Home office is the year’s hottest housing feature

Forget about those media rooms, wine cellars and home spas — the hottest item for buyers in a COVID-19 world is a home office.

With millions of Americans now working at home, house hunters are looking for more room to hang their work hats.

Almost half of home shoppers nationwide say they have converted a space at home into a remote office, according to a new study by Realtor.com.

And more than 60 percent of potential homebuyers say working at home is influencing the kind of house they want and the location.

“The ability to work remotely is expanding home shoppers’ geographic options and driving their motivation to buy, even if it means a longer commute, at least in the short term,” Realtor.com senior economist George Ratiu said in the new report. “Although it’s too early to tell what longterm impact the COVIDera of remote work will have on housing, it’s clear that the pandemic is shaping how people live and work under the same roof.”

Local real estate agents say buyers are looking at larger homes and room for an office can be a must.

“I have seen more buyers looking for home offices in their next home purchase and even floor plans with options for two home offices for couples and families,” said Dallas agent David Bush.

A home office was the most chosen new home feature, according to a Realtor.com June survey.

“It is a required room,” said Marty Marks with Ebby Halliday Realtors. “If there’s not one already there, we need an extra bedroom or buyers will convert the formal dining room into an office.”

Nearly 40 percent of currently employed home shoppers nationwide surveyed by Realtor.com said they are currently working from home as a result of COVID-19.

Half of the homebuyers included in the survey said they do the majority of their work in a home office.

Given a choice, more than half of the people working from home said they prefer a remote workspace.