There are many different types of communal living, and the way of living varies depending on the purpose, so it is important to have a thorough understanding of the characteristics of each.
In this article, we will introduce an overview of communal living, including shared houses, as well as the advantages and disadvantages.
If you're thinking, "I want to try communal living, but I don't know which one is best for me," then please read to the end.
What is communal living?
Cohabitation is a lifestyle in which multiple people live in one home.Unlike living alone, you can communicate with your roommates, and the initial costs and living expenses are paid together between tenants, reducing the financial burden.
There are three main types of communal living:
- share-house
- room share
- Social Apartment
Let's take a look at the characteristics of each.
share-house
A share house is a rental property where tenants have their own private rooms but share spaces such as the living room, kitchen, and bathroom.
Some properties do not offer private rooms, but they are attracting attention because the rent is cheaper than living alone and residents can enjoy interacting with other residents.
It is common to rent a shared house from a company that operates and manages rental properties.
There are also a wide variety of share houses available, including women-only share houses and share houses that focus on value for money.
Recently, concept-based shared houses have become popular, bringing together residents with common hobbies and goals, such as people who love games or those looking to start their own businesses.
room share
Room sharing is a form of living where friends or couples live together in an apartment or condominium with permission from the owner.
The number of people sharing a room is usually 2 to 5.
Shared houses are run by professional management companies, but with room sharing, there is no management company, so if any problems arise you will need to resolve them with the friends or couple you are living with.
The initial costs for a shared house are around 100,000 yen, whereas with room sharing you will need to purchase appliances etc., so although it is cheaper than living alone, it will still cost around 250,000 to 560,000 yen.
Social Apartment
Social apartment is a term registered as a trademark by Global Agents Co., Ltd., and is gaining attention as a new lifestyle for people living alone.
Social apartments offer private rooms (with kitchen, toilet, and bathroom) that emphasize privacy, as well as shared spaces (lounge and large kitchen) where residents can interact with each other.
The design allows you to casually enjoy conversation with other residents.
With facilities such as a gym, soundproof room, and theater room, you can enjoy a lifestyle that you could not experience living alone.
Residents are diverse in age, affiliation, and work style, and there are between 50 and 100 rooms, with most residents in their 20s and 30s.
The pros and cons of living in a shared house
Now that you have an idea of the three communal living styles and their characteristics, let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of share houses to see if living in a share house suits your needs and lifestyle.merit
One of the benefits of living in a share house is the financial aspect. Initial costs, rent, and even living expenses can be significantly reduced compared to living alone. It is attractive for those who are living alone for the first time or who have a limited budget. In terms of facilities, large share houses can sometimes offer luxurious shared facilities that are difficult to reach in regular rental properties. There are also benefits to living together. There are many benefits to supporting each other's lives, such as a sense of security in terms of crime prevention and reduced burden from sharing household chores. In addition, there are many opportunities to meet new people and make friends. Interacting with a variety of people is one of the great attractions of a share house.
Demerit
In a share house, residents may be assigned private rooms, but there are also some where the room is shared by multiple people.
In that case, it will be difficult to ensure privacy, so it may not be suitable for those who value their alone time.
Also, you may hear noises from daily life coming from shared spaces and rooms, which could be stressful for people who are sensitive to noise, so you need to be careful.
The pros and cons of room sharing
Next, we will introduce the advantages and disadvantages of room sharing in detail.merit
Like a shared house, room sharing reduces the financial burden as living expenses are shared among tenants.
Also, if you move in with a friend, you can live without worrying about others.
One of the benefits of room sharing is that if you run into any problems, you have someone nearby to talk to.
Demerit
In a shared house, interpersonal problems can arise. Interactions in shared spaces can sometimes cause conflicts. When using the living room or kitchen, you are required to be considerate of other residents, and there are many situations where you need to be careful. Furthermore, shared houses are mainly concentrated in the metropolitan area, so there are few opportunities to use them in rural areas. These points can be said to be the disadvantages of a shared house.
The pros and cons of social apartments
Following on from our introduction to shared houses, we will now take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of room sharing.merit
The biggest attraction of room sharing is the sense of security you get from having a friend or partner in the house. Having someone nearby to consult with in case of emergency is a great emotional support. Also, compared to living alone, the expenses per person are reduced because the rent, initial costs, and living expenses are split. Rent tends to be high in urban areas, so room sharing can make life much easier. Another major benefit is that you'll be living with people you know, so you can live a relaxed life with fewer worries.
Demerit
The disadvantage of room sharing is that you need to clearly decide on the division of household chores. In order to make communal living go smoothly, it is important to divide up household chores such as cleaning and cooking fairly in advance. You also have to solve any problems that arise over how to use the shared space among yourself, and prolonged arguments can be stressful. In order to avoid problems, it is necessary to determine rules between tenants in advance. Since there are few properties that allow room sharing in the first place, it can be difficult to find an apartment or condominium that meets your needs.
If you plan to live together with others, we recommend a shared house, which can reduce initial costs and living expenses!
This time, we introduced an overview of each type of communal living arrangement, including share houses, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.Compared to other forms of communal living, share houses offer lower initial costs and living expenses.
Also, when you move into a concept-based share house, you can enjoy interacting with other residents who have the same hobbies and goals as you, so it is recommended.
If you are interested in communal living, why not consider moving into a share house?
Cross House offers share houses mainly in Tokyo.
With our industry-first comfort guarantee, you can move properties free of charge for any reason, including "not getting along with the tenant" or "the property doesn't match up to what you expected."
If you are worried about any troubles you may encounter when moving into a shared house, please feel free to use this service.
