Apryl's World

What's A "Share" House?

Everyone runs their house a little differently, so I will describe how we "share" our house

A Share House is something akin to communal living, without the cult overtones (unless you count worshipping the sun). The benefits of a share house include:

	You get to have a better vacation than you could probably afford on your own, and you get to enjoy it all summer, not just for a week.
	You get to meet new and interesting people who are in a situation similar to yourself. We started because we had lots of single friends, but we knew very few people who had kids and/or would put up with that kind of lifestyle all summer long.

Every "family" unit has their own private bedroom for the time they are there, but the rest of the house is shared living space. In our house, a family unit can consist of:

	A couple with a child.
	A single parent with one or two children.
	Two single friends or acquaintances who can put up with the realities of being in a house with kids.

The house is run on a "Rotational" basis. There are 4 family units in the house each week, and a new group "rotates" into the house each week.

	A "Half" share consists of eight (8) weeks over the summer, and rotates into the house every other week.
	A "Quarter" share consists of four (4) weeks over the summer, and rotates into the house every 4th week.
	You are entitled to use the house for the entire week, Friday to Friday, during your week.
	Don't worry, the maid comes every Friday morning before the new group comes in.
	Some people run their houses with a lot of flexibility in their weeks. Since we have kids, we like a certain amount of stability and knowing who we will be in the house with each week.
	See the Rotation Schedule for the exact dates of each rotation.
	It's ok to trade weeks with other people in the house, but there's no guarantee that someone else will be willing to trade for the exact weeks you want. You should select the rotation that best suits your schedule.

The house is rented and managed by one or two people (Apryl & Rich in our case). The house manager takes care of all the business regarding the house:

Finding the house and paying the rent and security deposit up front.

Arranging for utilities and paying the bills, including any required deposits.

Coordinating with the landlord and real estate agent for repairs and other stuff.

Supplying all house staples and maintaining stock throughout the summer. This means shopping, packing, and freighting it out there at the beginning of the summer, and packing it up at the end.

Running ads and building websites to find people to be in the house.

Why do we do this?

	Contrary to popular belief, we don't make money on this. We do, however, take our share at a discount.
	Since we take all the risk, we get to run the house the way we like it & set the rules. We prefer to think of ourselves as "Benevolent Dictators".
	We get first choice of bedrooms.

Share houses have something of a reputation for partying and wild times. We all did that 15 years ago. Now we have kids, and we need our sleep.

	You won't be stepping over drunken bodies (we assist those in need back to their own bed).
	A sock hanging over the doorknob means some kid didn't put his dirty laundry where he was supposed to.
	We do like to have a good time. It's just a lot mellower than it used to be.

A few other rules of consideration:

	This is a No Smoking House! Because it is a share house with children, there will be no smoking in any room of the house.
	Of course, drug use will not be permitted anywhere on the premises (including the outside decks). Some of our parents are single and would have custodial or visitation problems if drugs are present.
	Wine, liquor, and beer are permitted only for those over age 21.

Sorry, but the lease does not allow pets.

You are welcome to have day guests, however, please be considerate of your housemates. It is most appreciated if you coordinate with your housemates prior to the weekend to make sure the house will not be over-crowded.

	Overnight guests will not be permitted on the weekends.
	Day guests should be limited to two or three people at a time. If everyone has guests at the same time, the house becomes over-crowded and it can be unpleasant for everyone. Of course, your guests must abide by all house rules.
	Remember to plan mealtimes with your housemates and let them know whether your guests are joining the group meal to avoid confusion and a possibly awkward situation. Ultimately, you will be responsible for their share of the meal costs, so you should discuss this with your guests, and your housemates, in advance.
	Midweek guests may be allowed if space permits, and there is a guest fee (to cover extra cleaning, utilities, supplies, etc.).

All long-distance calls must be made using a credit card.

	Regional calls (local & NYC) are included.
	If you find it absolutely necessary to dial-in on your computer, limit your time on-line to 15 minutes so as not to tie up the phone for too long in consideration of your housemates.

We tend to share our meals as well as other food and wine. However, after each group is established, we leave it up to them to decide how to handle the food bill.

	Condiments and cooking basics are stocked for the house. We don't want or need 8 jars of mayo in the fridge, so that is included in the share price. However, if you have special dietary restrictions, you should plan on supplying that for yourself.
	Ketchup, mustard, mayo, oil, vinegar, sugar, flour, bisquick, spices, salt, pepper, coffee, and tea are all included and stocked for the summer. We also pick up barbeque sauce, teriyaki marinade, grated cheese, syrup, and anything else from the Price Club that looks interesting to get us started.
	We welcome old bottles of salad dressing and other buying experiments that you need to clean out of your fridge.
	Paper products and cleaning supplies are also stocked for the summer.

To be in a share house, you need to be flexible, easy-going, and socially-oriented.

You need to be open-minded about different parenting and discipline styles. We do not condone or allow child abuse, however we do see alot of manipulation of the parents (Whoever said life was fair?).

You need to be considerate of the schedules and quiet times that children sometimes demand (or that their parents need at naptime or bedtime). Fortunately, the sun and fresh air usually tires them out early.

If you have any of the following habits or traits, you should NOT do a share house, or at least not this house if:

	You closely identify with either Oscar Madison or Felix Unger.
	You are extremely private, or very possessive about your personal belongings. Kids can be naturally inquisitive and tend to get into alot of things without meaning any harm. You should also consider leaving your $500 camera at home.
	You are a light sleeper and obsessive about getting to bed at 9pm every night. Just because we put the kids to bed early doesn't mean we have to close up shop.

Some other general rules of consideration. If you have a problem with this, you should not be in this house:

	Clean up after yourself and your kids. We have weekly maid service, not daily. Don't leave dirty dishes in the sink on Monday, because the maid doesn't come till Friday (yuck).
	Pitch in with the cooking and cleaning up after meals.
	Don't tie up the phone for hours at a time. Remember, there are 3 other families who someone may be trying to reach in an emergency.
	Don't assume someone will watch your kids while you go out just because they're in the house. Ask first.

If we haven't scared you away, check out the rest of the site.

Still interested? Call us at (516) 536-1116, or e-mail apryl@apryl.com