Learn Everything About Co-living in San Francisco
Coliving can make city living less private but more productive
5 Min Read
5 Min ReadColiving is a new way of living in urban cities focused on community and convenience. You could call it a natural progression from coworking. As well as a reactive solution to the challenges of accessing affordable housing in San Francisco. From digital nomads to students, interns, young professionals, tech workers, entrepreneurs, and creatives – coliving is a place to call home in San Francisco.
Concept of coliving
You may be asking yourself what’s the difference between traditional house shares found through sites like Craigslist, and coliving? Whether you find a room or roommate on an app or an online platform, sharing rent and responsibilities is always a gamble. Coliving simplifies shared responsibilities and refines the house-sharing model. Targeting like-minds on the move with location-independent lifestyles, coliving in San Francisco provides serviced environments that enhance and inspire productivity. 
Inside coliving
Coliving is a residential setup where occupants share a range of amenities. Coliving residences are often located in central hubs in newly renovated buildings. Typically, interior spaces are professionally designed like a hybrid of a boutique hotel and student dorms for grown-up young professionals. Coliving spaces range from basic set-ups like shared rooms with separate sleep pods to premium private rooms with ensuites. However, whatever the sleeping arrangement, all residents share communal areas.
Commonly, coliving comes inclusive of:
- Coworking space
- Cleaning services
- Bedding and linens
- Parcel delivery
- Dedicated guest support
- Household essentials like toilet paper and laundry detergent
- Outdoor space
- Entertainment rooms
- Recreational amenities like gyms and basketball courts
- Optional weekly events and home dinner hangouts
The upsides
Collaboration
Collaboration becomes a natural by-product of living within a supportive community of bright minds. Interacting with skilled individuals at home can connect you to a source of resources. Collaboration is key to coliving, whether you’re looking for a developer or a copywriter to boost your business. Or just someone to bounce ideas off, which is ideal if you are co-living, where in-house events inspire information sharing.
Productivity
Being around peers and productive professionals at home can up your game. Living with facilities for working at any time, day or night, there’s no excuse for productivity not being on point. Having everything you need under one roof can make business operations easier to manage. Plus, it cuts commuting time to an outside office or coworking space, freeing up time to focus on professional goals.
Social Connections
Showing up and starting out in a new city requires getting to know people and making new friends. Residents in co-living spaces with similar goals are ready to connect and meet new people, so settling is speeded up. Living in a shared coliving space can encourage you to connect with people and become part of a community. This can be more effortful when living alone. But activities like volunteering can be a way to meet new people plus give back and be active in the local community.
Flexibility
Being location-independent comes with the freedom of being able to live life out of a suitcase. Taking advantage of this lifestyle can mean not being tied down to one place. Coliving offers the flexibility on durations of stay without the commitment and longer lease terms associated with traditional rentals.
Costs
Though the basic cost coliving may be higher than a house share living arrangement, costs are saved. There is no need to pay for a separate coworking space, office, or endless coffees when not working from home. Residents save money on daily commutes or from traveling at peak times. As everything is covered in the cost of coliving, it’s easier to budget with bills included.
The downsides
Privacy
Coliving is not for people who do not like to socialize or share their personal space. Living in close-quarters offers little space for alone time. Security becomes more uncertain when sharing a space with others. Items can go missing from common areas or food can be taken from fridges. If these issues are of concern, you could feel safer and more separate living alone.
Personalities
Often, coliving involves living with a number of people you’ve never met. The risk is you may or may not get on with the people who share the space. Coliving property managers usually match residents by common traits, though compatibility isn’t guaranteed. This can lead to uncomfortable environments and undue stress. Living in shared accommodation with community values requires an open mind and effort to treat everyone as equals.
Costs
There are many financial benefits to coliving, however, there are alternatives to compete with this style of living at a similar price point. A serviced Blueground apartment offers all the household amenities and comforts required for working or resting at home. Plus a supported guest experience on the Guest app, where you can schedule cleanings, request maintenance, and check out the neighborhood advice. Without having to share the space, guests can benefit from the same level of productivity with more privacy and flexibility on month-to-month stays. In place of a coliving in San Francisco for rent, consider a furnished studio or one-bedroom where you can truly recharge in your own private space.
Switching off
With everything set up for working whenever this stimulating environment can make it harder to switch off. Ideas can be sparked over a cup of tea, or a competitive nature can be triggered by workaholics coliving side by side. The lines between living and working can become blurred, resulting in your work-life balance going off-kilter.
