Settling Down

What is “Community Living”?

Hello FlokqJune 19, 2020

If you’ve been in the apartment-hunting scene in the late 2010s, chances are you’ve come across the term co-living or community living. Co-living is a growing trend among Millenials (and sometimes the older crows) in metropolitan cities where they make their fortune. Only this time, instead of returning to an empty apartment, they’re coming home to be welcomed by housemates with dinner together or a Netflix party. 

Co-living, to these youths, is a solution to answer their needs of affordable housing while expanding their network at the same time. Co-living, in other words, is a lifestyle trend that aims to create a home away from home and family away from family. So what is the concept of co-living, well here we’ll explain it to you!

read more on how Coliving can make your life awesome

Co-living vs Boarding House: What’s the Difference?

Living in a boarding house (or kos to us Indonesians) is no distant reality for us who have lived out of our family and relative’s home to work or study in another city. While co-living comes from the same base concept, but their aim, lifestyle, and space are different.

Co-living, like a boarding house, is a residential unit where tenants have their private area while sharing common living spaces. Unlike in boarding house where inhabitants seldom interact with housemates outside their circle, co-living companies encourage their tenants to build a social network between housemates and other tenants from other residential buildings under their wing. In other words, co-living strives to create a community of tenants while providing accommodations to suit their needs.

Other than that, co-living usually uses bigger spaces like an apartment. They will give you your personal bedroom that is usually not small like the boarding houses have, and they will have a communal living room,  kitchen, and bathrooms to share with roommates. But boarding houses usually share these communal areas with all the residents in the boarding houses, so usually people have limited access to only their bedroom.

But to talk about it’s growing popularity means we’ll also have to dig in deeper to the services they offer as well as the community concept they’re establishing, and what makes them attractive to Millenials.

Why Is Co-living So Popular Among Millenials?

Thanks to technology, today’s youths have more options to advance their career growths as well as further mobility than their predecessors. Sometimes, they may find themselves having to live alone in a foreign or city or country without the company of friends and family. They are also simultaneously challenged to find their own temporary houses and eventually sustain their household, all while working. And this is without mentioning rent and other apartment-related expenses.

With all those struggles burdened upon them, why wouldn’t they want comrades with whom they can share? The only trouble is that they won’t have the time nor energy to find friends by the end of the week. 

Thankfully, co-living companies have come with a solution to answer all their troubles, from housing to social life. 

Co-living companies offer (usually monthly) rentals of affordable private bedrooms in furnished 2BR or 3BR+ apartments around city hotspots such as business districts or universities. Tenants can choose from queen-sized or master-sized bedrooms with an attached bathroom to common rooms with a shared bathroom, all according to their bedroom. Also, while housemates can divide chores such as cooking doing dishes, some co-living companies provide services such as housekeeping and repairs, sometimes free of charge (like Flokq). This enables tenants to save and allocate money for other things like transportation, hobbies, or personal upkeep.

But not only do they offer affordable rooms in strategically-located apartments, but they also match up prospective tenants with roommates with corresponding preferences. Furthermore, they provide new tenants with opportunities to meet with new friends of all origins, careers, and interests. This environment is no doubt suitable for wide-eyed Millenials who are eager to meet various acquaintances that can help broaden their perspectives.

What Else You Might Expect from Co-living?

As mentioned, co-living does more than offering spaces —they offer the best roommate for their tenants. Co-living companies are very meticulous and strict in screening prospective tenants, so newcomers needn’t worry about their future housemate’s reputation. Even beginners to house-sharing with strangers can feel safe knowing that they’ll receive guidance from the company and other tenants who will welcome them into the family.

Furthermore, co-living companies organize weekly or monthly gatherings so tenants will be able to meet other tenants from other apartments. They also like to hold parties on holidays like Christmas or New Year, so community members can party like they’re back at home.

The companies’ staff are also encouraged to join these gatherings so tenants can connect with locals (or fellow out-of-towners) they can rely on throughout their stay in the city. 

Is Co-living Your Next Living Solution?

Now that we’ve covered the basics of co-living and services that co-living companies offer, it’s up to you to decide whether or not co-living can be your housing solution.

As far as facilities and affordability go, co-living may seem like a promising housing option. That is especially true to young workers who have just been able to accumulate enough budget to rent an apartment space but don’t want to complicate themselves with maintenance fees and other bills.

Surprisingly, co-living spaces also offer the same amount of privacy you’ll get at home with family. They foster communities in which members have respect for one another’s needs. Therefore, rest assured that your housemates will give you your much-needed alone time after a full day of work (and not bother you with chores!)

Besides, why miss out on getting to know a diverse community of like-minded comrades? Even if you’re not a party animal, co-living companies will still do their utmost best to listen to your interests and host engaging activities that even the shyest of people cannot help but join in on the fun. All that, and they ask for nothing in return but your respect to the rules they’ve set up, and for fellow community members.

With so many convenient living amenities and social networking opportunities combined into a new lifestyle to answer to the needs of evergrowing Millenials, co-living will be able to overtake conventional home-sharing and even shake the housing industry on a bigger scale. Even now, the industry is gaining steam in Indonesian cities like Jakarta and Bali, with the local digital economy community acknowledging co-living as an aid to Indonesia’s housing problem, especially among the up-and-coming young workforce.

So, does finding another place of belonging sound good? Consider partaking in co-living today and meet your new community!

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