The UK is
currently enduring a third national lockdown –dubbed Lockdown 3 – as the government works to combat
the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

This has led
to a revolution in the way we work, with remote working the norm as people
remain indoors to adhere toCovid-19 guidelines.

Although the
economy is starting to recover, the number of remote workers is likely to rise
further, with businesses reporting that working from home has generally proved
successful.

Last year,
Rightmove’s study suggested that demand in and around London for properties
with a home office rose drastically,with 36% of buyers prioritising a
better home workspace.

When selling
this year, you will need to keep this in mind, as a home with a dedicated
office space will be a major consideration for many buyers, even after the
pandemic wanes.

Below, we
list the ways in which you can make your home office-ready.

Make room
for a home workspace

Some
properties have a dedicated home-working space already. If this is the case,
you must show this off on the initial virtual viewings and then any in-person
viewings.

However, if
you don’t already have a dedicated workspace, you may wish to consider
transforming a spare room or even putting a desk and office chair in one of the
bedrooms to showcase how it could be used for work.

It’s also
worth asking your agent during virtual or in-person viewings to explain how
parts of your abode – such as the kitchen, the living room, the dining room or
a spare room – could be used as home-working space with only a few small
adjustments.

Some buyers,
for example young professional couples, may need two lots of workspaces, in
which case you will need to think smart about which parts of your property
could provide this. Of course, the bigger your home, the easier it will be.

Promote
your broadband speeds

Pre-pandemic,
fast broadband speeds were considered a key priority for buyers and were often
cited as being more important than other essential utilities. This is even more
so the case now that remote workers require fast, reliable internet.

Broadband
can be a bit of a gamble, however, and depends largely on the area you live in,
but is likely to be good in East London as opposed to a more rural area.

Superfast
broadband is deemed fast enough at present, but the government claims that
‘growing data demands are pushing the limits of the copper-based superfast
broadband infrastructure’. As a result, focus has shifted torolling out gigabit-capable
full-fibre broadband.

An
independent review of the Superfast Broadband Programme, which secured faster
connections for 5.5 million homes and businesses across the UK, found that fast
broadband speed has seen home values jump by £3,500.

As a seller,
if you have excellent internet speed and a reliable connection, make this clear
to purchasers in your property listing, as well as on any viewing – virtual or
otherwise.

Transform
your garage/shed

Research has
shown that outbuildings and sheds have the greatest potential to be converted
into offices, boosting prices ‘considerably’. As a result, sellers are now
being encouraged to describe large landings and garages as being ‘ripe for
office conversion’.

This will be
especially convenient for remote workers who run their own small business and
will require a large space to work in, such as artists, musicians,
manufacturers, architects, food producers and clothes designers.

Transforming
the space into a workshop or studio wouldn’t take much time, money and effort,
but it’s important to make it as much of a blank canvas as possible so your
buyer can envision the space as their own.

For more
advice, guidance or general enquiries regarding buying or selling a home in
Essex and East London, pleasecontact us today.

We also
offer afree online valuation to give you an estimate on how much
your home could be worth on the current market.