What I love about REI is that it's a very communal sort of thing.

I provide inexpensive vertical or horizontal blinds for privacy on townhomes and condos just due to the nature of communal living, but no curtains.  

Peter, when considering Multi VS Single - consider the additional owner burden responsibility and the communal area you would be responsible for serving, yard, snow - then you need to define if the utilities are separately metered or not etc.

Thanks...Looks like there is a "communal" back yard area.

If it is at the foreclosure stage she needs to seek any available financial assistance and start looking for a place she can afford.This is a factor with HOA managed communal living. 

What are you insinuating that these communities could not get together and grow a communal Garden.. that the people could not do that ?  

Around here landlords usually pay for trash pickup, and communal electric (hall and exterior lighting).  

Just for some background, I was hoping to remove a water heater from the top unit and connect the pipes to have just one water heater hooked up for both units, but financially it will be a lot more expensive than to just buy another washer/dryer set.So my question is: what would be the advantage to having one shared water heater for both units with one communal washer/dryer, compared to keeping the water heaters separate with one w/d for each unit?

Thats a small balance deal so local and regional communal banks will be the way to go for the construction and you can get agency debt to take out the construction loan.Make sure to shop several banks as they all offer different products, terms and rates. 

It really works for Paul and I don't see why it won't work for you.I guess the only thing to worry about would be that one person who could annoy the rest and cause them to move.What about offering some value add services like weekly maid service for the communal areas?