Apartment Hunting While Working From Home

Many people are just becoming acquainted with the pros and cons of working from home, but for some of us, the transition will be more permanent. 

As more workplaces discover the benefits of the practice, apartment hunting for a place that is suitable for working from home will become a bigger priority for Canadians. There are some major quality of life improvements available in some apartments that make working from home that much easier - here’s how to look.

The most important thing to look for when apartment hunting while working from home is an apartment with clear separations between rooms. While a one bedroom might look good in theory - and it seems simple to just set up an office in that bedroom - distancing work from personal life is both healthy and needed. Having a dedicated office space in the form of a one bedroom apartment with a den or a two bedroom apartment that converts one to a workspace improves productivity and helps create work-life balance.

As you would with any office, also make sure that you’re apartment hunting for the right fit for both personal and work needs. If you wouldn’t want to work in a windowless office, don’t get an apartment where your work from home space will have the same problem. If a good kitchen would be a big draw to an office, apply the same standard to your apartment hunting process. Think about your ideal workplace in an office setting and then try to apply the same principles to your work from home life. 

Finally, if there’s an apartment that’s a perfect fit but just doesn’t have the ability to create a work from home office, check to see if it has amenities like a business centre or a co-working space on-site - or is close to something that does. These amenities have some major upside for those who find that the level of self-control needed to work from home can be challenging, as getting dressed and leaving to a different location creates a clear separation from living space and working space.

Apartment hunting while working from home requires a bit of a different approach, but it’s also an opportunity to find the perfect environment for both your professional and your personal life with a bit of extra effort.