Co-living, also known as communal living or shared living, is a living concept where residents live in a shared residence and share common amenities. Co-living has evolved significantly over the years and can now appear in many forms.
In the past, people chose to live together mainly due to financial constraints or lack of available housing. These motivations still exist today, but co-living is now more often a choice for those seeking to belong in a community. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of purposefully-built co-living spaces, which offer shared amenities and private apartments for rent.
These living spaces are typically targeted toward young professionals and students. Overall, the evolution of co-living has been driven by a combination of economic factors, the desire for community and connection and the preferences of younger generations. As the cost of housing continues to rise, it is likely that we will see an increase in the popularity of co-living.
The benefits of Co-living?
A defining characteristic of living together is that people can split their living space and therefore, their living costs – like for energy consumption from the laundry facility or internet use. This creates affordable co-living homes with an overall lower cost of rent, utilities, and other expenses.
Saving money is one of the main reasons residents choose shared living spaces.
Co-living communities of like-minded people are an important reason to choose a co-living space, as it provides a social connection that cannot be found in traditional rentals.
Sharing a home and attending events with people with similar interests can help reduce social isolation and loneliness among residents.
Lastly, co-living is often convenient because it provides modern homes with fully furnished rooms and all necessary amenities. Furthermore, operators offer the flexibility of short-term contracts but also the stability of long-term contracts. For remote workers this is especially ideal.
What are the risks for an investor?
Living with others can increase the risk of conflicts between peers. Conflicts can arise from different issues, such as noise, cleanliness, and personal boundaries. Open communication and being respectful of others needs and preferences are key. Compared to private areas, shared spaces can be more vulnerable to damage because they are used by multiple people. This can include shared areas such as kitchens as well as shared items such as furniture and appliances.
However, most co-living spaces offer extra cleaning services for the communal areas and/or provide cleaning supplies for members.
Residents can then reach agreements among each other to keep the spaces they share clean and reduce potential damage.
Could repurposing some of the student PBSA, to Co-Living accommodation, in cities struggling with occupancies be a solution to improving their occupancy rates? Graysons Properties have over 10 years experience in managing co-living spaces. Please contact us if you are interested in re-purposing your assets. You can contact our CEO on akash@graysonsproperties.co.uk