a theoretical model; it’s a proven process that has been forged through the struggles of others. But more importantly, it’s what is the norm for property investors. Buying a property is easier than building a new one, so we can’t guarantee quick for new build. By doing the work for you, we empower you to focus on what truly matters: building relationships, creating a home, and living the life you want. So all of the rest of it is a train journey, you have to jump on and enjoy the ride.
You don’t have to learn these lessons the hard way.
The Foundation Programme is your first, most important step. It’s how you take back those 500 hours and put them toward living your dream.
Ready to start?
Secure your place on the next Foundation Programme: Click here
Let’s work on your dream today
Peter has a vision of living in a fairer society, where there's plenty to go around, where everyone has a voice in the issues that affect them, and where humans thrive togther. Peter is an expert in cohousing, coliving, property and property funding.