Working From Home? 6 Questions To Ask About Your Current Space

Are you working from home? Or is it really living at work?

Fasten your seatbelts… or, should I say tighten those drawstring pants… we are in this for the long-haul, D.C. According to a recent study of more than 400 local employers, 45% of D.C. metro-area employers with 20-plus employees plan to shift some of their workforce to a permanent telework schedule.

The implications of such a major demographic shift will be felt well after the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us. How will the dramatic acceleration of telecommuting impact the way you live and work at home?

Here are six key questions we must ask about our current spaces:

1. Do you need more space?

The office you used to go to likely had conference space, break rooms and dedicated workstations. Does your home have that now, too?

Your current space may not have been designed for working and living. With home prices continuing to post gains (Northern Virginia’s average sales price in November 2020 was $675,290, up 7.7% from the November 2019 average price of $627,088), it might be the right time to sell and seek out more space.

7820 Frances Drive Alexandria, VA 22306 — $675,000 charming and expanded 5-bedroom Cape Cod sits on a generous 0.77-acre lot

2. Is open concept working for you?

Having dedicated office space does not mean perching up on the kitchen table and angling your Zoom camera to hide the family room behind you. While open concept has enhanced sight lines and brought families together, a post-COVID world ushers back the ‘closed-concept’ and single-use rooms.

1411 Key Blvd #311 Arlington, VA 22209 — $1,065,000 sun-filled 2-bedroom plus den in the heart of Rosslyn

3. Would the suburbs or a small town make sense now that you don’t have to go into an office?

Compared to last year, we have seen a 105% increase in demand for small towns (defined as populations ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 people). If going into the office is only required by your employer one to two days per month, what would be your tolerance for a one-hour commute?

38085 Homestead Farm Lane Middleburg, VA 20117 — $689,000 3-bedroom farmhouse buffered by woods and a creek

4. Is your internet up to speed?

Did you know your realtor can help you find a house with certain internet capabilities? The Bright MLS, only accessible by licensed agents, now has a new feature allowing us to search properties with broadband or fiber optics, ensuring the necessary work-from-home connectivity.

5. How is your outdoor space serving you?

Whether it is a pool, patio, deck or chaise lounge, these spaces can be key for stepping away from work or enhancing your Zoom backgrounds. Sometimes these views speak for themselves, pulling us to our next home…

612 Rivercrest Drive, Mclean, VA 22101 — $12.8 million 5-bedroom, 9-bathroom is a castle on the river and boasts 85 feet of water’s edge on the Potomac

6. Is it time to purchase a second home?

The third quarter of 2020 brought a 42% surge in luxury home sales. While some are looking for a larger home in the DMV, others may want to seek out a vacation home that provides a separate oasis. Whether it’s the Eastern Shore, Outer Banks, the Jersey Shore or Cape Cod, we can help you find your second home sanctuary.

4 Ministers Lane, Chatham, MA, 02650 — $5.95 million shingle-style waterfront with breathtaking Chatham Harbor and Atlantic Ocean views

Need a home office? Better view? Or perhaps a second home? Contact me today and let’s explore your options together.

Mackenzie Horne, MBA is a licensed REALTOR® in the Commonwealth of Virginia with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Send Mackenzie a message at 571-594-9136, [email protected] or @MackHorneRealtor.