Common, the New York start-up putting a fresh twist on adult sharehousing

The term “share house” conjures painful memories of samurai sword-wielding potheads and random backpackers you met on the Inca trail outstaying their welcome. Or maybe that’s just me.

For Sophie Wilkinson, share houses have more positive connotations. Wilkinson moved from Adelaide to New York with her husband in 2013. After a stint working for a company that builds luxury shops, she joined a start-up called Common.

Founded by Brad Hargreaves, one of the brains behind the vocational education empire General Assembly, Common is on a mission to provide flexible, community-minded homes in big cites in the United States.

Co-living is an emerging trend in the real estate market. High rents and nomadic lifestyles are driving more people to consider sharing well into their 20s, 30s and beyond. In the US, players include Open Door and WeLive, a subsidiary of co-working giant WeWork.

Common acts as a property manager, partnering with developers and property owners to lease and manage buildings as Common homes. It aims to make it easier and more convenient to find and live with roommates by building a community with each home – complete with potluck dinners, book clubs and weekends away.

Wilkinson and her husband moved into one of the first homes, Common Havemeyer, in the Brooklyn neighbourhood of Williamsburg.

“As the head of design and construction, it was invaluable for me to experience the product first-hand,” Wilkinson says. “My husband and I also loved the friends we made, and how easy it was to live with roommates.”

Common “members” can choose from a range of fully furnished living options, from self-contained studios and one-bedroom apartments to shared suites with their own bedrooms for singles or couples, private or shared bathrooms, communal living spaces and kitchens.

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The rent includes a weekly cleaning service, high-speed Wi-Fi, utilities and supplies such as cooking basics and detergent.

“We really did have a great time. It was a Common, so we never fought about the cleaning.”

Wilkinson – who studied commerce, design and project management at university –  says a lot of thought is given to the mechanics of co-living and the functionality of the homes, for example the size and layouts of the kitchen and laundries, and location of living rooms to maximise natural light.

“Spaces don’t have to be extravagant to work well. They just have to be well-considered.”

The focus then turns to furnishings and services. Instead of milk crate coffee tables, the homes feature on-trend finishes – think matte copper taps, subway tiles and mason jar pendant lights.

“The bedding is gorgeous. The beds look just like clouds, in my opinion. We also supply all the toilet paper and paper towels – things roommates typically fight about.”

Two years after welcoming its first residents, Common now operates 12 homes in four cities. Many more are in the pipeline.

Potential residents are vetted in an attempt to ensure they genuinely want to join an engaged community. Each home has a house leader, a longstanding resident who acts as a liaison between Common and members.

“We see a lot of professionals at Common and a lot of internationals as well. It’s a great option if people are moving across the world,” Wilkinson says.

Pricing depends on room size, location and lease length. Bedrooms on a 12-month lease are priced to match comparable averages of the surrounding neighbourhood, starting at $US1250 ($1615) a month for a one-year lease.

“On a larger scale, Common is helping to solve the housing problem in major cities by providing an option for a very under-served segment of the housing market,” says Wilkinson, who has moved out of Common Havemeyer and into a two-bedroom apartment in the same neighbourhood.

“In these large cities, most apartments are designed for couples or families. Common is working with developers to design spaces specifically created for those who live with roommates.”

See common.com

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