Over the past year, many homeowners realized what they need in a home is changing, especially with the rise in remote work. If youโre longing for a dedicated home office or a change in scenery, now may be the time to find the home that addresses your evolving needs.
Working from Home Isnโt a Passing Fad
Before the pandemic, only 21% of individuals worked from home. However, if youโve recently discovered remote work is your new normal, youโre not alone.
A survey of hiring managers conducted by Statista and Upwork projects 37.5%ย of U.S. workers will work remotely in some capacity over the next 5 years (see chart below):
Working from Home Gives You More Flexibility and More Options
If you fall in that category, working from home may provide you with opportunities you didnโt realize you had. The ongoing rise in remote work means a portion of the workforce no longer needs to be tied to a specific area for their job. Instead, it gives those workers more flexibility when it comes to where they can live.
If youโre one of the nearly 23% of workers who will remain 100% remote, you have the option to move to a lower cost-of-living area or to the location of your dreams. If you search for a home in a more affordable area, youโll be able to get more house for your money, freeing up more options for your dedicated office space and more breathing room. You could also move to an area youโve always dreamed of vacationing in โ somewhere near the beach, the mountains, or simply an area that features better weather and community amenities. Without your job tying you to a specific location, youโre bound to find your ideal spot.
If youโre one of the almost 15% of individuals who will have a partially remote or hybrid schedule, relocating within your local area to a home thatโs further away from your office could be a great choice. Since you wonโt be going into work every day, a slightly longer commute from a more suburban or rural area could be a worthy trade-off for a home with more features, space, or comforts. After all, if youโll still be at home part-time, why not find a home that better suits your needs?
According to the latest Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate from The Counselors of Real Estate (CRE), many homebuyers are already taking advantage of their newfound flexibility:
โ. . . after years of apparent but variant trends towards urbanization, the pandemic universally caused a movement away from urban cores, particularly for those with higher incomes who could afford to move and for lower-income individuals seeking lower costs of living.โ
Bottom Line
If youโve found what youโre looking for in a home has changed due to remote work, it may be time to make a move. Letโs connect today to start prioritizing your home needs.
Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters