I know a family who owns a property together -- each has two acres of the parent's original property, which has been handed down through the generations -- it's the "home farm" portion of a homestead claimed by their family generations ago. My friend (one daughter) and her family use theirs as a "summer home", her sister and brother live on theirs full time, and it's just down the hill from her parent's home. Several other siblings have places there, but don't live there full time. It works.
For my family, I can think of siblings it would work with, and some it wouldn't, just because of lifestyle differences. I'm a very "back to the land" type person -- I bake my own bread, homeschool my kids, you know -- the typical "granola mommy"
-- I can't see a few in my family appreciating that.
However, I know we could all work together. We were taught to work together as kids, and are still capable of it, when called on.
I'd love to have my dad nearby -- the closer the better. My sister and I could live nearby each other, but not together, my brothers and I could live together easily -- but my sisters in law to varying degrees.
I think that others have made it clear, but I'll reiterate -- you must have EVERYTHING clearly stated, in the beginning, and preferably in writing. Expectation management would be very, very important. Think back to your childhood, and remember the "roles" -- it would be very hard for a family to NOT fall back into those "roles", so be sure that you either address that, or are prepared for it.
In some ways, I think it would be easier to do with friends, but I wouldn't. I've been in business with "friends" -- and I will *NEVER* do that again. I *would* try a family compound type homestead, though -- harder or not, they're your family, so you HAVE to work out problems.
Good luck --
Tracy
