Explanation of Terms

Membership

Basic Membership

Membership that just needs an email address, for verification and communication. Includes browsing and connecting with other members.

Verified Membership

Membership with ID verification via debit or credit card. Includes everything in Basic, plus the option to Post a Listing or Build a Team in the shared land stewardship category.

Types of Arrangement

🏡 Fractional Home Ownership

For people that can't, or don't want to, buy a home on their own. You have your own resources, employment (or other steady income) and credit necessary for a mortgage, or you have one lump sum to buy a home with at least one other similarly prepared individual. It is recommended that members seek outside legal guidance to form an official agreement. This is your meeting place!

🔑 Roommates for a New Lease

For people who have the resources, employment (or other steady income) and the credit necessary for a lease, or fractional lease and want to team up with at least one other similarly prepared individual or party. There are often more appealing housing options if people team up financially. Perhaps you could get a lease on your own but could afford a more comfortable home if you teamed up.

🚪 Rent a Room

One or more people who need to rent or rent out a room for financial reasons, friendship reasons, or want to avoid the commitment of a long-term lease.

🌱 Shared Land Stewardship

Listings posted by people that have established property and are prepared to provide shelter or a place for shelter in exchange for equitable tasks to support the community. Everyone participates. These might include a low monthly financial responsibility and/or physical responsibility to support the community. For instance, cooking for the group every Tuesday, keeping the grounds tidy, childcare or even website or social media maintenance for the community project.

🛠️ Room and Board/Work Trade

Listings posted by employers seeking live-in workers. Members seeking work for housing and daily meals. Work 2 hours or less per day or 14 hours or less per week in exchange for room and board. Employers will list the hourly price they will pay above 2 hours per day or 14 hours per week, even if they do not think they will need the worker more than the stated hours. Life happens! If the lister fails to honor the in-app agreement with the seeking member, that member can flag, with proof or detailed explanation, that the agreement was not honored and the employer could be suspended or removed from the 4th House platform. Same for work/trade seeker member.

🚐 RV Parking and Camping

Land listings and members seeking land listings that allow for RV hook-ups or tent camping.

All members will have the opportunity to give and receive reviews upon mutually confirmed “agreement[s] to meet” and “agreement[s] to collaborate.” Reviews will be a series of simple yes or no questions in our attempt to eliminate bias.

Team Building

Build a Shared Land Stewardship Team

Verified members can post a listing for a tentative team to start a Shared Land Stewardship project. Lister can create a team name, a mission statement and a list of assets (including skills) and needs. Matched members will be featured on the listing page. While the post is live, these listing members will have a “Team Builder” badge and a “Team Builder” badge will feature on their listing.

Listing Lifecycle

Listed

A listing is open and visible, but not yet matched with anyone.

Matched

Mutual interest — both sides have liked each other. Messaging unlocks once you match, so you can share what you wish.

Agreement to Meet

Either member can invite the other to meet. Members can give and receive a review for this step.

Committed

An in-app agreement is in place between both sides.

Active

The arrangement is live — the move-in (or move-together) has happened.

Ended

The arrangement has wrapped up — naturally, amicably, or after a dispute.

Badges & Indicators

✓ Verified

This member has completed the ID verification that comes with Verified Membership.

✓ Basic Member

This member has joined with Basic Membership.

🙈 Hidden from other members

This member has hidden their profile from general Browse. You can still see them if they've shown interest in you, or in a listing you host.

Team Builder

Shown on a live "Build a Shared Land Stewardship Team" listing, and on the profile of anyone matched to it, for as long as the post stays live.

🔖 Save

Members can save a listing they're interested in without letting the host know. It's a private way to keep track of a place, with no commitment and no signal sent — unlike Interest, the host never sees it.

Pages & Screens

Browse

Explore listings (Places) or, as a host, the people looking for what you're offering (People). Filter by type, place, pets, and more; like as a list or by swiping.

Connections

The hub for interest and matches. "New Interest" holds incoming interest you can like back or pass on; "Your Matches" holds mutual matches; "Active" holds agreed meetings and collaborations underway.

Interest

A one-directional "I like this" — a seeker liking a listing, or a host liking a seeker. It stays pending until the other side likes back.

Messaging

Once you match, a private conversation opens on that match. It stays a read-only record if the match later ends.

Reviews

After both sides agree to meet, each can leave a public "did you meet them?" review, shown on the other person's profile.