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The Ultimate Dilemma - Should We Stage as an Office or a Bedroom?



All industries felt the effects of COVID and because of this monumental event many people had to pivot and adjust to the ever changing market demands.


It feels like only yesterday that we were blindside with the notice that businesses and schools would be closed without a clear determination on when life would return to normal. While work from home was becoming increasingly popular for some industries, this new normal way of work from home thew the nations workforce into a cultural shock and the overbearing question of where in my house am I going to work? Beds, sofas, kitchen tables, island counters were are all a great start to work at home lifestyle, but as the quarantines staggered on the kids were still forced to at-home learning and zoom video calls became the best way for visual communication and thus a new quest for a permeant office space in the home was unveiled.



Before COVID offices and office spaces were a bonus in the staging world; however, as it became apparent that retiring to the office was a distant future, the home office became a must at any price point, and in our multi million dollar homes a Private Office was a non-negotiable. Turning a 3rd or 4th bedroom into an office was a given or for a smaller home adding a desk in a living room, nook, or bedroom was a no brainer.


When we realized this new and apparent requirement our staging team started the journey of selecting many different types of desks and office related furniture to fit all different size homes in order to appease buyers of this era to feel comfortable with not only the new home, but their new potential office.


COVID created a unique procurement quandary as well since supply chains were either halted or inventory was at an all time low AND we were competing with the general public for purchasing a now must have commodity - The Desk was like truffles and finding them was no more easier.

 

Shop A Few of Our Favorite Desks

 

Fast forward, we are still reeling the effects of COVD and our need for a work at home station. When we look at homes and determine a design layout, we are looking at multiple favors - price, demographic, square footage, bedroom count, etc. Our goal is to appeal to the mass buyer pool, but target within that group who are mostly likely to buy the home. So, to go back to the question bedroom or office, which should you choose? The answer is a resounding “It depends”. We know… such a cliche, but a general rule of them that we use is this


Condo

Typically in a condo you are limited on square footage, so our theory is a bedroom is more valuable. However, this is most likely going to be your working professional buyer pool, so an “office space” is key. This is where a desk in a bedroom, living room or nook while be important.


Single Family Residence (SFR)

While it depends on the bedroom count, we typically recommend 3 or less bedrooms will be staged with all bedrooms and an office space (ie, bedroom(s), living room, family room, den or nook). If there are 4 or more bedrooms we will recommend to stage the 4th as a private office. This buyer pool is going to consist more of families, so bedroom count is important and so is a private office.


In closing our consensus still is “its depends”. Don’t hurt your homes value by removing a bedroom. Keep the bedroom count and splice out a office space where it makes sense. Many buyers can envision a private office when the room is staged as a bedroom, but not a bedroom if the room is staged as an office. However, the importance of an office space or private office in those higher bedroom count homes is extremely vital to a successful stage and a eventually a successful sale.


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