Creative Co-Living: Innovative Ways to Share Space Efficiently
Larry Koestler
HOUSTON – (By Dale King, Realty News Report) – Science fiction fans may call space the final frontier, but on Earth, unused or underused space in offices and warehouses is an avoidable expense.
SpaceShare operates a peer-to-peer platform that helps individuals, teams and companies monetize or access unused space and shared amenities. The service is available through two sites: spacesha.re, which serves people and organizations seeking extra square footage for staff, operations or storage, and SwiftLease, where companies with excess offices, open desks or vacant cubicles can list availability so others with short-term or flexible needs can move in.
“SpaceShare,” says Larry Koestler, vice president of marketing and communications for NAI Partners, the company’s owner, “is a unique model that accelerates the sharing of idle space and amenities.”
“It’s a distinctive offering,” he adds. “Unlike traditional co-working or standard subleases, SpaceShare pairs individuals and businesses with unused office space that already exists within a company’s lease. That allows people who don’t need a lot of room to enter highly flexible work arrangements—often with access to on-site amenities—while enabling companies to convert otherwise idle space into revenue.”
“SpaceShare focuses on unlocking the earning potential of extra offices, underused warehouse areas and vacant retail space,” he continues, “in situations where sharing space and amenities is practical and beneficial.”
Since its launch in November 2018, the platform has listed more than 50 offices, including numerous desks and cubicles, according to Koestler.
SpaceShare’s goal is to link individuals and corporate users with companies that have unused office, industrial or retail space. Unlike traditional subleases, Koestler explains, SpaceShare avoids complicated sublease agreements and costly physical separation of space. Instead, SpaceShare enables true space-sharing arrangements that emphasize flexibility, lower cost and shared amenities and common areas—creating a win-win for both parties.
“We match people with space that companies are leasing but not actively using,” he says. “It’s similar to the ride-sharing concept: many cars sit unused most of the time, and sharing that resource makes sense. SpaceShare applies the same idea to real estate.”
“The process is straightforward,” Koestler adds. “Individuals can search SpaceShare’s listings, contact SpaceShare’s specialists once they find a suitable option, and typically start using the space within days.”
“Businesses that want to list space use a simple contact form to provide details and set terms, price and conditions. SpaceShare then posts the listing and matches prospective tenants with available inventory, managing the arrangement throughout its lifecycle.”
There is no strict minimum or maximum for spaces handled by the platform—each opportunity is evaluated individually—though SpaceShare typically operates with spaces up to about 5,000 square feet.
Koestler emphasizes: “If a space can function as office, industrial or retail space and offers a seat and a place to work, SpaceShare can facilitate a match.”
SpaceShare is owned by NAI Partners of Houston, Koestler notes, but operates independently. While some NAI Partners have ownership interests in SwiftLease, the parent company of SpaceShare, day-to-day operations remain separate and autonomous from NAI Partners.
