Home Offices Remain Popular Among Home Buyers

By Rose Quint

Few events over the last century have had as profound an impact on the ways we live than the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Premier among them is the heightened relevance of ‘home.’ The health crisis thrust the home into a new level of prominence, expanding its purpose beyond just a functional dwelling to many non-traditional roles such as office, gym, or school.

The latest NAHB study on consumer preferences – What Home Buyers Really Want – reveals that 63% of recent and prospective home buyers want a home office. The share has remained above 60% since 2007. Home offices are particularly popular among buyers paying half a million dollars or more for the home (79%), Millennials (74%), and married couples with children (70%).

In terms of size, the same study found that 77% of the buyers who want a home office are looking for it to be 100 square feet or larger (i.e., at least a 10×10 room).

For a complete article summarizing other important findings, please click here. To understand how these preferences vary across buyers of different generations, income, or racial/ethnic groups, visit NAHB’s bookstore for a copy of the complete study.

Looking for home office design help? The designers at Lita Dirks & Co. offer some tips here.


This post was originally published on NAHB’s Eye on Housing blog, where NAHB’s economists discuss the latest housing data and policy.

Featured image: Caruthers Lane, by Frankel Building Group. Photo by Kerry Kirk Photography.

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