CITY LIMITS
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX Looking for more separation between your home’s work and live spaces? Sotheby’s International Realty Canada Realtors® suggest considering customized outbuildings on your property. By Eric Mutrie
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owadays our homes have become increasingly multi-functional. We use them as offices and gyms and for spending time with family, as well as an escape to relax and rejuvenate during these unprecedented times. And many homeowners are also seeking clearer physical boundaries between their work and live spaces. “People want one site that will meet all their needs,” says Barb Richardson, Senior Vice-President of Sales at Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. “But the main issue is not just needing to work from home. It’s also about needing to be away
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from others while you’re working at home.” There are viable options for homeowners who want their workplace, exercise space or recreation venue out of the house, literally, though not off-property — a bunkie in the backyard, perhaps a suite atop the garage or even a customized outbuilding. “It’s kind of this desire to create your own homestead,” notes Richardson. With the WFH movement’s continued impact on our daily lives, individuals are faced with the task of determining how best they can delineate the work aspect from the leisure part of their lives at home. We tapped into the expertise of Sotheby’s
International Realty Canada real estate brokers in Toronto, Oakville, Montreal and Calgary for guidance on how to restore order, calm and balance in our every day, as well as enhance the value of our homes.
TORONTO
“We used to say that three things sell a house: location, location, location,” says Richard Silver, who leads Silver Burtnick & Associates at Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. “Now it’s more about ‘Could I hibernate there?’ ” A house with a complementary outbuilding allows for a conveniently
