Moving to Auburn and Working From Home: What to Consider
Moving to Auburn and working from home? You may need to think about much more than whether a house has an extra bedroom you can turn into an office.
When your home is also your workplace, things like internet availability, natural light, privacy, noise, floor plan, and the location of your workspace can become important parts of your home search.
A house can look perfect during a 20-minute showing.
But how will it feel when you spend eight or more hours there during the workday?
If you work remotely, your workspace deserves to be treated as an important part of your home search—not an afterthought.
Table of Contents
• Moving to Auburn While Working Remotely
• An Extra Bedroom May Not Be Enough
• Think About Where the Office Is Located
• Internet Availability Matters
• Pay Attention to Natural Light
• Consider Noise and Privacy
• Don’t Forget Your Workday Outside the House
• Test the Home Against Your Actual Routine
• Quick Q&A
• Ready to Move to Auburn?
Moving to Auburn While Working Remotely
Working from home has changed what many buyers need from a house.
Years ago, an extra bedroom might automatically have been described as the perfect “home office.”
But remote workers may need to look more closely.
A room technically capable of holding a desk doesn’t necessarily make it a comfortable place to work every day.
If you are moving to Auburn and expect to work remotely, ask yourself:
• How many hours a day will I spend in this room?
• Will I be on frequent video calls?
• Do I need quiet and privacy?
• Is natural light important to me?
• Will another person also be working from home?
• Do I need space for multiple monitors or other equipment?
• Will I meet clients or coworkers virtually?
• Do I need my workspace separated from my living space?
Your answers can change what “enough space” actually means.
An Extra Bedroom May Not Be Enough
It is easy to look at a listing online and think:
Three bedrooms plus an extra room. Perfect. I’ll use the extra room as my office.
Maybe.
But where is that room?
If it’s directly beside the kitchen or main living area, will household activity distract you?
If it’s upstairs, will you like going up and down throughout the day?
Does it have a door?
Is there enough wall space for your desk and equipment?
Is there a window?
Does the room have a closet you actually need for household storage?
Could the space serve another purpose if your work situation changes?
These aren’t reasons to reject a house automatically.
They’re simply things worth considering before deciding that a particular room will make a great office.
Where Is Your Home Office Located?
The location of the workspace inside the house can matter almost as much as having the space itself.
Imagine spending most of your workday on calls.
An open loft overlooking the family room may look beautiful, but it may not provide the privacy you need.
On the other hand, someone who works independently and likes feeling connected to the rest of the house may love an open workspace.
Neither is automatically better.
The question is:
Which one works for you?
If you need to close a door at 8 a.m. and mentally “leave work” when you open it again at 5 p.m., a dedicated room may be especially valuable.
Internet Availability Matters When Moving to Auburn
For a remote worker, internet service isn’t simply a convenience.
It’s part of your ability to work.
Don’t assume that because a property has an Auburn address, the exact internet service and options you want will automatically be available at that specific home.
Before buying, verify service availability directly with the providers serving the property.
Consider what your work actually requires.
Someone answering email and working in cloud-based documents may have different needs from someone regularly uploading large files, participating in video conferences, working with media, or connecting to company systems throughout the day.
If reliable connectivity is essential to your job, verify it before you buy.
Natural Light Can Feel Different After Eight Hours
Natural light may seem like a small detail during a home showing.
Then you sit in the same room five days a week.
Suddenly, it may not feel so small.
If you’re planning to use a particular room as your office, look at the windows and think about where your desk might go.
Will direct sunlight create glare on your monitors?
Is the room darker than you prefer?
Would you enjoy looking outside while you work?
Remember that a showing gives you only a snapshot of a property.
Light can change throughout the day and throughout the year.
Consider Noise and Privacy
Noise tolerance is personal.
Some people can work almost anywhere.
Television playing?
Dog barking?
People talking?
No problem.
Other people need quiet to concentrate.
If you’re in the second group, pay attention to how your proposed office relates to the rest of the floor plan.
Is it beside the main living area?
Near the laundry room?
Beside another bedroom?
Near the front entrance?
Would you be comfortable taking a private business call there?
And if two people work remotely, the issue can become even more important.
One home office may not actually solve the problem if two people need quiet workspaces at the same time.
Working From Home Doesn’t Mean Staying Home All Day
Your home office matters, but so does what happens when you step outside.
Some remote workers love getting out during the day.
