3rd September 2021 / Prue Fletcher: What’s the Real Value of a Home Office in the Current Market

Working from home is now becoming a permanent part of many professional lives. Many companies have scaled back on commercial rents and telling employees they'll not be returning to their offices or shared spaces – with many limiting their return to office obligations altogether.

Many of us are now expected to use our homes as our offices, whether we like it or not, and embrace technologies such as video conferencing, online chats and everything digital.

While the rush-hour that would book-end our working days won't be missed, careful thought needs to be given to what all this means for our home life.

To successfully transition to this work-from-home phenomenon long term, you need to identify space in your home that's far from the hustle and bustle of family life and can still be used as a designated 'workspace'.

Also, you want to be able to shut the door on work at the end of the day. If you're working at the kitchen or dining room table, it will be a continual presence in your family life – and that's not healthy.

As restrictions drag on, many of our buyers are asking about workspaces in homes that are on the market. This is slowly becoming as important as a good bathroom, kitchen or whether a home has three or four bedrooms, a rising priority on most people's lists.

32 Newhaven Road, Burwood East

Fletchers Blackburn agent, Connor Sun, sold 32 Newhaven Road in Burwood East prior to it's scheduled online auction over the weekend. The property boasts built-in desks in bedroom 2, 3 & 4 and appealed to families who remain in the throes of homeschooling their children full time. The property was in very high demand.

If you're thinking of selling in the near future, then creating a home-office or designated work space will give you a distinct advantage over similar properties for sale in your area.

Here are some tips on how to set up a great workspace!

1. Find space or a quiet corner – You don't need an entire room, or a city skyline view, to create a home/office. But it's best to choose a space away from the busiest areas of your home.

2. Invest in and showcase a good Wi-Fi set up – You'll need good internet access to cope with the demands of WFH. Use Wi-Fi extenders to deliver the data speeds you need and mention these in the copy.

3. Highlight the good ergonomics – When planning out your home office set up, ensure Your wellbeing is at stake – and that's no exaggeration. If your office is offering an ergonomic audit of your set-up, invite them in. Some employers will pay for what you need. Remember, you'll likely be spending more than 30 hours a week at your desk.

4. Light bulb moment – Lighting is crucial to productivity. Natural light is paramount to productivity but avoid a space that throws glare onto your computer screen. Instead, use soft window furnishings to combat this challenge or add soft desk lighting.

15 Invermay Grove, Rosanna

6. Storage solutions – It is essential that buyers can visualise a sense of order in a workspace. A place where work papers are safe from children and maybe your own desktop chaos. If only for photography, keep everything neat and tidy, and consider investing in good storage solutions.

7. Research comparable spaces – Don't waste your time and productivity by making changes that won't add value to your new space. Instead, research similar homes & comparable spaces to really get clear on what you are trying to achieve.

8. Consider a Zoom consultation with a professional stylist – If you're finding it difficult to achieve a result on your own, there are plenty of stylists offering Zoom consults at the moment. They are experienced in maximising spaces to their fullest potential and are a great investment when preparing your home for sale.

At Fletchers, we work with only the best in property presentation, so please get in touch if you would like us to connect you with one of our trusted property stylists.