The home office is in high demand
Do you have an office space in your home? Whether you’ve converted a nook or turned a room into a home office, creating an office space is a great way to appeal to prospective buyers.
Adding an office to your home is a smart way to grow the appeal of your property. While the home office was once simply somewhere to catch up on work out of hours, it’s now becoming a staple and is commonly a hot-list item for buyers.
Why the home office is growing in importance
The way we work has changed dramatically over the last year as people and businesses become more flexible around what’s involved in getting the job done. Working from home has become a new norm and whether you do it full time or part time, that means you need to have the space to make it possible.
The benefits of being able to work from home
Why is working from home so good? Even without a long journey time, workers can benefit from removing a commute from their working day and being able to be flexible to the needs of both work and home life.
Employers are increasingly recognising that employees can be equally if not more productive from a home office. In turn there are savings to be made from not having to provide office space for all your employees to spend every day on site.
Working from home isn’t without its challenges though. It requires discipline to be able to remain productive without getting caught up in distractions. You also need to be comfortable and be able to spend long lengths of time getting work done - that means setting yourself up ergonomically and knowing that time working at home isn’t going to leave you with unwanted physical side effects.
How to set up your home office
Here’s our checklist of what you might need if you want to set up your home office for success.
Dedicated Work Surface – A good desk or table to work from and a comfortable chair can help you to stay focused and are both essential for the right ergonomic support.
Good Equipment – If you’re lucky enough to have your own laptop provided by work, you can work with that. Entry level laptops are relatively inexpensive and are much easier to port around the house (or to coffee shops) than a desktop computer. Try to have your laptop or screen eye-level – which will help with neck and eye strain.
Away from Distractions – It can be easy to fall into the distraction trap. Try and position your home office in a quiet place and keep distractions to a minimum. That usually means switching off the TV and looking away from the washing pile until you’ve got your to-do list complete.
Face Away from Window – If your home office has a window, position yourself away from it if it’s likely to become a distraction.
Create a space you want to be in – Research has shown that productivity increases in the presence of plants. Adding some plants and other visually inspiring or uplifting pieces to your room may help you enjoy spending more quality time in your home office.
Get Insured – Once you’ve gathered together everything you need for your home office, it’s important to make sure it’s insured. Check that your home insurance covers the equipment you need for work. If your business has provided a laptop or computer ask them to check that their insurance covers off-site use as well.
Get ready to re-sell
Now that you’ve made your home office functional for you, you might like to consider what will make it desirable when it comes to selling your home. Here’s our wishlist of features that are more likely to motivate a purchaser to make an offer.
Internet or Fibre – As ADSL is fading out fast, homes with installed fibre have a definite advantage over similar homes. If you are in a zone that is on the outskirts of fibre – having the option of ADSL or another form of internet will help your home to sell as well.
Private, Dedicated Space – Keeping your personal time and your professional life separate is not easy to achieve. Especially when you have a home office. A space that is separate to the rest of the house, or not within the bedrooms, is ideal.
Neat & Organised – as with the private, dedicated space, a neat and organised space is crucial. Without filing cabinets, cupboards, or drawers to help keep your space clean and tidy, this room may just become a disorganised paper nightmare.
Good Lighting – Natural lighting is always best, but some people work in the evening or early morning hours where good lights become paramount. Remember smart lighting can make a room feel bigger and brighter and help to boost its appeal.
Heating & Cooling – The right temperature can help you to stay focused and productive. Buyers will look for heating and cooling options and also to understand where powerpoints are located should they want to plug in a fan or additional floor heater.
Extra features that seal the deal: If you really want to make your home office one of the leading features of your home, take a look at these added extras:
Close to a bathroom or own bathroom facilities – if you want to invite people into your home office or share the space, having access to facilities will be key.
Kitchenette – or tea/coffee stand – Work and coffee and tea all go hand in hand. Keeping them close at hand will help you to stay focused and contain work in your working space..
Own Separate Entrance – Depending on the kind of work you do, having a separate entrance and parking could be highly beneficial.
Home offices are in high demand, and they are only likely to rise in popularity. if you could benefit from a home office space then remember what buyers are looking for as you design a productive space. Ready to boost your asking price? Why not convert an area of your home into a home office and add to the appeal of your property.