MAN (Canadian): Hello. Is this the office for the Mole Hill Cooperative?
WOMAN (Canadian): Yes, you’ve come to the right place.
MAN: Wonderful. It took me a while to find the right building.
WOMAN: Yes, well, we are sort of tucked away behind some taller structures. You aren’t the first person to have difficulty finding us. What can I help you with?
MAN: I have some friends who live in this cooperative, and I’m really interested in becoming a member.
WOMAN: Who are your friends?
MAN: Robert and Samantha.
WOMAN: Oh yes! I know them well. They are a lovely couple.
MAN: Indeed.
WOMAN: So, how much do you know about our cooperative?
MAN: I know that you have around 30 units and that the waiting list for membership is quite long. But it seems worth the wait, as you have such fantastic prices for your apartments. And from what I hear, you also have very progressive cooperative policies.
WOMAN: I certainly like to think so. All members…meaning all people who live here…are automatically elected to the strata committee that decides our policies. So, the people who live here decide the regulations and terms of membership.
MAN: Brilliant.
WOMAN: But of course this also makes us very popular, and thus the long wait. We have around 16 applications at the moment, and only a few units open up per year. So the wait time can be anywhere from 2 to 5 years.
MAN: I’m sure it’s worth it. Um, a question though… What size units do you have?
WOMAN: Two- or three-bedroom apartments. The two-bedroom apartments are about 56 square meters, and the three-bedroom ones, oh, around 61 or 62.
MAN: Those are quite decent sizes! Much bigger than what I have now.
WOMAN: I find them quite comfortable. And all of our units are newly renovated.
MAN: Fantastic!
MAN: Now, um, what is the membership application process like?
WOMAN: The first step is to fill out an application. Then our strata committee reviews the application.
MAN: Uh-huh. But what kind of information do you collect in it?
WOMAN: First, we have to know about your income. Being a member of the cooperative is a big financial responsibility. So we just want to make sure that you can, you know, keep up with your monthly charges. Otherwise, everyone in the cooperative suffers.
MAN: All right. That won’t be a problem for me, as I have a fairly stable job as an accountant.
WOMAN: Lovely. Then, um, we also ask about your family status. We are happy to accept a variety of family types into our community, but we do tend to prefer people with more stable situations in that regard.
MAN: You mean, rather than new couples that have a higher risk of breaking up?
WOMAN: Precisely. That’s not to say we don’t accept young, new couples…but I have to be honest in saying that our strata committee will generally choose an established family first.
MAN: I’m single. Will that be a problem?
WOMAN: No, I don’t think so. You would just be considered for one of the smaller units.
MAN: So, I fill out the application… And what if I get accepted? What’s next?
WOMAN: You become a member by purchasing a share in the cooperative. Right now, that’s $2,000.
MAN: OK.
WOMAN: Then it’s just a matter of paying your monthly rent, which will vary depending on the unit you get. And, of course, participating in the strata committee.
MAN: Sure. Then, can I fill out the application right now?
WOMAN: Certainly. Here’s a form and a pen. Um, what’s your name?
MAN: Henry Carpenter.
WOMAN: Nice to meet you, Henry. How do you spell your last name?
MAN: C-A-R-P-E-N-T-E-R. It’s a bit tricky.
WOMAN: I’ve put your name into our waiting list. So just fill out the application and then you’ll be set.