Back to the Office Shift

critical choices when selling a home

The workplace landscape is shifting again, and many professionals in Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, and surrounding Conejo Valley communities are facing the reality of returning to the office. For some, that means reevaluating where they live and whether their home still aligns with their lifestyle and career demands. If your company’s return-to-office policy is making you rethink your commute, home location, or overall living situation, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to navigate it alone.

At Avant ONE Real Estate, we specialize in helping homeowners and professionals make seamless transitions, whether that means selling locally, relocating within Ventura County or Northwest Los Angeles County, or even moving to another major market. Through our trusted agent network, we connect our clients with top professionals in their destination city, ensuring that wherever you go, you’re in expert hands.

The shift back to in-office work is changing the way many professionals in Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, and beyond think about where they live. If your remote flexibility is ending and your commute is about to get longer, it may be time to consider your next move.

Does your current home still work for your lifestyle? Maybe you’re facing a long drive to Los Angeles, Burbank, or Century City, or perhaps your job is taking you to another major metro like San Francisco, Dallas, or New York. Whether you're looking for a more convenient location locally or planning a cross-country move, having a strategy is key.

That’s where we come in. At Avant ONE Real Estate, we don’t just help you sell your home for top dollar—we also ensure a seamless transition to your next destination. Our extensive network of top real estate professionals in major markets means that wherever your career takes you, we likely already know the right agent to assist you there.

If your work situation is shifting and you're wondering about your next steps, let’s talk. We’ll help you explore your options, from selling and relocating to securing a better home base for your changing needs. Your next move starts with a conversation—let’s get started.

It’s no secret that remote work has surged over the last few years. And that flexibility gave a lot of people the freedom to move — and work — from wherever they wanted.

But now, a growing number of companies are requiring employees to return to the office. And that’s leading some people to make decisions about where they live and if they need to move.

How Return-to-Work Policies Are Impacting Housing

During the rise of remote work, a lot of employees took the opportunity to move away from expensive or crowded city centers. Some opted for suburban neighborhoods and larger homes with yards, while others relocated to more rural areas. But lately, more people are returning to the city.

And according to data from Bright MLS, more than half of workers surveyed would have to rethink where they live or deal with long drive times if their job enforced a return-to-office policy (see chart below):

And maybe you’re one of them. If you moved farther out of the city during the work-from-home era, you may be facing a longer commute that you never expected to make daily. Once you've done it a few times, you might find it’s something you can get used to and isn’t as bad as you may have thought.

But sometimes, it’s just too hard to make it work — no matter how much you try. A drive or train ride that seemed fine once or twice a week can feel like too much of a grind five days in a row. It may also cost too much to commute so often, take too long, or cut too far into your free time. As Lisa Sturtevant, Chief Economist at Bright MLS, notes:

“During the pandemic, when remote work became the norm, homebuyers were able to move farther out . . . But workers do not have the same flexibility that they used to, and some are going to have to make a tough choice if and when their employer calls them back into the office full-time.”

If you’re thinking you may want to move, don’t stress. Talking to an agent can help you weigh your options. Whether it’s finding a home closer to work, balancing commute time with affordability, or even selling a home in one area to buy in another, having a pro on your side makes the process easier.

Bottom Line

If having to be back in-office has you considering a move, let’s connect. That way you have an agent to help you figure out what’s possible and what makes sense for you.

Where do you see yourself living if your commute or work routine needs to change? We are here to guide you all the way.