19 May Co-living in Barcelona: the best option for renting an apartment with shared services

If you can take advantage of remote work options and connect to the world via Internet, co-living in Barcelona is a great option for settling in one of the most attractive cities in Europe and sharing space with people of similar age, interests or inclinations. Co-living means taking up residence in a fully equipped building that guarantees optimal cleaning and maintenance conditions in all common areas and even within the apartments. If what you really want is time to connect with others, have fun or develop professionally, why waste effort on logistical and administrative tasks that can be delegated to a company specialized in rental management? Co-living will give you the best of it all without the hassles.

First popularized in Silicon Valley some 10 years ago, the co-living concept arose from many young people’s interest in sharing spaces for leisure or sports within the complex where they lived. Buildings and gated communities began to be created for apartment rental with everything included: utilities, Internet, housekeeping, cable packages, swimming pools, gyms and recreational areas, sports equipment, and areas for coworking. It’s a concept based not only on cost optimization but, above all, on constructing a community of shared interests. For this reason, it’s proven important that people who try co-living have certain common characteristics that ensure the experience will satisfy their expectations.

Urban multiculturalism

While co-living is not yet a consolidated phenomenon in Spain, it will be a rising trend over the coming years. Madrid and Barcelona are already seeing the growth of real estate options designed to meet the needs of people who come to live for a limited period of time and want cozy apartments that offer services and proximity to neighbors with similar interests. In general, these are cosmopolitan young people used to living in urban spaces and interacting with people from other cultures and similar professional affinities. Examples of these can include expats who do not speak Spanish, foreign students with a lot of free time and people who, for various reasons, choose to spend part of their lives in Spain but want the comfort of a built-in community.

Living how and where you like

Co-living is perfect for those who still want the independence of decorating their flat to their liking and with the freedom to invite their friends or family over any time. These rental apartments are often in neighborhoods that stand out for their cultural offer, are well connected with the rest of the city, and have attractive public spaces. In this sense, Barcelona’s active tourism industry facilitates the development of this new real estate option. Whether near the beach, in the center, or closer to the mountains, co-living in Barcelona will spring from the ready availability of facilities with the infrastructure necessary to guarantee comfort for its residential community, while still being part of an attractive neighborhood.

All-inclusive

Many real estate developers and operators are already seeing a worthy investment opportunity in this new housing model. In fact, to respond to the new demands of this market, buildings are already being built on land that, by license, is designated for offices, hotels or residences. Unlike a traditional rental model in which price is fixed per square meter, co-living models look at units or available beds, and a monthly service charge is established for everything that comes included. According to data from international real estate consulting firm CBRE, 4,000 new beds will soon hit the Spanish market, multiplying the existing offer by five.

Have the perfect apartment

Jump out of bed and head down to the gym whenever you like. Take a dip in the pool and return to your apartment to find it clean and tidy. Grab your computer and spend some time in the coworking space with people like you. These are the promises of an apartment in a co-living community, which additionally might offer you lovely views and include housekeeping and maintenance services and all the facilities you need for sports, recreation, and your professional life.

As experts in the comprehensive management of tourist apartments and the rental of month-to-month apartments, at Lodging Management we are excited about the possibilities of increased co-living in Barcelona. As a great option for bringing together tenants with a lot in common, in this ever-popular city, it’s a trend that’s here to stay.