Coliving and flatshare : a breakdown of these real estate trends
You are no doubt already familiar with the terms flatshare or shared accommodation - especially if you are a student, since almost half of you live in this type of accommodation. However, you may never have heard the term coliving. Indeed, this concept is still new for many French people. So let's take a look at the definitions of these two terms in order to find out which could be the most adapted to your needs!
Definition of flatshare
Sharing a flat is simply living in the same apartment with several people, often with the aim of reducing the cost of rent, socializing and meeting new people and also benefiting from a larger and better equipped apartment. This way of living requires signing a lease as your main residence.
Definition of coliving Â
Coliving, a term that comes straight from the United States, is an even more advanced form of shared accommodation. Basically, the term is a mix between colocation and coworking, and offers several tenants the opportunity to live in the same residence, with more advanced and comprehensive facilities and services than colocation. Nevertheless, the needs met by coliving are different from those of simple shared housing.
What is the difference between flatshare and coliving?Â
While they may both offer the advantage of lower rent, socialization, or larger, more comfortable living spaces than a studio apartment, there are real differences between these two ways of living.
1. Create your own shared accommodation but not your own coliving
Before we even talk about day-to-day life, we have to talk about the moment you join your flatshare in Paris or your coliving.
In coliving you have two choices. The first is to join an existing flatshare with an available room without knowing the other tenants, and hope that you will get along. Sometimes you have no choice if you are moving to a new city and don't know anyone yet. This is a great way to make new friends.
There is also a second option, when you know who you want to live with, and want to create your own flatshare with friends. In this case, you may be looking for an apartment or a house where all the rooms are free to live with your friends. You won’t meet anyone new this way, but you will be sure to get along with all your flatmates.Â
In coliving on the other hand, it is rare to be able to join an apartment with your friends. There aren’t as many rooms available, because there currently aren’t as many coliving properties as there are flat shares. Apart from that, coliving is really about bringing together individuals, sometimes with commonalities such as a shared passion or a particular lifestyle.Â
2. A more comprehensive service offer
One of the main differences between colocation and coliving is the services offered. Most flatshares do not generally offer any services, unlike Chez Nestor which offers furnished and ready to live accommodation. Coliving is more of a living concept to make your home more enjoyable. For example, in coliving, all water, electricity, gas, building fees, insurance, garbage or internet charges are generally included. You won't have to open any contracts or deal with any of the hassle involved. It's time saved and peace of mind.
Some colivings offer even more services such as Netflix subscriptions included, outings, yoga workshops or weekly fruit and vegetable baskets to help build relationships between flatmatesÂ
3. Furnishing and equipment of rooms and common areas
The overall equipment of your living space in coliving will always be much more comprehensive than in a normal colocation. Your bedroom will often include a work space, a private bathroom and in some cases, even a small personal kitchen. Your room will be a kind of equipped studio in the coliving space where even couples can thrive and maintain their privacy.
The common areas will also be larger to accommodate the number of people within the apartment. Large tables, large living rooms, large kitchens are commonplace. Expect large gardens, or large terraces to accommodate all the inhabitants. You may even be able to enjoy a barbecue with your roommates!
But that's not all - there are even more advanced coliving concepts which are based on particular passions or lifestyles shared by the tenants, and that provide adapted equipment and layout of the living space.
4. Lifestyle
Are you a sports fan? Then there are colivings in which the inhabitants are all equally passionate. And this might translate into a specially equipped gym so that everyone can work out together. The gym comes to you! Having shared interests also helps conversation to flow
Now imagine you are passionate about movies. In this case, the home could have a movie theater to delight its occupants.
Are you a committed vegan? There are colivings where the inhabitants can grow their vegetables together in the garden or in greenhouses, helping to cater to their shared diet.Â
With this option, you are always sure to live with people who have the same rhythm of life and the same values as you. This creates strong relationships where you will feel understood and integrated without too much effort.
Moreover, coliving houses often have more inhabitants in the apartment. Having more than 10 roommates is not uncommon in this type of set up.
You will definitely need to be social to thrive in coliving. For those who want a simpler life, without the community spirit that is so much a part of the DNA of this lifestyle, but who still want to socialize and meet people in their living space, then a flatshare is a more appropriate option.
5. The locations
However, at the moment coliving spaces are still very rare in France. Moreover, it is often relatively large houses that are best adapted to becoming coliving spaces. As a result, you can almost always expect to find coliving spaces on the outskirts of large cities and even in outlying towns, rather than the city centre.
This is the case in Paris, for example. As a result, you may have a very long commute to work unless you are self-employed or employed in a 100% telecommuting company.Â
6. The prices
Of course, the more your housing offers by way of furnishing, shared spaces and services, the more expensive it is. Therefore, coliving is naturally more expensive, sometimes much more expensive than sharing, which explains why a bedroom in a coliving space may cost more than you might expect for an area outside of the city centre. . Â
In Paris, you should budget between 800€ and 1200€ for a bedroom in a colocation, but these are rare. Prices can vary a lot depending on the time of year you sign your contract, but if you are able to arrive in low season, bedrooms in coliving spaces can be found from 650€, so 30% to 50% cheaper.
Who is flatshare and coliving for? Â
Now that we have seen all the differences between a colocation and a coliving space, we can define which type of tenant is best suited to each lifestyle.
Coliving : You are no longer a student but a young worker or self-employed and you are going to move to a big city you don't know. You are 30 years old and you are not necessarily looking to live a city or party lifestyle, but rather need a space adapted to work or video meetings. You have a relatively high budget, and you don't mind living in the suburbs. You are looking for comfort and if possible, an outdoor space. Then coliving is the right option for you!
Flatsharing: You are a student, in your home country, or international. You are young and looking for the excitement of the city and its amenities. Your budget as high but you want to share a flat with your friends or meet new people to socialise with. Then sharing a flat with its advantages is made for youÂ
Nestor's offer: Whichever profile you most identify with, we offer a wide range of accommodation solutions, both colocations and coliving spaces. In all cases, we provide the same level of service by taking into account all the charges and utilities, offering furnished and ready to live rooms and providing a quality service of maintenance and customer support.