Work From Home Space
A lot has changed over the past year. For many people, the rise in remote work influenced what they’re looking for in a home and created a greater appetite for a dedicated home office. Some professionals took advantage right away of the situation and purchased a bigger home. Other people thought working from home would be temporary, so they chose to get creative and make the space they already had work for them. But recent headlines indicate working from home isn’t a passing fad.
If you’re still longing for a dedicated home office, now may be the time to find the home that addresses your evolving needs. More and more companies are delaying their plans to return to the office – others are deciding to remain fully remote permanently. According to economists from Goldman Sachs in a recent article from CNN:
“Job ads increasingly offer remote work and surveys indicate that both workers and employers expect work from home to remain much more common than before the pandemic.”
Other experts agree. A survey conducted by Upwork found that due to the pandemic, companies were planning more remote work now and in the years to come:
“The number of remote workers in the next five years is expected to be nearly double what it was before COVID-19: By 2025, 36.2 million Americans will be remote, an increase of 16.8 million people from pre-pandemic rates.”
Tech companies large and small are pushing back in-person work, citing uncertainty as coronavirus cases rise nationwide.
In the nearly 18 months since the pandemic first forced companies to send their employees to work from home, the date companies have planned to bring workers back to offices has changed again and again. First, it was January…January slipped to July…
But then, for many companies, September became the new July. Now September is out as an option, and it’s anybody’s guess when workers will return to their offices in large numbers.
How Does This Impact Homeowners?
If you own your home, it’s important to realize that continued remote work may give you opportunities you didn’t realize you had. Since you don’t need to be tied to a specific area for your job, you have more flexibility when it comes to where you can live.
Working from home is a dream to most, but it comes with its own challenges. Mentally leaving “home mode” and entering “work mode” can be difficult if you never physically leave your house and your bed is only steps away.
Besides being an efficient space to get things done, your home office should be a representation of who you are. Make it your own and add some personality to liven it up. If you know you are going to be working remotely for the foreseeable future, maybe changing location is key.
If you’re one of the nearly 23% of workers who will remain 100% remote:
You have the option to move to a lower cost-of-living area or to the location of your dreams or now you can sell everything and live in an RV. The options are now open! If you search for a home in a more affordable area, you’ll be able to get more home for your money, freeing up more options for your dedicated office space and additional breathing room, etc.
You could also move to a location where you’ve always wanted to live – somewhere near the beach, the mountains, or simply a market that features the kind of weather and community amenities you’re looking for. Without your job tying you to a specific location, you’re bound to find your ideal spot.
If you’re one of the almost 15% of individuals who will have a partially remote or hybrid schedule:
Relocating within your local area to a home that’s further away from your office could be a great choice. Since you won’t be going in to work every day, a slightly longer commute from a more suburban or rural neighborhood may be a worthy trade-off for a home with more features, space, or comforts.
If ongoing remote work is changing what you need in a home, let’s connect to find one that delivers on your new wish list.