How to Ensure You Have the Perfect Work From Home Office When Purchasing Your New Home
Www.TahoeTruckeeRealEstate.com
By E Miller
With the switch to remote work en-masse over the past two years, homeowners in Tahoe found themselves in need of adding new important space to their properties - a home office. While an obvious plus for any property, it’s not enough to put a desk in there and call it an office. There is much more to this space that you need to assess.
What are your needs from the space? How much time are you going to be spending here? Does it get natural light? Is it big enough? Can it fit your office furniture? Does it get good Wi-Fi signal? Is it far away enough from noisy areas of the home? Take some time to really think about this purchase and whether there is potential for a perfect home office.
Check the size
First thing’s first - is the space you’re potentially using as a home office big enough? It’s true you don’t need a massive room for this purpose, but you also don’t want to feel claustrophobic. A regular guest bedroom converted to an office is great. A closet office, while clever, is not a permanent solution.
Consider what your needs are - is it just you and a laptop spending a couple of hours a day here? Will you be spending 8 to 10 hours per day in your office? Do you ever need to receive clients or co-workers here? All that is going to impact your choice.
In addition, think about the furniture you need. Is this space large enough to comfortably fit a full-size desk, a comfortable chair, and any storage you may need for your files? Some compromise is inevitable, but if you need to squeeze past the desk to reach the door, then the space is not appropriate.
Natural light is a must
One of the big things to take into consideration is what kind of environment you are able to create here and how it’s going to make you feel. You are probably looking at spending at least 8 hours per day in this space, so it needs to be nice and calming.
Natural light is a big part of that and can set the mood for the space, so make sure whatever space you choose for an office has a big window. A little sunlight can lift your mood right up, energize you, and help your mental health. Especially in California, it would be a shame not to take advantage of it.
If you’re working in a cramped space with no windows and fluorescent lighting, then it’s no different than your cubicle at work. It’s stressful and not conducive of productivity.
Placement is crucial
Location, location, location is a cliche in real estate, but for a good reason - it’s always important. Not just the location of the property itself, but the location of your home office within that house.
Not many have the luxury to choose where, exactly, they want to place this space, but ideally, you want it to be a bit separate from the rest of your home. Having an office at the far end of the hall helps because it’s more private, and you’re less likely to be distracted by the noise and commotion that is created in a regular home - especially with kids or pets.
Moreover, the physical act of having to walk down the hall to your office can be an effective replacement for a makeshift commute. Your workspace is separate, allowing you to mentally unplug from your personal life and get into work mode. At the end of the day, you are able to walk out and close the door behind you, thus leaving work behind. It can do wonders for that mental separation.
Is it tech-ready?
We all have that one corner in the house where technology goes to die. There’s never any cell phone reception, calls drop out of nowhere, your Wi-Fi signal never quite reaches, Netflix won’t load. It’s incredibly frustrating, and the worst possible spot to put a home office.
The last thing you need is for calls to drop out of nowhere or not be able to complete even the most basic tasks because your Wi-Fi is spotty. It can be the most beautiful room in the house - if your tech doesn’t work here, it’s not the right spot.
Another thing you may want to consider is whether you have enough outlets. It may seem trivial, but when you find yourself needing to plug in a computer, an extra monitor, a phone, a printer, and a TV, you’ll be happy you added some extra ones.
Make it your own
It may not seem like a crucial aspect but being able to make this space your own and personalize it is a big part of its overall success. In short: if you don’t feel comfortable here, you won’t use this space. So, you need to make it comfortable.
That means bringing in comfortable furniture and making sure your needs are met, but it also includes injecting some personal touches into the space and bringing your personality into it. Even the most serious, most important CEO has pictures of their family or their pet.
Don’t be afraid to add artwork for visual interest, or some plants to liven up the place. Curtains are a necessary privacy measure, but they can also act as a pop of color against an otherwise neutral backdrop.
Bottom line
With the remote office becoming a mainstay necessity of today’s modern home, Tahoe buyers can afford to be pickier about the space they will be spending so much time in. While makeshift offices and the kitchen counter are perfectly suitable temporary replacements, when you’re buying a new home, you want the real deal.
Space is, of course, the primary issue, as you want to ensure that you have enough room to comfortably carry out all your tasks. The room should be in a quiet corner of your home to minimize distractions and interruptions, especially during meetings and calls.
In addition, the perfect home office is one where you feel like you can create a comfortable, inviting environment. Natural light, plants, and personal touches can all encourage productivity and creativity and transform this space from somewhere you are forced to spend time to a room where you feel relaxed and at ease.
Search for Tahoe Truckee Real Estate www.TahoeTruckeeRealEstate.com
