Our world and the way we live in it are constantly changing. When you take a moment and consider the monumental changes that have taken place in your own lifetime, it can literally take your breath away. (A certain blogger we know can claim microwaves, mobile phones, manned spacecraft, and the internet among a dozen other amazing developments.) In the real estate world there have been big changes as well. Now we don’t just put a “For Sale” sign in our front yards and put a short ad in the local newspaper. Instead, we call in those whose specialty is Sydney home staging, have professional photographs taken, and list our home on the World Wide Web.
Another paradigm shift that is changing the world in a big way is the relatively new concept of working from home. A hundred years or so ago, working from home may have meant gathering eggs from one’s flock of chickens and selling them at the local farmer’s market. Now it means full-on office spaces capable of global communication and production accomplished while still in one’s pajamas if desired.
There are hundreds of reasons why today’s homebuyers are looking for a space within the homes they buy in order to work from home. This changes the expectations in the real estate arena to include things such as a dedicated office area and high speed internet..
If you are preparing to sell your home, discuss the creation of a home office space with your Sydney home staging professional. It doesn’t need to be a huge space, but it will want a few things, including:
Updated Communication Wiring: If you happen to be very handy, and know just a bit about coaxial cables and such, you can upgrade your house’s communication wiring yourself. Depending on your skill and location, it won’t be a huge hit to your bank account. If you opt to hire the job out, it may be more, but you have somebody to fall back on if it doesn’t work properly. (Hint: ask your home design professional for the name of a qualified communication wiring specialist.)
Because your work will, by necessity, depend on having a steady stream of electrical service you’ll be wise to have an electrician install a surge protector where the power comes into the home. Updating your electrical service in this way will mean that individual surge protectors won’t be necessary inside the office and equipment will remain protected.
A Door That Can Be Closed: There is nothing quite like trying to participate in a conference call with one’s colleagues while the resident two-year-old is having a tantrum a metre away.
Being able to close off your work space also helps ensure that the worker can capture the feeling of being ‘at work’. Being physically closed off from distractions helps the worker stay on task and the other residents realise that Mum or Dad is at the office and unavailable.
A Right-Height Desk or Table: If you are building-in a desk area, make sure it is big enough and placed at the right height. The standard desk height is 74 to 76 centimetres. Many of today’s home-workers invest in one of the desktop devices that can make standing at the keyboard an option, but that is something the new owner can consider.
Plenty of Light: Choose a room with lots of natural light if possible. If your space has little or no natural light, just be sure that you provide lots of task lighting using ‘full spectrum’ bulbs. This keeps the worker happier and the job more accurate.
Creating a home office can also be done by simple suggestion. By installing a desk, an office chair, and a few filing cabinets, buyers will get the hint. However, don’t discount fast internet as a great selling point – the world today seems to turn around the availability of quick online answers. Your Sydney home staging professional will be happy to advise you on these and other decisions that can make a significant difference in the bottom line of your real estate transaction.
