Outdoor Living is a term to describe spending time outside, in a backyard as opposed to traditional “Living Rooms”. To make this time more enjoyable , they have been improving there yards with outdoor kitchens, pools, landscape, hardscape (patios and walls), fire pits and other interesting features.
Families have been gravitating towards spend more time outdoors at home over the past decade, and that trend is growing still. Here’s why:
Corporate Jobs Pay Well, Allow WFH
Major companies are allowing their employees to work from home forever, according to Forbes. Google, Twitter, Microsoft, Amazon, Morgan Stanley, Zillow, Slack, Pay Pal and Salesforce all have highly paid employees that used to commute to the city.
Now that people are clamoring for more space, it’s no surprise that they are spending more money on improving their homes, including outdoor living spaces. The housing market is booming, with listings being sold in less than a week for more than asking prices.
Prior to Corona Virus – long commute times have had corporate employees hoping to ditch the downtown office for the home office. Virtual work has never been easier, even for salespeople, with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software growing in popularity and power.
Salesforce just replaced Exxon on the DJIA. Accounting can be done remotely. Customer service is a breeze with VoIP phone systems so small companies can have access to intricate phone networks – completely customizable and centrally managed.
While we many may miss the hustle and bustle of the office building (like I do), many will companies continue work from home past the pandemic, saving money on the overhead of housing employees. Others will allow for work from home days throughout the week, catering to a variety of lifestyles.
In a world full of online meetings, an Outdoor Living Space is the ultimate vanity Zoom backdrop or live streaming environment.
No One Likes Wearing a Mask
Masks at the Office
Wearing a mask while working is uncomfortable. It’s hard to breathe, itchy, and makes you drowsy. When given the option, most people prefer to go maskless. Many states mandate that you are to wear a mask in public.
Then there’s always the liability issue. Lawsuits from unsafe working conditions, or the uncertainty of the legality gives large companies incentive to move to remote work. Businesses can be shut down unless essential. Profitable companies pre-pandemic become inoperable without work from home.
Masks in Commercial Locations
Wearing a mask to the to the grocery store isn’t fun for anyone, imagine what it’s like going to the gym, an amusement park or Chuck-E-Cheese? Why pay a premium at to visit a restaurant under a used event tent when you can be in a custom backyard with only the people you choose.
People with money are staying home. They are entertaining at home. They are keeping up with the Jones’ at home. Bars and restaurants must step up to entice people to visit. They have to maximize their real estate.
A way to do that is to build amazing outdoor space and indoor atmosphere.
Older People Have Money
If only we could afford that Corvette in our 20’s, when we could appreciate it. Whether middle-class or wealthy, most people have considerably more money in the later years of their life. People in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s have considerably more money than those in their younger counterparts.
Baby Boomers are wealthy in aggregate and are working from home as they put off retirement due to the high demand for labor.
These are the same people most at risk with getting sick from coronavirus and the other sicknesses that inevitably go around. Luckily, they have the resources to improve their home and their outdoor living spaces.
Work From Home is Here to Stay
No matter what happens with Corona Virus or other pandemics, work from home is here to stay. As the housing begins market slows down, property owners will start focusing on upgrading their backyards or outdoor locations. This is an incredible opportunity for contractors to be part of that marketplace and consumers to maximize the time they spend at home.
To become an authorized ClifRock Panel Mason – explore this opportunity for your business.
Click here to see how Clifrock can transform your backyard or outdoor living space.
