With high-tech home office wishlists, homebuyers are perplexing real estate agents

It used to be straightforward to find a house. Real estate professionals would type in a client’s preferred bedroom count, location, and square footage to locate prospective matches, then filter by price. ( https://www.howard-bison.com/why-should-you-get-an-installment-loan-from-paydaynow/ )

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According to brokers, buyers are now a lot more particular and technical because of the increase in remote employment and working from home. They want high-speed internet, fiber optic connections, and reliable mobile service. They ask for private home offices (often two), soundproofed walls, and enough illumination for Zoom conversations.

Toni Frana, a FlexJobs career consultant, has been working remotely since 2012, and she sees no reason for the trend to stop. “Since becoming a full-time remote worker, I’ve relocated from one end of the nation to the other five times,” Frana says. “Finding the perfect workplace is always my first priority.”

Frana’s home-office-first strategy seems to be gaining traction in the coming years. According to a recent McKinsey poll, nine out of ten businesses will continue to use remote work arrangements, at least in part, after the epidemic.

“Many agents expected demand for home offices to decline once the epidemic was brought under control, but it seems that so many individuals are choosing to work from home even when their workplaces are open,” says Kelly Moye, a real estate agent with Compass in Boulder, Colorado. “It seems that high-tech, private home office space will continue to be a valued aspect of real estate.”

Are we looking for a place to work from home?

According to a poll conducted by the National Association of Home Builders, a home office is desired by 63 percent of today’s purchasers. Almost a quarter? They claim they’re “very necessary.”

Buyers are prepared to pay a premium for something so important. According to statistics, properties with offices sell 3.4 percent more than those without. That’s the difference between a national median price of $356,700 and $368,827, or almost $12,000 more. In addition, homes with home offices sell nine days quicker.

“The home office is now a must-have,” says Phillip Salem, a New York City-based Compass agent. “It’s not simply a nice-to-have anymore.”

Unfortunately, home offices aren’t always simple to come by – at least not in the traditional sense. Even though “study” rooms may be listed on multiple listing services, the local listing databases utilized by real estate professionals, many brokers treat them as additional bedrooms. According to Incenter Appraisal Management, although an extra bedroom may add $5,000 to “tens of thousands” to a property’s selling price, the approach makes it challenging to discover home offices right away.

Agents said purchasers have an unmistakable sense of what they want in an office, complicating matters.

“Buyers want a room that is closed off, provides seclusion, yet is bright and sunny not a dark basement,” adds Moye. “They inquire about good internet connections and soundproofing measures in particular.”

According to Steve Gottlieb of Warburg Realty, the size and design of the workplace are also important, especially for employees who will be utilizing Zoom and other video capabilities often.

“With more meetings taking place through video conferencing than ever before,” Gottlieb writes, “workers are conscious of their colleagues peeking into their homes.” “The home office can’t only be a computer setup anymore.” On-screen, everything must seem tidy and professional.”

When it comes to technology

While home office demands might be tough to meet, the greatest challenge for real estate brokers may be the tech-related queries that come with them.

Trenton Hogg, a Redfin agent in Chanhassen, Minnesota, says, “I have never had so many individuals ask me to obtain download and upload speeds.” “It’s quite technical.” Those don’t simply stuff I have on hand.”

Buyers nowadays are looking for information on internet service providers, download speeds, fiber connections, and mobile phone carriers. Some even inquire about Wi-Fi in public places or particular firms and providers. “I’ve had buyers inquire about the overall quality of internet connection in certain buildings, as well as mobile coverage since some buildings don’t have fantastic cell service,” says Michael J. Franco, a Compass agent in New York.

The high-tech home office trend is also catching on with new building purchasers. KB Home, America’s fifth-largest builder, debuted a whole home office package last August due to rising demand.

Extra-wide counter areas, USB charging outlets, data connections, and open shelving are included in the primary office (which usually costs between $2,000 and $3,000). Customers may upgrade with soundproofing, phone jacks, and bespoke lighting packages. To guarantee that connections are up to speed, KB works with firms like AT&T Fiber, Cox, and OnTech.

“Buyers are paying a lot more attention to the connectivity of their new homes,” says Dan Bridgeman, vice president of sustainability, technology, and strategic sourcing at KB Home. “At the end of the day, they want to know that the technology, particularly their internet, will be able to handle the additional traffic.”