Deciding to move to a new city can seem like an exciting adventure. Here, you have many new areas to explore, opportunities to meet new people, and new activities to pursue. However, finding a place to live can be a real headache: high rents, utility costs, paperwork formalities, and the effort of finding the perfect home can be a challenge. You may have even thought about going the traditional route and finding a roommate to share the costs.
Luckily, modern co-living offers a new way to find housing.
People usually associate co-living with dorm living and shared accommodation. However, most do not realize how different this is from the typical cohabitation experience.
Coliving has its own unique style and includes features that make it a great choice for those looking for an apartment.
The tips below contain everything you need to know about co living and whether it’s an option you should consider. Let’s explore them!
What is coliving?
Coliving is a modern approach to rental housing that has gained immense popularity in many major cities around the world.
Finding the right roommate to share a rental with can be challenging, with questions about finances, cleanliness, visitors, and pets. Problems with your housemates are sometimes inevitable.
Moving to a new city, finding comfortable housing, and developing relationships with new roommates present significant challenges. At the same time, in an effort to save money, you may miss the opportunity to enjoy luxurious amenities.
Coliving provides solutions to these problems. It matches people with roommates, provides cleaning services, negotiates individual rental agreements, and offers upscale housing. Coliving organizations ensure that co-living becomes an ideal choice for those seeking a flexible and comfortable lifestyle.
In co-living, you will have your own bedroom, and the common spaces will be equipped with everything you need. It may be similar to sharing a home with a regular roommate, but co-living is different in many ways.
Pros and cons of coliving
As mentioned earlier, co-living has many obvious benefits, but we also recognize that it may not suit everyone. So before deciding whether coliving is right for you, it’s important to consider its pros and cons.
Minimal conflicts with roommates
Conflicts with roommates are usually not good for anyone, as they can escalate into serious problems, including ending the lease early, late payments, and cleanliness issues.
With coliving, these worries disappear. You only pay your share, so you don’t have to worry about your neighbor not paying their dues, and any negative consequences won’t impact you.
Another big plus is that someone already cares for order and cleanliness. You won’t have to argue about who is responsible for washing dishes or cleaning. If you’ve had bad experiences with roommates, co-living may be your perfect solution.
Pay less, save more
When planning to live in major cities such as Barcelona, London, and New York, it is worth considering the difficulties associated with finding affordable housing. This can be a strong incentive to choose co-living.
For those wishing to rent spacious apartments, which are often in good condition after renovation, co-living becomes the best option for accommodation. Co-living may be the perfect solution if you’re on a budget but still looking for comfort and luxury. You will receive fully furnished housing at a flat rental rate.
Cons of coliving
Before you decide to live in a co-living space, it is important to be aware of all the possible negative aspects that you may encounter.
No control over roommate choice
Coliving spaces are mainly created to bring people with the same interests and lifestyles together in one place. Ideally, your roommates in a co-living space will be people with a similar lifestyle to you. However, it is important to be prepared for variety. Remember that as a new resident, you may have limited control over your roommate selection.
Limited to major cities
If you like the idea of living in a co-living space with like-minded digital nomads, keep in mind that this is mostly available in major cities. Because co-living is a relatively new concept, it is not yet widespread outside major metropolitan areas.
While this may change in the future, at the moment, this may not be an option for many, especially those moving to another country.