During the pandemic, when working from home became the norm, many people erected home offices—either in a spare bedroom, basement, etc. Now, as many people have returned to work or are on a hybrid schedule, home offices are not needed as much and are being replaced with something a little more creative: hobby rooms.
Diving deeper into the shift, in 2022, Zillow listings that included a home office or “Zoom room” sold for 1.6% above asking price, and an average of six days faster than those without one. Now, however, with 75% of workers back at the office, those at-home workspaces just aren’t a necessity. And per 1stDibs, 13% of interior designers “expect home office renovations to be their most-requested projects this year, down from around one-third in 2023.”
That said, many homeowners are taking those home office spaces and converting them to, well, the opposite—whether it be a wine cellar, rec room, cigar lounge, Pilates studio or home gym, craft room, or some other space meant for entertainment or retreat. These rooms might even serve multiple purposes throughout the day, with, say, a weight rack in one corner for breaking a sweat in the morning, and a TV/gaming setup for some nightly competition.
This shift also comes at a time when attention to personal well-being is at an all-time high. People are prioritizing play before or after work and on the weekends—and a home office just takes away from that. Case in point: IN a recent survey, Thumbtack found that 84% of homeowners are prioritizing projects that “bring happiness over dollars,” with some spending over $10K on such projects.
So while the days of the dedicated “Zoom room” may be behind us, that doesn’t mean those spaces are going to waste. This trend signals an exciting opportunity to rethink space and value, and offer flexibility and personality that’s sure to stand out in today’s housing market.
Whether you’re a seller looking for unique ways to stage or pitch that spare bedroom to play into this trend, or in search of a home with a hobby room yourself, we can be of assistance. Give us a call at 919-961-3277, or email us at Annie@HudsonResidential.com or Rick@HudsonResidential.com to get the conversation started.