Once homes approach a certain size and price (typically 3,000 SQ FT+ and over $500k) builders often include, or have an option available for a Media Room. This space also goes by other names like Bonus Room and Theater Room amongst others. Whatever the name, the space I am writing about has traditionally been used for watching movies/sporting events and can usually be found above the garage. Yes, that’s the space…the one with the staircase the goes straight up to the big boxy room that never has the A/C running. While the current use is great for most, it falls well short of its potential to add to the owner’s benefit and potential future resale value.
Every house I have ever sold with a Media Room to this point has had this space looked at as a huge expense and a luxury. However, I see a need for this to be marketed as an investment not only for the Entrepreneur, musicians and business owners but everyone for that matter. This space can and should be used to ultimately make MONEY much like the home office. The term Social Media is used all the time, however, I never hear it attached to or used with a houses Media Room. It would take very little effort and relatively little expense at the time of construction to make this space more functional as a home studio for the production of videos, Blabs, Periscopes, Vines, Webinars and the like.
Savvy builders and home theater companies would do well to market this space as a Social Media Room, because true social media works best going from consumption to production and back again. The transition from consumption to production in the space should be smooth and seamless. Social Media had been with us for a long time and now is the time we make a space for it in our home. While most people can do everything with a phone that they need for Social Media, the more sophisticated and power users certainly want the option to produce more polished “network” looking content at times.
The beauty of this space would be that it allows you to do more from home and with a much higher level of professionalism and the freedom to produce content at any time. Sound deadening, good lighting, proper seating, strong internet signal, video editing area and the like are just a few of the things that can be done…the options are endless. I love quick impromptu videos people produce while they are at home and have a quick thought that they want to get out. Unfortunately, these rough cut videos often suffer from bad sound, back ground noise and echoes reflecting off of solid surfaces. These issues can at times detract from the message that could easily be fixed with a quick move to the Social Media Room.
As I am writing this I can envision myself with my own Social Media Room, making and editing Real Estate videos. I also see my boy’s working on top notch school projects (fingers crossed) and FIFA videos for YouTube. However, the happiest person would certainly be my wife thrilled to have all of us out of her hair for some time. While a Social Media Room is certainly not for all buyers in the market for a new home, it may be just the thing that a person needs to justify their next purchase.
Written by Ed O’Donnell Realtor La Rosa Realty 407-595-6306
Florida Real Estate 