How Remote Work Expands Your Homebuying Horizons

KCM • July 22, 2023

How Remote Work Expands Your Homebuying Horizons




Even as some companies transition back into the office, remote work remains a popular choice for many professionals. So, if you currently enjoy working from home or hope to be able to soon, you’re not alone. According to a recent survey, most working professionals want to work either fully remote or hybrid (see below):


This trend is good news if you’re looking to buy a home because a remote or hybrid work setup can help you overcome some of today’s affordability and housing inventory challenges.

More Work Flexibility Equals More Home Options

Remote or hybrid work opens up a world of opportunities. That’s because it allows you to broaden your search for your next home since you’re no longer limited to living close to your workplace. With the freedom to work from anywhere, you can explore more affordable areas that may be located farther away from bustling city centers or your office. This flexibility can be a game changer while higher mortgage rates are making it difficult for some homebuyers to afford a home.

An article from the New York Times (NYT) highlights how remote work can greatly assist you in overcoming that challenge:

“. . . take advantage of the opportunity remote work has presented to move to more affordable communities (either farther out in the suburbs, or in another part of the country).”

And, since the supply of homes for sale is still so low, another key challenge for you today may be finding something with all of the features you want and need. Because remote work allows you to broaden your search radius to include additional areas, you may actually have less trouble finding a home with the features you want the most because you’ll have a bigger pool of options to pick from.

Working remotely gives you the flexibility to find an affordable home with the features you want. In other words, you have a better chance of getting what you need without blowing your budget. 

Bottom Line

Working remotely not only gives you more flexibility in your job but also presents a great chance to broaden your search for a home. Since you're not limited to a specific location, you have the opportunity to explore more options. Let's get in touch to discuss how this can expand your choices and help you find the perfect home.


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Home Updates That Actually Pay You Back When You Sell

By KCM • February 9, 2026
Home Updates That Actually Pay You Back When You Sell Planning to sell this spring? While you may be tempted to hold off until the first blooms or the spring showers hit, that's actually waiting too long to get started by today’s standards. Buyers have more options than they did a few years ago. So, it's worth it to tackle repairs now and make sure your house is set up to stand out. Because you don’t want to be caught scrambling right before the spring rush. Or, running out of time to do the work your house really needs. The key is focusing on updates that actually matter. And that’s exactly where return-on-investment (ROI) data comes in handy. Which Projects Tend to Pay Off? Every year, Zonda looks at which home improvements deliver the most bang for the buck when you go to sell the home. And the results can be a little surprising. The green in the chart below shows the updates where sellers have the biggest potential to add value based on that research: While there's a wide range of projects represented in this data, the cool part is, some of the top winners aren’t big to-do's. They’re just swapping out doors. Small Updates, Big Visual Impact This goes to show little projects can have a big impact. So, you don’t have to spend a fortune. And you don’t need to tackle everything on this list. But in today’s market, doing nothing can work against you. Now that buyers have more homes to choose from, a lot of them are going to opt for what’s move-in ready. The best advice? Focus on what your house needs, whether it’s listed here or not – like the repairs you’ve been putting off. A front door or shutters in need of a little TLC. Piles of leaves in the yard. Scuffed up paint where your kids play inside. Those details matter too. Mallory Slesser, Interior designer and Home Stager, explains it to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) this way: “If you’re looking for affordable updates that pack a punch, dollar for dollar, I would say painting; changing out light fixtures; changing out hardware; maybe new draperies or window treatments. Those are all cost-effective ways to make a big statement. It really changes the space.” These seemingly small things help buyers focus on the home itself – not the work they think they’ll have to do after moving in. And that’s paying off for other sellers. Buyers are often willing to spend more on homes that feel well cared for, updated, and move-in ready. This Chart Is a Starting Point, Not a Strategy Here’s the important thing to remember. National data like this is a guideline. Buyer preferences are going to vary by location, price point, and even neighborhood. That means a project that boosts value in one area might be unnecessary (or even overkill) in yours. That’s why the first step should always be to talk with a local real estate professional before you start. An experienced agent can help you answer questions like: Which updates do buyers in your market expect? What can you skip without hurting your sale? Where will a small investment make the biggest difference? Is it better to update, or sell as-is ? That guidance helps you avoid over-improving and under-preparing. Bottom Line If you’re looking to sell this spring, you still have time to make updates that help your home stand out – without taking on a full renovation. If you’re not sure where to start, let’s talk through what makes sense for your house. A quick conversation can help you prioritize the updates that’ll pack the biggest punch. What’s one upgrade you’ve been thinking about – and wondering if it’s worth it?

The #1 Regret Sellers Have When They Don’t Use an Agent

By KCM • February 2, 2026
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Are Big Investors Really Buying Up All the Homes? Here’s the Truth.

By KCM • January 28, 2026
Are Big Investors Really Buying Up All the Homes? Here’s the Truth. It’s hard to scroll online lately without seeing some version of this claim: “Big investors are buying up all the homes.” And honestly, if you’re a homebuyer who’s lost out on a few offers, that idea probably sounds believable. When homes are expensive and competition is tight, it’s easy to assume giant companies are scooping everything up behind the scenes. But here’s the thing: what people assume is happening and what the data actually shows aren’t always the same. Let’s look at what’s really happening with large institutional investors in today’s housing market – because the numbers tell a much different story than the headlines. The Number Most People Won’t See Online Let’s start with the most important stat. According to John Burns Research & Consulting (JBREC), large institutional investors – those that own 100 or more homes – made up just 1.2% of all home purchases in Q3 of 2025 (see graph below): That’s it. Out of every 100 homes sold, only about 1 went to a large institutional investor. And here’s an important point that often gets missed: that level of investor activity is very much in line with historical norms. It’s not unusually high, and it’s actually well below the recent peak of 3.1% back in 2022 – which itself was still a small share of the overall market. So, while it can feel like big investors are everywhere, nationally, they’re a very small part of overall home sales. Why Investor Activity Gets So Much Attention There are two main reasons this topic gets so much attention: Investor activity isn’t spread evenly. Investors are more active in certain markets, which can make competition feel intense for homebuyers in those areas. As Lance Lambert, Co-Founder of ResiClub, explains:“On a national level, “large investors”—those owning at least 100 single-family homes—only own around 1% of total single-family housing stock. That said, in a handful of regional housing markets, institutional and large single-family landlords have a much larger presence. ” Investor is a broad term. Part of what makes the share of purchases bought by investors sound so big is because many headlines lump large Wall Street institutions together with small, local investors (like your neighbor who owns one or two rental homes). But those are very different buyers.In reality, most investors are small, local owners, not massive corporations. And when all investors get grouped together in the headlines as a single stat, it inflates the number and makes it seem like big institutions are dominating the market (even though they’re not). Yes, big investors exist. Yes, they buy homes. But nationally, they’re responsible for a very small share of total purchases – far smaller than most people assume. The bigger challenges around affordability have much more to do with supply, demand, and years of underbuilding than with large institutions competing against everyday buyers. That’s why it’s so important to separate noise from reality, especially if you’re trying to decide if now is the right time to move. Bottom Line If you want to talk through what investor activity actually looks like in our local market, and how it impacts your options (or doesn’t), let’s connect. Sometimes a little context makes all the difference.
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