By Courtney Rosenfeld

How to Find the Perfect Space for Your Home-Based Business

When you operate your own business, it sometimes makes the most sense to run things from the comfort of your home. As Business Town explains, having a home office instead of renting commercial space is often a smart move. Finding a perfect space to accommodate your business and personal needs will be tough, but it’s not impossible with the tips below.

Consider Business Growth

Seeing your business grow is a great sign of success, but if you run it in a home-based office, it can also be stressful. Having limited space can make you feel cramped and even stunt your business from reaching its full potential. That’s why it’s important to choose a home that can accommodate both your current and future business needs. If you anticipate your business will grow after you move in, make sure it has room to do so.

Find Cost-Saving Methods

Building a home from scratch can be expensive, especially if you’re customizing it to suit your business. In many cases, it’s more cost-effective to make an existing home work for your business needs.

You may be able to save significantly if you buy a foreclosure. The money you save can instead be invested in your business. When buying a foreclosure, it’s important to understand the potential risks and to have the property inspected. You should always get pre-approved by a lender and work with a real estate agent who has experience with foreclosures.

Think About Business Needs

Depending on the scope of your business, you may need a home with specific features. For example, if you sell handmade products, you will need space to create and store your items. And if you sell items online, you’ll need an area to photograph your products.

When thinking about your business needs, it’s also important to consider local zoning laws. Not all homes will be zoned for operating a home-based business, which, according to Entrepreneur, is especially true if you will actually have customers coming to your home.

Keep Things Separate

It’s all too easy for the business side of your life to start spilling into your personal space. That’s why it’s important that your home has a designated space for business activities, whether that’s running a website, photographing products, or storing your materials. Depending on the scale of your business, you may need a closet, home office, a garage, or even a whole basement to work in.

 

Not only will keeping things separate let you unwind from the workday, it will also help when it comes to your tax deductions. The IRS has strict rules about deducting home office space from your taxes.

Don’t Forget Personal Needs

It can be hard to find a space that suits your business and personal needs when you work from home. When looking at houses, be sure to consider which features you care about for your family. After all, you want a home you will still love even if your business changes or you decide to go in a different direction in the future. The last thing you would want is to feel stuck in a home that you only bought because it suited the business side of your life.

Operating a business from home is a challenge, but it can be rewarding as well. By finding a home that suits all of your needs, you can ensure success in your business and happiness in your personal life. It might not always be possible to find a perfect home as-is, but by keeping the tips above in mind, it’s easier to see the potential for your business in more properties as you shop around.

Courtney Rosenfeld|  courtney@gigspark.biz | http://gigspark.biz/|