Can house sharing be glamourous and fun?

There are lots of reasons why house sharing is becoming more prevalent, but it’s not only financial benefits that people are looking for. This is particularly the case as people reach ‘a certain age’ and start to think about how to spend their days.

Even if finances are not a concern, more and more people are looking for a bit of a life change. It could be because of recent divorce or separation, which forces a new search, but it can also be loneliness, boredom and a desire to have some fun. This can be the case not only for the more mature housemate/lodger, but also for a homeowner.

Which raises the question of whether house shares can be fun, or even glamourous.

What’s the limit on shared amenities?

Speaking of fun, new co-living developments offer not only onsite gyms and laundry facilities, but also areas in which to socialise, as well as organised events. These are what younger people value.

There is a development for older adults in the Netherlands that has its own bar; residents and their guests can enjoy time together in these surroundings. The rooms in the development are relatively stylish and can be tailored to one’s own tastes.

Such large scale co-living spaces focus on creating high-quality communal areas and valuable shared amenities. The ‘value’ to the residents is clearly greater than having a private room and bathroom, which are of course essential.

Developers think about the balance between amenities and room space, privacy and shared experience, cost and value, but so should house sharers.

Dream up your house share

One key advantage of house sharing, is the opportunity to live in a better property, with more space and in a better area than you can afford on your own. The Times featured a story about Mariella Frostrup sharing with a friend in Central London, ‘surprising joys of the fiftysomething flatshare’.

We have also seen a number of house shares in larger homes, a mini mansion, a wing of a country estate, and in well-connected Zone 1 or 2 in London.

And of course, older home owners not only need to find a housemate to help pay the bills, but also to combat loneliness in some cases.

But besides the property and accomodation, what else might constitute glamour when considering a house share? (Let’s assume you can afford it)

The point is, that a house share is about a lifestyle, not just a room in a building.

The first step is to find the right people to live with, but the equally important second step is to find a way to live together that you enjoy.

What services make a house share glamourous?

This obviously depends on personal preference, but here are 5 ideas to get you thinking:

1. Hire a cleaner. That’s an easy first choice for most. This features in a number of house share listings that we see. It’s the alternative to communal cleaning and helps avoid any conflict in this area.
   
2. Have a separate lounge. A room dedicated to leisure and relaxation, not just a kitchen diner. Not all house shares offer this these days. It’s a luxury.
   
3. A good sized kitchen/diner to cook in and have a few people round to eat from time to time. These can be fellow housemates or the odd guest.
   
4. A housekeeper to make dinner and clear up for a few hours 3 or 4 nights a week. Just imagine having your meal prepared and ready for you, and not having to clear up? Also someone to organise the basic shopping duties.
   
5. A laundry room. You wouldn’t have to have the washing machine and dryer going in the kitchen or bathroom all the time, and there would be more space.
   
6. A house, rather than a flat (unless a large flat). This helps to separate public areas, where guests can come and go, from private areas, where only you and maybe someone special, can go. More like a country hotel arrangement.
   
7. A garden and a gardener. It’s one thing to have a garden, but it creates another communal area to keep tidy that needs negotiation. A gardener solves that. (Unless of course like me, you like gardening.)

Value not cost

Looking at these ideas, none of these are impossible to imagine, it is just a question of what you value. Yes, there is a cost, but the value of one or all of these things to you personally is what matters.

As with all intentional house shares (including cooperatives) these things have to be agreed. In a classic small house share where one person is the homeowner and the others a lodger/’paying guest’, it will depend on the landlord. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have some glamour included you just have to look for it and prioritise your preferences.

Alternatives to house sharing?

I suppose retirement villages offer this sort of thing, but rather than live in an institution, wouldn’t it be better to create a shared living lifestyle before you consider that?

Footnote: The photo used at the top is of founders Eva and Nick ( nearly 10 years ago in April 2027) promoting Cohabitas for the first time at the Women’s Institute Fair in Alexandra Palace. Most of the attendees were appalled at the idea of sharing! We learned quickly.