Ditch the Home Office: Returning to the Commute Can Make You Happier (and Richer)

Remote work has transformed how, and where, Americans live. After the pandemic made working from home the norm, millions relocated, renovated, and redesigned their lives around the home office. Now, with return-to-office mandates accelerating, that calculus is shifting again.

A new study published in the journal Science adds new insight to the work-from-home equation. Researchers have found that remote work is associated with increased isolation, mental distress, and depression—even among workers who say they prefer it. "

Workers may not realize the costs of remote work for their well-being," the authors write, "which may take time to accumulate."

If you're a homeowner navigating a return to the office, this raises an interesting question: Is now the time to convert your home office into something more valuable?

The home office space today

For many people, the ability to work from home and the search for space and flexibility upended the way they live and even what they looked for in a potential home.

In a 2020 Realtor.com® survey, half of remote-working respondents said they worked from a home office—with the other half working from places like the kitchen table or the couch. In addition, “63 percent of summer respondents indicated that they plan to buy a new home in light of their ability to work remotely.” 

People moved out of cities, explored different parts of the country, and sought homes with enough room for that coveted home office. 

Today, while there is still great demand for remote-ready homes, many homeowners are struggling to maximize a return when selling.

As more and more companies dictate a return to office—and as some people return to commuting on at least a part-time basis (whether out of necessity or to stave off isolation)—the need for dedicated home office spaces is dwindling, and the urge to return or remake their home as a nonworking space may be appealing. 

“The clients I see converting their home offices right now are not doing it because they went back to the office full time. They're doing it because the dedicated office room stopped making sense for how they actually live,” says Janelle Patton, owner of Lark Interiors in Dallas.

“Most people have figured out they can work from a kitchen counter or a bedroom nook just fine, and meanwhile there's an entire room sitting behind a closed door collecting anxiety and Amazon boxes. At some point the room starts to feel like a monument to obligation, and people want it back.”

The best ROI: Another bedroom

If you’re ready to take the plunge and take back your home office space—especially if it’s an entire room that could be utilized differently—experts agree that bedrooms give you the best upside. 

“From a property value standpoint, the conversion with the strongest return is usually turning a home office into an additional bedroom, assuming the room can truly function as one,” says Lisa Patterson, a real estate agent with Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty in Charleston, SC. “Buyers understand bedrooms. A home that lives like it has an extra bedroom often has stronger appeal, especially for families, guests, second-home buyers, or multigenerational living.”

Patterson says if the room has the right layout, windows, privacy, and closet potential, these features alone can broaden the buyer pool and increase perceived value. 

But what does it truly mean to make an office into a bedroom, besides taking out the desk and putting in a bed? The legal minimums for a bedroom in terms of square footage vary by state, but it will need a window, two means of egress, and a heating and cooling element. Consult with your local building department or experts to determine what you need for where you live. 

Other choices that boost happiness

A bedroom is the top choice from a value perspective, but it’s not the only option. 

Before moving in any one direction, keep this ethos in mind: you’re not just renovating for yourself, but for whomever wants the home next. 

“A guest room or flexible multipurpose space is also a strong option because it gives the next homeowner choices. A room that can be staged as a bedroom but also function as an office or sitting room is often more valuable than a room that has been converted into something too specific,” says Patterson. 

Patton agrees: “A wine room is fantastic until your buyer pool is young families who need a fifth bedroom. Know your exit before you renovate for yourself.”

Other popular options that deliver new upside to their homeowners include a gym or entertainment room. The home gym, says Patton, is “the conversion I see making people the happiest.”

“Clients who convert to a home gym almost universally say it changed how they feel about their house, like it started working for them instead of just holding their stuff,” Patton says. But, as with other options, avoid over-customization, so prospective buyers don’t feel as though they’ll need to put in a lot of work to undo your choices. 

The costs to consider

The nice thing about converting a home office into a bedroom or multipurpose room is that the cost will pale in comparison to adding a room to your home entirely. The median cost of adding a bedroom is reportedly over $62,000, depending on where you live. 

Converting an existing room, by contrast, can cost you a fraction of that, even if you need to add a window or closet doors. That makes it a cost-effective way to boost home value, especially when you stage your home for sale. 

The bottom line: If your home office has become more of a monument than a workspace, you don't have to wait for a full-time return-to-office mandate to act. A room that functions is worth more than a room that sits—whether you're staying put or planning to sell.