How a home office can add 10pc to your property value

Linda J. Dodson

At the top end, of course, home offices can get a little silly. “If you’re buying at the £10m mark, then you’ll want boardrooms, waiting rooms, reception rooms,” said Mr Sugden. He adds a word of caution. “One guy spent literally hundreds of thousands of pounds just getting fibre optic cables,” said Mr Sugden. “Before you build, ensure you have the appropriate wifi strength.”

The rise of the home office is tied to a new shift towards country property as buyers look for larger homes with more outdoor space away from the cities, partly because they no longer need to be as close to for work. 

Edward Church of Strutt & Parker’s Canterbury office, said: “Home offices are mentioned in almost every conversation I’ve had with buyers in the last few weeks.” 

Many London buyers moving out of the capital now plan to only commute two or three days a week, rather than every day, said Mr Church. Their priority is finding ways to keep their workspace separate at home, he added. “People still like the idea of ‘going to work’, whether that’s just a climb up to the attic or a stroll across the garden.”

Shepherd’s huts can be a good option, said Mr Gladwin, as they can generally be installed without the headache of planning permission. “Or what about the ultimate eco-office — a tree house?”

Developers are getting in on the act too, scrambling to re-angle their marketing around the rise of working from home. Queen’s Gardens Terrace in London is now billing itself as offering “London’s first purpose-built home from home office” — a bookable communal area with high resolution video call cameras and a wine cooler for residents.  Apartments in The Bryanston in London, which start from £2.6m, have studies with lighting that is programmed to support circadian rhythms.  

It will be important, however, in the era of video conferences, to know your audience. Jo Eccles, a buying agent, said that studies have previously been more of a “trophy room” than a functional asset. Designers will need to get more savvy with cabling, but they will need to be careful. On Zoom, “the look of the study will be key in order to project the right image and perception,” said Ms Eccles.

It is possible, of course, that your background will be dissected by the Bookcase Credibility elves. It’s not yet clear what impact that could have on your house price.

Source Article

Next Post

Japan must cement ties with ASEAN in health care security

BANGKOK — Despite some skepticism in the West that Tokyo has been successful in curbing the spread of coronavirus, Southeast Asian countries are still looking to Japan for direction and help as the pandemic provides an opportunity for Tokyo to form closer ties with the region. The Japanese government’s declaration […]

You May Like