Urban living has always been about reinvention.

Cities constantly adapt to new people, new technologies, and new ways of working. Today, the pace of change is accelerating, and the old models of renting or owning no longer fit the needs of many city dwellers.

Serviced apartments, already well known in hospitality and business travel, are now emerging as a blueprint for how people will live in cities. Flexible, fully equipped, and technology-driven, they are reshaping urban living for a generation that values freedom, convenience, and connection.

Why traditional housing models are under pressure

Cities face a paradox: demand for housing has never been higher, yet affordability is moving further out of reach. Younger generations are questioning whether long leases or ownership make sense in markets where prices are prohibitive. At the same time, professionals are more mobile, shifting cities and careers more frequently than ever before.

This creates tension between what people want, such as flexibility, location, and community, and what the market has historically offered, such as rigidity, long commitments, and limited choice. Serviced apartments bridge that gap.

Unlike conventional rentals, they are designed for adaptability. Residents can stay for weeks, months, or longer without being locked into a year-long lease. They come fully furnished, utilities included, and ready for immediate move-in. That kind of flexibility is exactly what the modern urbanite is searching for.

Living, working, and lifestyle in one space

Urban life is no longer neatly divided between home and office. Remote and hybrid work models have permanently blurred those boundaries. People need living spaces that allow them to shift seamlessly from video calls to cooking dinner to hosting friends.

Serviced apartments deliver this balance in ways traditional housing often does not. The layouts typically include designated living areas, kitchens, and workspaces, all in one unit. This makes them adaptable to the changing rhythms of daily life.

But the real opportunity lies in how operators can design around lifestyle, not just square footage. Serviced apartments can incorporate:

• Coworking lounges and meeting rooms
• Shared fitness or wellness facilities
• Community programming that connects residents who may be new to a city

The result is a living environment that matches the realities of how people live and work in modern cities.

Generational expectations are reshaping urban living

Millennials and Gen Z are the largest groups moving into and across cities. Their expectations differ sharply from previous generations:

• They are digital natives who expect seamless, mobile-first experiences in every aspect of life, including housing
• They prioritize experiences over ownership, which makes them more open to flexible living models
• They value community and connection, seeking housing that enables social interaction without sacrificing privacy

For this generation, moving into a serviced apartment does not feel like a compromise. It feels like a natural extension of the lifestyle they already live: fluid, connected, and technology-enabled.

Sustainability in the city

Cities are on the front line of the climate crisis, and residents increasingly expect housing that aligns with sustainable living. Serviced apartments are well placed to meet these expectations:

• Longer stays reduce the environmental impact of constant move-ins and move-outs
• Shared services such as laundry and cleaning cut down on waste
• Operators can invest in energy-efficient infrastructure across entire buildings rather than leaving it to individual renters

The ability to track and report on sustainability metrics is becoming a differentiator. This is where technology again plays a central role. A property management system can monitor energy usage, streamline housekeeping schedules to reduce waste, and generate data that operators can share with eco-conscious residents or city partners.

Technology, the hidden engine of livable cities

None of this would be possible without technology. Serviced apartments succeed as a future model for urban living not only because of their design, but because modern property management systems make them viable at scale.

For residents, technology creates seamless living:

• Mobile check-in and digital keys mean arriving at a new home without paperwork or waiting in line
• Apps integrated with the PMS allow residents to request maintenance, book amenities, or extend stays in a few taps
• Personalized experiences, from preferred housekeeping schedules to smart energy controls, make city living easier and more comfortable

For operators, technology provides scalability and efficiency:

• Centralized PMS dashboards enable operators to manage hundreds of units across different neighborhoods or even different cities
• Automated billing, contract management, and reporting reduce administrative load and errors
• Data analytics reveal resident preferences, allowing operators to refine services and optimize occupancy

For cities, technology makes serviced apartments part of the ecosystem:

• Mixed-use models, combining short-term stays, long-term rentals, and corporate housing in one building, are only manageable through robust PMS infrastructure
• Integration with city services and mobility platforms creates a more connected urban fabric

Technology is not an add-on to serviced apartments. It is the foundation that allows them to function as a serious alternative to traditional housing.

Community and connection

Urban living has always been about people. One of the challenges of modern city life, however, is isolation. Traditional rentals often lack built-in community, leaving residents to find their own networks.

Serviced apartments can flip this dynamic by creating intentional connections. Whether it is shared coworking lounges, resident events, or digital platforms where neighbors can interact, these properties have the chance to become hubs of community.

For mobile professionals, newcomers, and younger residents, this built-in community reduces the friction of moving to a new city and strengthens loyalty to both the property and the operator.

What the future looks like

Serviced apartments are not just an alternative to hotels or rentals. They represent a shift in how people think about urban living itself.

• Flexibility replaces rigidity, residents want options not obligations
• Technology replaces friction, self-service and personalization are now baseline
• Community replaces anonymity, people want homes that connect them to others not just four walls
• Sustainability replaces excess, efficiency and reporting are part of the housing value proposition

As cities continue to grow and evolve, serviced apartments, also known as extended stay apartments or corporate housing in some markets, are set to become an integral part of the urban landscape.

The RMS perspective

Serviced apartments are no longer just a product category, they are becoming part of the way cities function. To succeed, operators need more than attractive properties. They need technology that allows them to scale, connect, and innovate.

At RMS, we see property management systems as the infrastructure behind tomorrow’s urban neighborhoods. A PMS can bring together residents who expect seamless digital living, operators who want efficiency across multiple sites, and city partners who demand accountability on sustainability and community impact.

The future of urban living will belong to the operators who think beyond individual units and see their portfolio as part of a connected city. With the right technology in place, serviced apartments can provide not only homes but also the flexibility, sustainability, and sense of belonging that urban residents are searching for.