Real-estate brokers are trying to get in on the coworking craze.

Last year downtown-based CBRE Group Inc., added an arm to its business called Hana, which offers flexible office space for lease.

The wholly owned subsidiary runs coworking spaces through partnerships with landlords, offering office suites, conference rooms, event space and shared workspaces. CBRE opened its first two locations in Dallas and Irvine.

Landlords have become increasingly interested in coworking as a way to keep space filled without having to manage the complexities of short-term tenants, office refurbishments and upkeep. If all goes well, some of those tenants could sign longer-term leases.

In June brokerage Savills Inc. added its own flexible office space arm called Pivot, which will work with landlords in the United Kingdom to develop locations.

Brokerage Newmark Knight Frank is an investor in flex office provider Knotel Inc., which has signed leases at nine buildings in L.A. this year. Barry Gosin, chief executive of Newmark Knight Frank, saidlate last year that the brokerage saw “tremendous growth and long-term opportunity in the flexible office market, which Knotel has taken to a new level.”