Organise your home office while adding value

With lockdown restrictions easing and the vaccination roll-out in full force, the question on everybody’s lips is whether the work-from-home trend will continue and if so, for how long?
But, whether the trends continue or not, having an organised study space with clever storage solutions can always add value to a home.
According to the regional director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, Adrian Goslett, the demand for homes with a study space increased dramatically ever since the first lockdown restrictions came into effect over a year ago.
“To accommodate for this demand, a few developers even changed their designs to transform one of the bedrooms into an office space,” he remarks.
Homeowners who are unsure how long they will continue to work remotely should consider creating a more organised office space if they are still working out of a temporary solution.

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“Regardless of whether the work-from-home trend remains as widespread or not, having a designated office space with built-in storage can add immense value to a home.
“Buyers are always in search of homes with adequate storage, so sellers should consider installing built-in drawers under the desk and overhead storage above,” Goslett recommends.
“The key to adding value,” he adds, “is to make the room easy enough to change if a future buyer would prefer an extra bedroom over a study.
So, while a built-in file cabinet might not be the best solution, a built-in desk that could be easily transformed into a dressing table, for example, might be a better idea.
Instead of filling the room with built-in furniture that limits the space solely to being an office, consider adding a free-standing bookshelf or other items of furniture that can be easily removed if required,” Goslett suggests.
For those who are currently selling, Goslett recommends tidying up their at-home workspace to ensure the best possible appeal to buyers.

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“A messy workspace can make the room feel cluttered, small and unfunctional, which could put buyers off or cause them to submit lower offers on the home,” he warns.
For a more functional and organised space, consider adding some desk organisers and make use of any desk drawers and cupboards to store big files and paperwork.
Tidying up the electronics can also add to the overall appeal of the space.
If you have multiple appliances in the room, like a printer, a monitor, the Wi-Fi router and the works, make sure that the cables are tucked away neatly behind some trunking or are tied together with cable ties and sit flush against the wall so that they are as far out of sight as possible.
As a final word of advice, Goslett recommends speaking to a local real estate professional to find out what buyers are looking for in your suburb.
“Each suburb will have its own unique trends. Local property experts are best equipped to let you know what buyers want in the given area and how much value a study could potentially add to your home,” he concludes.
For more advice around homeownership or get in touch with an estate agent from the world’s largest brand in real estate, visit www.remax.co.za.

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