Popularity of share house applications grow as renters seek out a new way of life

Queenslanders willing to share their homes with strangers are turning to apps to find the perfect roommate. FIND OUT WHY

Marlee Burke shares a beautiful apartment in Brisbane’s inner north with a stranger – or at least she used to be.

Now the women who decided to take the plunge and use an application to find a roommate are firm friends.

They’re not alone, as popularity in online groups and flatmates apps skyrockets.

Flatmates.com.au community manager Claudia Conley says the business has seen a boost in people using the platform.

“We’ve seen an increase in families, young investors and first-time homeowners using Flatmates.com.au,” she said.

“(They’re) renting out their spare rooms as an additional revenue stream.

“Since the launch of our iOS and Android apps last year, we’ve had 200,000 combined downloads.”

Ms Burke, an operations manager, made the move from the Gold Coast to Brisbane around 18 months ago.

The 27-year-old had been living with her parents during Covid-19 lockdowns before deciding to move in with someone she hadn’t met.

Her first port of call, like many others, was Flatmates.com.au

“It was an interesting experience to say the least,” Ms Burke said.

“I had a few people that I was messaging with to try to find someone who would be interesting, so I met up with a few people and tried to find apartments from there.

“One was a 45-year-old woman asked me to move in with her in Ipswich, her selling point for the apartment was it had a hot tub and a cinema room – that sounds really lovely, thank you for the offer but no.

“I had a lot of older men messaging, I clearly marked that I wanted a female roommate, but it didn’t quite get through that filter.”

Despite meeting a few interesting characters, Ms Burke wasn’t deterred, with the benefits far outweighing the initial difficulties.

She then found her current roommate Sarah, 28, with the pair moving into an apartment in Newstead.

“The platform is really easy to use and I didn’t find it too overwhelming at all,” she said.

“Sarah and I have lived in this apartment now for a year and a half nearly.

“We get along really well which is fantastic so we hang out a lot together, we’ve integrated our friend groups so that’s lovely.

“I would still recommend others use the platform.”

Ms Conley said the website had seen some changes to the demographic of those looking.

“The closure of international borders has had a severe impact on the share accommodation market, as international students and backpackers make up a large portion of our community,” she said.

“The closure of state borders and virtual learning and working has also meant that less students are moving interstate for university and less members are moving for job opportunities.”

Despite that, the site has seen a two per cent increase in Brisbane members over the past year and a 10 per cent increase across the State.

“Brisbane is our third largest market on Flatmates.com.au and while Sydney and Melbourne users have dropped off slightly over the past year due to closed international and state borders, Brisbane hasn’t experienced the same impact,” Ms Conley said.

If you’re looking for a new tenant, there’s a few things to keep in mind as the criteria for those searching evolves.

“Due to lockdowns, sharers are looking for homes with a lot of communal and green space,” Ms Conley said.

“Now that consumers have more choice in the share accommodation market, they no longer want to work from home in their bedrooms when they’re looking for a new home.

“Demand for large communal spaces or spare rooms to set up homes offices is high, as well as proximity to green space – parks, beaches, creeks.

“With the high supply and diverse mix of properties available right now, if you’re looking for a fresh start, now is the perfect time to find your dream share house.”