Maybe you want to grab coffee.
Meet someone for lunch.
Work somewhere else for an hour.
Run errands between calls.
Take a walk when you’ve been staring at a computer too long.
If that’s part of your normal routine, location can matter.
A buyer who works remotely may not have a traditional commute, but proximity to the places they regularly use can still affect everyday life.
Auburn University (https://www.auburn.edu/) is at the center of much of Auburn, with restaurants, businesses, Downtown Auburn, residential areas, and other amenities throughout the surrounding community.
Shopping options include Auburn Mall (https://www.shopauburnalabama.com/), while buyers researching local public-school information can go directly to Auburn City Schools (https://www.auburnschools.org/).
You can also compare different residential areas through my Auburn subdivisions page (https://auburnopelikaalrealestate.com/auburn-al-subdivisons/).
No Commute Can Change Your Home Search
Here’s something interesting about remote work:
If you don’t have to drive to an office every morning, your home search may look different.
Someone working on the Auburn University campus might prioritize a particular commute.
A fully remote worker may have more flexibility.
That can potentially allow you to compare additional parts of Auburn or consider moving to Opelika as well, depending on your individual priorities.
Instead of asking only:
“How long will it take me to get to work?”
you may be able to ask:
“Where do I actually want to live?”
That can open up a different conversation about property type, space, location, lot size, maintenance, proximity to restaurants and shopping, and other lifestyle preferences.
Test the House Against Your Real Workday
Imagine you find a house you love.
Before deciding the extra room makes it perfect for remote work, mentally walk through a normal day.
It’s 7:45 a.m.
Where do you make your coffee?
At 8:00, where do you sit down?
At 9:30, you have a video meeting. Is the room private enough?
At noon, do you want to go somewhere for lunch?
At 2:00, sunlight is coming through the window. Where does it hit?
At 3:30, someone else is in the main living area. Can you still concentrate?
At 5:00, you finish work. Can you leave the office behind, or is your desk sitting in the middle of the room where you spend your evening?
That little exercise can tell you more than simply checking “home office” off a wish list.
Your Home May Be Where You Spend Most of Your Waking Hours
This is what I think remote-working buyers should remember.
If you commute to an office five days a week, you’re away from your house for a significant part of the day.
If you work remotely?
You may wake up there.
Work there all day.
Eat lunch there.
Finish work there.
Have dinner there.
And spend the evening there.
Your home is not only where you live. It may also be where you spend most of your working hours.
That makes comfort, layout, workspace, and location particularly important.
Quick Q&A About Moving to Auburn and Working From Home
What should remote workers look for when buying a home in Auburn?
Consider workspace location, privacy, noise, natural light, internet availability, electrical needs, floor plan, and how the home will function during your actual workday.
Is an extra bedroom enough for a home office?
It may be, but don’t judge the space by its label alone. Consider its size, location within the house, privacy, door placement, windows, storage, and how you actually work.
Should I verify internet service before buying?
Yes. If internet access is essential to your work, verify current service availability and options for the specific property directly with providers before purchasing.
Should I consider Opelika if I work remotely?
It may be worth comparing both Auburn and Opelika. Without a daily commute to a specific workplace, some remote workers have additional flexibility in choosing where they live.
Does location still matter if I don’t commute?
Absolutely. You may still care about access to restaurants, coffee shops, shopping, parks, Auburn University, friends, activities, and other places you visit regularly.
Should I tell my REALTOR® that I work from home?
Yes. If your workspace is an important part of how you’ll use your home, tell your REALTOR® early in the search so it can be considered alongside your other property needs.
Thinking About Moving to Auburn and Working From Home?
If you work remotely, don’t treat your office as the room you’ll figure out after you move.
Treat it as part of the home.
Think about where you will sit every day.
Think about internet access.
Think about privacy.
Think about noise.
Think about natural light.
And think about what happens when you finally close the laptop and want your home to feel like home again.
If you’re moving to Auburn, relocating to Auburn University, comparing Auburn and Opelika, or searching for Auburn homes for sale, I can help you look at properties with your actual everyday lifestyle in mind.
Laura Sellers is an Auburn University alumna who has lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988 and has been a REALTOR® for over 20 years. She is an Associate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate, the Official Real Estate Partner of the Auburn Tigers.
Laura Sellers, Associate Broker
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate
Call or text: 334-332-7263
AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com
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