I think younger people in urban areas just tend to use their homes as a place to sleep.  They eat out more often and tend to gather outside the h9me to socialize.  

Lew Corcoran everything I've read lately tells me that the tread is swinging back to the office. As I am retired I have no clue what is going on in my area other than a few close friends who are retired like myself do require a workspace at home. Quite often it is in the garage 😊.

Lew Corcoran 

I list a lot of properties in suburban areas, Fiber Optics being installed make it easier for home owners to work from home. Millennials want space to store their toys and baby boomers want to be closer to amenities. 

This is a question worthy of the times we live in & mandatory to all players Lew Corcoran ...when cell phones came out, it made us all "remote" business eligible. It hit me when some guy, standing in line at the bank in front me, answers his cell saying: Steve's carpeting. The caller thinks they reached a warehouse. On the city & all its dynamics, that's where you go to make money (rat race), but spend it elsewhere (peace & quiet). So, why not buy some rural property with office space, get the tax write-off & enjoy the casita? Traffic, noise, congestion, landlocked intersections/freeways promote living outside of all that. Affordability, more liquid/net cash, promotes less expenses which equal more income. Caution on living way-out there as we need to shop, travel, doctor/client visit & get our personal shopping needs

Home offices have been the norm in my area for quite some time.....as in many years.  I am still seeing a LOT of high rise aparment/condo's being built near downtown PHX and in Scottsdale as well.  Now that I think about it....where are cranes all over town with a lot of buildings going up for living spaces.

Ever since the COVID pandemic of 2020, San Diego County has experienced a significant shift from vertical living—such as high-rise apartments—to horizontal living, which includes single-family homes and townhouses. This trend has been driven by the increased demand for space suitable for home offices and homeschooling, allowing families to adapt to ongoing changes in work and education.

In Downtown San Diego, this shift has led to an oversupply of similar inventory, contributing to extended days on the market (DOM) and pressure on prices.

As many residents prioritize more spacious living arrangements, the demand for urban condos has softened, causing property values to stabilize or decrease compared to other neighborhoods in San Diego Proper. Areas that offer more residential space and access to outdoor amenities are seeing stronger demand, influencing buyer behavior and market trends across the region.

Real estate professionals and investors in the area may want to consider these emerging patterns when assessing opportunities or advising clients.

Not much change noticed around here. Builders have been building new homes with home offices in mind for several years. Some might have become a little larger.

The pandemic and the ability of many employees to work remotely allowed those who wished to do so to move. Many moved from expensive rentals near their jobs to less expensive homes in places from which commuting would be problematic. Now...many employers are demanding that their employees return to the office, even if for only for part of the week. We shall see how that plays out but I think we have seen the last of the relocations.

Right now I don't see much of it.  People in my state have most "gone back to the office", but in 2020 it made our rural area very hot for remote workers.

Interesting question Lew. Certainly more homes with a home office and/or a guest house with a street entrance for a client to access without going into the main house. No sounds of barking dogs and crying babies 🙂. Must be in wifi access areas for sure. 

I think the biggest thing, is the affordability of things. I need a McLaren F1, but my budget says a Nissan Versa is what the budget allows. Other than that, people are going to go where they have to live.

Most companies, even the state government of California has gone back to being in person most days.  It was a noble experiment, but not something that everyone has the discipline to do.

Back to the office is a new trend in this market place.  I do see more second homes available for those who can afford to travel for extended weekend off.  The work day is shifting here towards longer days at work but more days off.  

I have more buyers that want a office in a house and what the cell towers are like.

I am with Gary Frimann, CRS, GRI, SRES - and many still live with parents, because they cannot afford to buy a home.

While the foolishness of remote work is being outed, many major businesses are offering the choice of returning to the office or the employer will free up your future. And people better return to the central business districts for employment as the office building once full is converted to residential use or they will fail. The true fallout won't be known for years. 

     COVID and working remotely online kicked the shift into high gear for where I want to live Lew Corcoran. It got people out of their real office and transitioned them into the cyber one.

     Then the overhead of the empty expensive old sticks and bricks caused the building sale. No building to go back to happened to improve the bottom-line overhead expenses.

     So working remotely is a norm and you don't have to live in the urban area to do it. Moving to Maine for the outdoor recreation, the no mortgage simple way of living put everything into high gear.

     There is demand for large houses for multi generations, smaller homes for retirement, off grid with solar. Farm properties to homestead and start a family, Older classic Victorians to restore. To run a small business also part of the "buy a job, seize an opportunity."

     They all want the outdoor space, no traffic, no crime, friendlier people and Mother Nature's best surroundings with more woods, water and wildlife. Listen to a newscast or two and you sense "the move was inevitable before it became evident".

Access to the Internet is the prime concern.

I have had more buyers request to have two areas for offices, not just one.   Many also ask for open floor plans to entertain for co-workers, friends and family.

In the DC area, the federal reductions of remote work have increased the demand and the supply of affordable housing is inadequate.

One increasing demand we see in rural homes is high speed internet, folks are working from home and need a solid connection.

In my experience, post-pandemic SoCal homeowners are craving more functional, flexible spaces. Think: home offices, upgraded kitchens, and outdoor living areas that feel like resorts. Wellness is big too—air filtration, natural light, and spa-like bathrooms. Basically, comfort meets productivity with a side of sunshine.

Two-income families, especially with children, would need much larger apartments in an urban environment. If working from home, it would be nice to have a "his" and "hers" offices (using old-fashioned pronouns here), kids' room(s), maybe a nanny room. An apartment that size in any major metropolis (definitely in NYC) becomes unaffordable, unless those two salaries are really up there. Closets have been converted to tiny offices, but what fun is that? Most city people don't mind going to their nice offices with all kinds of amenities, to enjoy lunches with clients or friends, to get out of their small apartments, etc. Families with children like to move to the "burbs".