The real estate industry is incredibly competitive. You invest in marketing, networking, and work hard to land and please clients. You know how important first impressions are, so you do your best to make sure to wow your clients with every interaction. However, many real estate offices make a terrible first impression with their office spaces.

Think of it this way; you offer your clients advice about how to improve curb appeal and advise them on what features make a property valuable. But if your office is outdated and dingey, your clients aren’t going to trust your expertise. You want to make sure that you’re practicing what you preach, and that your office’s curb appeal, is well, appealing. 

Beyond that, you want to make sure that the office is comfortable for all the employees. Whether you have several real estate agents, brokers, and support staff all under one roof, or whether you have a small team, several design trends create a relaxed environment for your team and a comfortable and clean environment for your clients. 

Here are a few design trends to consider for your real estate brokerage office. 

Modern Exteriors

Nothing says that you’re on-trend more than a modern exterior. While you don’t want to go too sci-fi here, you can easily incorporate industrial-inspired elements to show prospective clients that your office is ahead of the curve. 

A great way to be both trendy and practical is by the incorporation of exterior louvers. Architectural louvers provide ventilation for exhaust air and defend the building against noise pollution and water. There’s a lot of design flexibility with louvers, but many corporate buildings use metal louvers, which instantly evoke modernity. 

Wood is making a considerable comeback, though, too. So, incorporating wood louvers or wooden shakes to the outside of your building is a great way to be trendy, yet classic. 

Prioritizing Privacy

As you know, privacy is critical for your clients. There is financial information and hard conversations that have to happen within your office. So, there should be several areas that are private and cozy. Cubicles are off-putting, both for clients and employees, so if you’re still operating in cubicles, get rid of them. 

If you’re going for high-tech and modern, a brilliant solution for privacy is switchable glass. Electronic glass provides privacy when you want it but allows for openness when you don’t. It also eliminates the need for tacky curtains, which are sure to turn off potential clients. Beyond that, switchable glass can decrease electricity costs, so it’s amazing to look at, but it’s also a pragmatic solution for privacy and reducing costs. 

Home-Inspired Aesthetics 

Many real estate offices are moving towards more home-inspired designs. They incorporate couches, lounge areas, game rooms, and fully equipped kitchens. This design trend caters to the employees because, as a realtor, you often work long hours away from your home in helping others find their home. Happy employees will undoubtedly lead to more sales and better results. 

Additionally, if you’re in residential property, bringing your clients into a space that inspires feelings of coziness can get them into the place to buy. If you incorporate several home elements, you’re able to gauge your clients’ likes and dislikes right inside the office. 

Collaboration and Flexible Design

While real estate tends to veer into individual, isolated workflows, there’s still a need for collaboration inside the workspace. Offices are trending towards wide-open main areas that encourage collaboration. This trend isn’t limited to real estate offices either. It’s becoming a trend and expectation for offices everywhere. 

We’re seeing a lot more prioritization on collaborative spaces, like having a large table where several people can sit and problem-solve, or strategically placed conversation nooks. While having private work areas is still important, this focus on collaboration is crucial to being on-trend. It’ll also show your clients that your team works together well, making them feel more comfortable about the entire company’s competency. 

Greenery Makes a Difference 

No, we aren’t talking about the cheap, faux greenery that’s currently making a comeback in people’s homes, we’re talking about actual greenery. Plants can significantly improve the aesthetic of an office. The infusion of nature is both calming and visually stunning. Incorporating plants can also lead to happier employees, as studies have shown that nature decreases the production of stress hormones.

You can incorporate something as extensive as a living green wall, which is sure to impress clients, to terrariums, to something as simple as succulents, which are both on trend and super simple to maintain. 

The greenery mixed with the high-tech, modern elements mentioned above, create a unique balance of modernism and timelessness. It leads to mass appeal for both clients and employees.  

Be on Trend with Your Real Estate Office’s Design

These are just a few design ideas to get you thinking about your office’s design. The most important thing about your design is that it’s authentic for you and your clients and that it looks like you’ve put some thought into it. 

If you’re going to express the importance of curb appeal to your clients, you have to make sure that you’re taking your own advice. Putting effort into creating a trendy and timeless office space will resonate with your employees and clients, and ultimately, lead to more sold signs and success stories. 

Corey Tyner is a writer and business owner who helps sell your house fast. He is the founder of Arizona land buyers. As one of the top real estate investors in Arizona with over a decade of experience, his work has been featured on Bigger Pockets, Real Estate Agent Magazine, and several other mainstream real estate investor publications.