While the concept of working from home is not new, the COVID-19 pandemic has made the arrangement almost a necessity, leaving homeowners the option of either reconfiguring existing space or building new space.

According to RE/MAX realtor Estelia Mesimer, buyers in the market for a new home have turned to properties that already include offices, as they continue to work remotely even though their offices are open. For sellers, recent research suggests that adding a home office to your property can increase its worth by as much as 10-percent.

Why work from home

Studies support the idea that working from home can increase productivity and decrease stress. The most important findings include that people who work from home take less sick time and work during sick days, work better and faster because of less distractions and report higher levels of personal satisfaction and happiness. Some benefits of working from home include:

1) Flexibility
Your day-to-day life is easier to manage because you have greater flexibility in your schedule.

2) No time-consuming commute
Along with this comes savings – no wear and tear on your car, no fuel costs, and no public transportation costs.

3) You can get more done
A 2021 survey of remote workers found that 6 in 10 reported they are more productive working from home than they expected to be because they do not have the commute and gain back time lost to in-office distractions and interruptions.

4) Spend less money
According to a 2021 survey by Bankrate, 57-percent of workers said remote work had a positive impact on their finances – no expense of buying lunch, coffee, contributing to office gifts or parties and no expense of buying clothes just for work.

5) You can keep in touch more easily
Most people are afraid they will be lonely or left out when they work remotely. But the opposite is usually true, as there is a huge range of communication tools for remote workers available now.

BOTTOM LINE: Investing in a suitable home office space may cost homeowners hundreds to thousands of dollars initially, but it will pay for itself over time – and in today’s real estate market, is an excellent selling feature.

Related Links
What Do Home Buyers Want? | realtor.com®
The Rise of the Home Office: How Remote Work Affects Home Buyers
Home Office Life: Making a Space to Work at Home, by Lisa Kanarek

St. Petersburg Communities

Allendale Terrace
Bahama Shores
Bayway Isles
Coquina Key
Crescent Heights
Crescent Lake
Downtown
Greater Pinellas Point
Historic Kenwood
Historic Old Northeast
Historic Roser Park
Historic Uptown
Isla del Sol
Old Southeast
Placida Bayou
Snell Isle

If you’re interested in any of these of communities or live in one and are thinking of selling, talk to The Mesimer Team.