The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the work life of many professionals and businesses across the globe. One of those was the trend of remote working which became a necessity during the lockdown. But post-pandemic the concept of work from home rose in popularity. Many professionals now choose to work remotely as it reduces the commute and the difficulties associated with it. Employers who have the well-being of employees in their minds have accepted the trend. These developments have impacted the real estate sector as there is a shift in the end-use of residential and commercial properties.
Let us look at how remote working has influenced housing trends below:
1. Home Office Space
A home office space is a dedicated space within the home that is equipped to function as an office. These areas assist professionals to be effective from home with well-lit spaces, high-speed internet, and quiet surroundings. They provide the privacy required to preserve confidential information, increase focus and productivity, and can be customized to suit every individual. As people move away from their offices and work from their homes having a home office space is sought by home-buyers.
2. Workspaces
Hybrid workspaces allow employees to work either from the office or from home or a combination of both. As businesses become more employee-friendly allowing them to choose their work style commercial and residential properties need to be built accordingly. . The demand for co-working spaces is on the rise as companies can outsource workspaces completely allowing them to focus on their core business.
The demand for large workspaces may be reduced. Workspaces should be better equipped with facilities that can improve the experience of employees working . Also, businesses may choose smaller office spaces that utilize available space efficiently.
3. Residences
In large cities where property rates are high, most residences have been functional without frills. The number of rooms and the spaces within are optimized to serve their purpose. The rooms do not have extra spaces due to price restrictions. As people choose to work remotely, they can move away from the city center where offices are located. Many choose to move out of the city into smaller cities or suburbs. The possibility of choosing larger homes with extra rooms has increased as the properties in these locations are comparatively cheaper to rent or own. Also, the extra rooms serve as dedicated workspaces.
As working professionals move away from office environments, they miss the chance of informal and friendly interactions with office colleagues and peers. This has resulted in home buyers wanting to live in gated townships with a large community. This way they can enjoy a healthy social life while being away from work. This is another reason for the rise in gated community townships in the overall real estate landscape.
4. Intelligent Homes
Working remotely requires people to be easily accessible. The exchange of information, communication, virtual meetings, monitoring productivity, and other tasks related to work are made possible by technology. Working professionals must make sure that they have the requisite infrastructure working optimally at their homes. Intelligent homes that are technologically advanced with the necessary infrastructure have become the norm. High-speed internet connection, seamless videoconferencing, voice-enabled devices, and other emerging technologies aid remote working.
5. Amenities
Most residential developers are experimenting with the amenities like never before. From providing a few leisure amenities, today, developers have refined the amenities by categorizing them into health, recreational, and social. These amenities fulfill the various needs of the urban working professional without them venturing far away from their homes. Given that they are working remotely, they do not mind moving away from the city center into the suburbs or further away as the new residences successfully fulfill the recreational and social desires of the residents.
These are some of the ways in which remote working is impacting housing trends. Most builders and developers in Bangalore are rising to the occasion by incorporating these requirements in the construction of new residential properties.