Boston Real Estate for Sale
Over the weekend I talked to a few people this week who have been working from home way before the pandemic. I know I have office in my home for many years.
Since the late 1990’s I have been reading about how workers in the future will be working from home and about how most companies will have offices because people can not work from home or the only way for the business to function is by having everyone work from one location.
These days there are articles about how some large companies are going to let their employees work from home for at least another year and others have called their employees back into the office.
There are people who dislike working from home and people who love working from home. I hate to call it working from home because that makes it sound like I am not working and my workplace has been in my home for 15 years. If I went to an office for work I wouldn’t call it going to work I would call it working from the office.
As a Boston real estate broker who rents out Beacon Hill apartments and sells downtown Boston condos I make a lot of house calls. It is actually hard to sell Boston condos and renting out Beacon Hill apartments without going into one now and then. I used to go out to lunch a lot and meet with people Beacon Hill Tavern and in coffee shops. I am not sure which I miss the most the food and coffee or the people.
Now I mostly meet with people from my ZOOM room via video but I still make house calls but not as many as I used to make in the before time.
Maybe you work from home or at home or maybe you go into work most days. Either way, I think having work right now is a good thing and something to be thankful for even if it involves wearing a funny mask
Boston Real Estate for Sale
Boston Real Estate Original Blog Post
For years, we’ve all heard about the most desirable Boston condo for sale features buyers are looking for, from upgraded kitchens to remodeled bathrooms, master suites, and more. The latest on the hotlist, however, might surprise you: home offices.
In a recent article by George Ratiu, Senior Economist with realtor.com, he notes how Boston real estate for sale listings with an office are selling quickly:
“As more companies have been embracing remote work, buyers are driving demand for houses (condos) with home offices higher. Homes featuring the term ‘office’ are selling 9 days faster than the overall housing inventory.”
Boston real estate
Today, more and more people are working remotely, and that’s not just because the current pandemic is prompting businesses to operate virtually. According to the same piece and the most recent data available, the number of employees working at home was fairly steady from 1997 – 2004 but has been climbing ever since (see graph above):Clearly, the work-from-home population is growing, and technology is making it possible. Just last month, according to an article on Think Google, searches for telecommuting hit an all-time high, and that’s certainly no surprise given our current situation.
People all over the U.S. are looking for answers on how to be most effective at home, and it’s making the ideal workspace more and more desirable. In fact, best practices from seasoned work-from-home professionals, like Chris Anderson, Senior Account Executive at HousingWire, tout that having a dedicated space is a must for productivity.
With today’s increasing demand for Boston condos for sale with home offices, it’s a great feature to highlight within your listing if you’re selling a Beacon Hill or downtown high rise condo that may meet this growing need. From bright natural light with large windows to built-in bookshelves or a quiet and secluded atmosphere, whatever makes your office space shine is worth mentioning to buyers when you’re ready to list your Seaport condo.
Ratiu concludes:
“For housing, the continued increase in the share of remote workers implies that demand for homes with offices or dedicated work spaces will continue to increase. The current coronavirus pandemic offers a dramatic indication of the fact that companies and employees will have to develop plans and clearer policies for remote work beyond the current crisis.”
Real Estate and the Bottom Line
Remote work may become more widely accepted as this current crisis teaches real estate companies throughout the country what it takes to function virtually. So, what seems like a business challenge today may be more of the norm tomorrow. With that in mind, if you have a home office, your Beacon Hill condo may be more desirable to buyers than you think.
