Should You Create a Dedicated Home Office Before Selling Your House?

If you’re thinking about selling your home in the near future, there’s a good chance you’ve already started wondering what, if anything, you should do to make it more appealing to buyers.

Some homeowners immediately jump to big renovation ideas. A new kitchen. A bathroom overhaul. A major layout refresh. Others would love to do as little as possible and hope the market takes care of the rest.

Most people fall somewhere in the middle. If a project is simple, affordable, and likely to move the needle, it’s at least worth considering. And that’s where a recent Realtor.com article might catch your attention. It highlights the growing demand for homes with dedicated office space and “remote-ready” features. On the surface, that sounds like an easy win. Turn a spare room into an office, list the home, and appeal to a large pool of buyers who work remotely.

And maybe it really is that straightforward. A well-put-together office can help a home stand out and even attract stronger offers.

But before you pick out a trendy desk, cozy task chair, and a few framed motivational quotes to make it look the part, you might want to consider another article from the same source…

There Might Not Be as Much Demand for It as Headlines Suggest…

Another recent piece they published paints a very different picture. Instead of highlighting the rise of remote work, it focuses on something a lot of people don’t want to hear: more companies are telling employees it’s time to come back to the office.

That shift is causing a lot of homeowners to rethink their living situation altogether. Some are wrestling with whether they should sell and move closer to work to cut down their commute. Others are realizing the home they bought during the remote-work boom may not fit their new lifestyle if they’re spending less time at home and more time on the road or in the office.

Many of these folks probably have a home office already — maybe one they put together during the pandemic, or one that was a “must-have” when they bought the house. If they end up on the buying side of the market again, will they still want that space? Will they care about having a dedicated office if they’re back at their desks downtown three, four, or five days a week?

Or will they look at that room and prefer it be used for something else entirely?

It’s hard to say. Remote work isn’t disappearing, but return-to-office policies are definitely reshaping some buyers’ priorities. The question is which trend will matter most to the buyers who might end up walking through your home.

…It Probably Won’t Hurt (But Ask Your Agent What They Think First)

The odds are, having a home office isn’t going to hurt your home’s value. In most cases, buyers will see it as a positive. If they want one, they’ll obviously love it. If not, they’ll most likely be able to see past what it is and envision turning it into another bedroom (or whatever else appeals to them) fairly easily.

The real question is whether it’s worth the time, money, and effort to create one if you don’t already have a dedicated space. And that answer isn’t universal.

It depends heavily on your local market — and even more specifically, the market for homes like yours. For example, what buyers expect in a smaller, lower-priced home for the area can be very different from what they expect in a sprawling higher-priced house. In some areas, a home office is practically a given regardless of the size and price. In others, buyers care more about a bigger living room, a guest space, or even a better yard.

That’s why broad, sweeping advice — “Everyone wants a home office now!” — doesn’t hold up. Trends matter, but your specific buyers matter more.

If you’re on the fence, the simplest move is to call a local real estate agent who works with buyers every day. They’ll know exactly what people in your price range are asking for, what actually adds appeal, and whether a home office is a smart upgrade… or just unnecessary stress before listing.

The Takeaway:

A home office might be the feature that helps your home stand out when selling. Or it might be something your buyer pool doesn’t prioritize at all.

Recent headlines suggest that home offices are a big draw for today’s buyers. Yet other headlines point out that more people are heading back to work in offices. So there’s no clear-cut answer as to whether you should carve out space in your house for a home office as a selling feature.

Ultimately, having one probably won’t hurt. But if you’re thinking about making any improvements to optimize your home’s value and sell it as quickly as possible, you’re better off speaking with a local agent. They can give you insight into what buyers in your specific market actually want, rather than relying on trendy headlines.