Flex living: "Not a passing trend, but a market shift"

The term "flex living" refers to a more flexible way of living and renting accommodation. In practice, and according to SEAG, it involves lease agreements that are shorter than traditional long-term rentals but longer than tourist accommodation, which is generally rented by the day or week.

It is a flexible, temporary rental model, designed for people seeking accommodation for an intermediate period, without the commitments associated with long-term contracts and with greater stability than a short holiday stay.

Barcelona and its metropolitan area have played a particularly active role in this evolution. According to Bajo, the market has moved "from a highly fragmented landscape made up of scattered units to one where larger and more cohesive projects are beginning to emerge."

A clear example is Kora Mostra in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, which comprises more than 200 units and illustrates the sector's shift towards larger and more structured developments.

At the same time, operators capable of building sizeable portfolios and delivering a consistent product have gained market share. This trend reflects broader structural factors, including demographic change, increasing labour and international mobility, and, above all, growing difficulties in accessing conventional housing.

Among the most common formats currently emerging are projects that combine flex living units with traditional rental housing, as well as developments that incorporate serviced-flat features, communal spaces, coworking facilities and additional resident services.

According to the consultancy, this hybrid model responds to a growing demand for housing solutions that combine flexibility, community and services, moving beyond the concept of housing as a purely passive asset.

According to Laborde Marcet, much of the existing product is concentrated in central districts such as Eixample, Ciutat Vella and Sant Antoni, "often through renovated buildings that have evolved into medium-stay accommodation with added services."

These neighbourhoods are home to operators such as Caterina, Smart Rental (Live It), Enso Co-living and Aticco Living, all of which have established a presence in well-established locations.

However, new growth areas are beginning to emerge. "There is a clear shift towards Poblenou and the 22@ district, where the international profile associated with the technology ecosystem is particularly well suited to this type of housing. Here, developments are increasingly combining accommodation, community and workspaces, reinforcing the hybrid nature of the model," explains Bajo.

At the same time, he highlights the sector's expansion into the metropolitan area. Locations such as L'Hospitalet and Cerdanyola are attracting some of the largest projects currently under development, including Kora Mostra and Urbania's scheme in Parc de l'Alba. This growth is largely due to greater land availability and a more favourable development environment than is typically found in central Barcelona.

All signs suggest that flex living will continue to grow while becoming increasingly sophisticated. "The sector is entering a new and more professionalised phase. There is a greater presence of specialised operators, increasing institutional investment and the development of larger-scale assets," according to Laborde Marcet.

Hybrid models that combine elements of residential property and hospitality are also becoming more common, raising expectations for the product. Flex living should no longer be viewed as a temporary trend, but as part of a broader transformation of the residential market, "where housing is evolving towards more flexible, professionally managed and user-focused formats," concludes the consultancy.