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Office Insiders · Episode notes · December 5, 2023

Things Are Changing for Office & Industrial for 2024: Some Thoughts

James says COVID accelerated changes already underway in the Houston office market, and that remote work changed the game for demand. He describes his clients under 5,000 square feet, some of whom saw remote work as a chance to drop office altogether or move to a small hub and spoke office used once or twice a week. He notes that the economics of remote work should not be understated, citing an average savings of over $3,000 a year for a remote worker, and draws on his own commute of 45 minutes to an hour on a light traffic day.

For clients from 5,000 up to 10,000 or maybe 50,000 square feet, he says the conversation was about efficiency, not abandoning office. Technology made it easier to share offices, and the move to less space gave tenants a reason to bring in architects and redesign with open, modern layouts. His takeaway is that office keeps evolving and things are still moving.

Key points

  • COVID helped accelerate changes in the Houston office market, and remote work changed the game for demand for office space.
  • Some of James's clients under 5,000 square feet considered dropping office entirely or using a small hub and spoke office once or twice a week.
  • The average remote worker saves over $3,000 a year working remotely.
  • Clients from 5,000 to 10,000 or maybe 50,000 square feet were looking to use space more efficiently, not ditch office.
  • Remote work pushed technology that makes it easier for people to share offices.
  • Taking less space lets tenants have architects thoughtfully redesign with an open, modern design.
"remote work really changed the game for the demand for office space"
"the economics of remote work it should not be understated"
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On locationDowntown Houston from the roofJames Robertson, Jr. with co-host Sruthi · Houston's Commercial Real Estate Show
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Office Insiders is the commercial real estate show Houston never had. Every episode: one building, one deal story, one piece of market intelligence that changes how you think about your own space. Built for CEOs, CFOs and business owners who want to understand the market, not just be told what to do in it. Ten minutes to watch, or listen on your commute.

James and SruthiOne building, one deal story and one piece of market intelligence per episode.
James Robertson, Jr.Host · Principal, Robertson Partners

$2.5 billion closed over 18 years in Houston. Client-first, every time.

SruthiDirector, Design & Client Experience
Co-host, Office Insiders

Sruthi walks every building with James and reads it the way a tenant will live in it.

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