Flex Living in Spain Explained

The term Flex Living (short for FLEXIBLE LIVING) is an innovative rental model that offers maximum flexibility, customized services, and a sense of community to the tenant. It is the perfect housing model for people looking for comfort without a long term commitment. And… It is affordable!

The concept of Flex Living is booming and redefining the housing market in Spain, especially in cities where housing is limited and expensive, such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Palma De Mallorca. 

The operator is the backbone of the Flex Living community and must ensure that the coliving space functions efficiently, remains financially sustainable, and delivers a high-quality living experience for the residents. Unlike traditional landlords, professional operators go beyond just renting out rooms: They create community-driven environments, manage services, and optimize property use to maximize the resident satisfaction.

Flex Living exists under different formats, with more or less “community sense”. Some formats such as urban digital nomad coliving spaces are very much focused on the creation of a tight community. In fact, the “Look-How-Cool-Our-Community-Is” is the main USP for many urban colivings in the largest cities in Spain. Other flex living formats are less focussed on the community and more on the quality of the individual living units, and are leaning more towards traditional “aparthotels”.

Everything depends on the operator. The operator defines the identity of the accommodation and the involvement of the residents in the community, and must organize events, networking opportunities, and social gatherings to create meaningful connections.

In shared living environments conflicts can arise over shared spaces, noise, or cleanliness. A professional operator must acts as a neutral mediator, enforcing house rules and addressing disputes proactively.

Operators must efficiently handle property maintenance, cleaning, security, and repairs to ensure a hassle-free experience. Their role is to provide daily on-demand support for residents, regular inspections and proactive maintenance. A non-professional operator with slow response times will frustrate residents and lead to high turnover.

The Flex Living sector in Spain will continue to expand as long as it keeps adapting to the evolving housing preferences. Undoubtedly it will bring confidence to real estate investors as a sustainable housing model, and the Spanish administration will follow with supportive policies. At Globexs we feel that there is no way back. The concept of Flex Living reflects the new reality of how we live and work.

As the market matures, it is expected to diversify further, offering an ever wider range of flexible housing options. Operators are becoming more and more creative to answer the dynamic needs of their residents.

Nowadays, many coliving operators in Spain are moving toward subscription-based or membership-based rentals, offering the residents to move freely between different locations. An example is the Globexs Spain Digital Nomad Program allowing residents to freely move between the different Globexs colivings in Elche/Alicante, Valencia and Madrid.

As we have earlier in this article, many different types of housing arrangements fall under the definition of Flex Living, and the audience ranges from students to digital nomads to professionals to seniors. Even though Flex Living was in the first place adapted to the needs of younger digital nomads, the concept is appealing to large sections of the population (Basically to anyone that is seeking flexibility and a connection with likeminded souls). Flex Living allows tenants to rent properties for shorter periods, adapting their housing to their changing needs, whether for work, study, or … retire.

Indeed, not only amongst young people the concept of Flex Living is gaining momentum. Baby boomers never saw themselves getting old, but now it’s time for them to retire, and they want to do so in their own way. Naturally, baby boomers have a completely different life than their parents did and, as a result, their retirement looks different as well. Seniors today are staying longer and longer active, and are willing to travel. Many operators are already offering the possibility to their seniors to move freely between residencies in different locations.

Flex Living is also becoming increasingly popular amongst families with young children because it offers them the convenience, flexibility, and affordability needed to adapt to changing lifestyles. It typically involves short-term, furnished rentals with built-in services, allowing families to move more easily without the burdens of long-term leases or homeownership. Ideal for remote-working parents or those testing different cities before settling down.