A dedicated office supports maximum productivity in the shortest amount of time.
Buying a new home is exciting, no matter how you look at it. The smell of fresh paint, planning how you’ll decorate your new space, and picking out new furniture make the stress of the home-buying process worth the effort. When your new home is located in a master-planned new home community, you have the added benefit of social activities and outdoor gathering spaces.
When looking for a home for sale, it’s crucial you choose one with the features you need to make life easier. If you’re a remote worker, you need a home office. Oakwood Homes, one of the best new home builders in Colorado, creates homes that are beautiful, functional, and fill every need — including a home office.
Remote Workers are Here to Stay
Nearly 6 million U.S. employees worked remotely half-time or more before the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s about 4.1 percent of the total U.S. workforce. At the pandemic’s peak, 69 percent of the workforce worked remotely. These numbers consist of company employees who work for others; they don’t include the self-employed.
Eighty-two percent of people surveyed want to work remotely at least once a week going forward. On average, they’d prefer to work remotely for half the week. Working from home has become so important that 46 percent of workers said they would look for other employment if not allowed to continue working from home.
All that aside, the labor paradigm has shifted from working for someone else to working on your own terms, whether that’s becoming self-employed or working out a remote work schedule with an employer. This means work-from-home (WFH) spaces are more important than ever to those searching for “new homes near me.”
Oakwood Homes Knows What You Want
Oakwood Homes has mastered the art of new home design. Our new home communities are planned from the ground up and include amenities like swimming pools, parks, walking trails, and community centers. Some of our communities even have schools on-site. All this is great, but we know you won’t be living in the common spaces.
You’ll be living in the new home you’ve picked out, the one you’ve carefully chosen for its beauty, design, and high-quality finishes. All of Oakwood’s new builds in Colorado can be personalized to fit your lifestyle. Each offers a flexible floorplan to fit the way you live, work, and play.
WFH Space is Yours for the Asking
Take a look at the many ways you can carve out WFH office space in a home built by Oakwood Homes.
- Finish out a flex room. Many of today’s new home floorplans include a flex room that can be used in any way you see fit. This room is often finished out but without purpose when a new home is built. That way, the owner can decide later how they want to use it.
If you’re building a new home and are already working remotely, why not just finish the flex room out as a WFH office from the start? That way, it’s done with the rest of the house, and you have the perfect space to work uninterrupted and without bothering others in the house. - Camp in the laundry room. Many homes have laundry rooms that are larger than the space needed for the washer and dryer. There’s no reason you can’t put a small desk in there, plug in your laptop, and get to work. Some people may enjoy being able to do laundry and work at the same time. While the sound of clothes tumbling in the dryer is a deterrent to conference calls, laundry doesn’t have to be done every day. And some may find that it drowns out the noise in the rest of the house, leading to better concentration.
- Work in a guest bedroom. Many homes have an extra bedroom used for guests when they visit. Because guests don’t show up every day, this room often sits unused. It’s an ideal place for a desk, chair, laptop, and printer. Most home offices don’t need much more than that. There’s still plenty of room for a bed and dresser, and if a guest arrives, all you have to do is move your laptop out.
- Convert a walk-in closet. Walk-in closets are a popular feature in many houses, and some are quite large. It may seem odd to think of working in a closet, but if you keep an open mind and give it serious consideration, you may discover that it’s the perfect place to work, especially if there are others at home during office hours. Walk-in closets usually have shelves you can use for office supplies. And they have doors. Shut them for privacy, and get busy!
- Repurpose a formal dining room. Many homes have a dining room and an eat-in kitchen. Dining rooms often sit unused except for holiday dinners or special occasions. The rest of the year, this room can double as a WFH office. You may want to set up screens for privacy since many dining rooms have open doorways. But if the house is quiet while everyone else is at school or the office, this might be the perfect solution for you.
- Set up an outdoor office. Another way to carve out a home office is to use outdoor spaces. A screened porch, patio, or deck makes a unique workspace during nice weather. You’ll also enjoy the health benefits of fresh air and sunshine!
Looking for a Home for Sale with Office Space?
If you’re searching for “home builders near me,” save yourself some time and contact Oakwood Homes today. We’ll help you find a home for sale in a community that fits your lifestyle. And we’ll make sure it has WFH office space, too!
