Home buyers want places that mix work and play

It’s no secret that we’ve seen a rise in remote work the past two years, and with that, we’ve seen more people interested in moving somewhere that fits their work-from-home lifestyle. Here’s what we wrote about this last month:

“…remote work is prompting workers to look for a different living situation where they can save money on commuting, office clothes, work lunches and other expenses. Attracted to lower costs of living, many are searching out of town for their next home now that they can do so more freely. About 31 percent of Redfin users were looking online at homes in a particular metro area outside of their own in the last few months of 2021, according to a study of two million online home searchers.”

This falls in with the “de-location” trend that we’ve been following closely. No longer tethered to a given location due to its proximity to an office, more people are looking for homes in less crowded (and less expensive) markets.

It shouldn’t be too surprising, then, that buyers are also actively looking for features that support working from home. As noted in the article below from Forbes, things such as home offices or dedicated “Zoom rooms,” as well as enhanced kitchen amenities and spaces for unwinding, are all leading to increased buyer interest — and sale prices.

Simply put, home buyers seem interested in properties that offer a good mix of work and play. If they’re going to be spending more time than ever before in the home, they want it to support all aspects of their lives. For mobility teams, it’s something to keep in mind, particularly when offering support through a corporate home sale program. If your relocating employees can showcase these types of features in their listings, they stand a better chance of cashing in with their sale.