One of the big arguments I have at home with the roommate (AKA boyfriend) is about office space. We both work on "internet stuff" (he's a programmer and I do this website content blog-y stuff), so we have computers, lots of 'em. In our dining/living room area alone we have two work stations and a computer hooked up to the TV. In the bedroom, another desk where a couple of laptops sit (collecting dust, mostly).

I opt for style over comfort for my home work station; I'm not sitting there for hours so I just want a little nook to do a some surfing here and there. My boyfriend, however, would like to recreate his work environment at home with a gigantic desk and some sort of huge leather monstrosity of a desk chair. Ugh. Earlier this year when we purchased a new desk for him I blogged about some I like -- see what desk we ended up with.

Right now I'm in love with closet offices. So, this week's Top 5 is dedicated to my continuous quest to strike home office balance with my roommate and inspire you with great space saving offices tucked into closets!

A Colourful Nook

Organized and colourful closet - unpluggd.com

Sunny Disposition

Lovely and yellow - apartmenttherapy.com

Converted Guest Room Closet 

 Part-time public relations consultant/full-time mom's work space -- Lowe's Ideas Library

Basement Cabinet

With a baby on the way, a new office space had to be carved out with an IKEA PAX wardrobe -- Flickr member AdamSelwood

Creative Oasis

Quiet work area -- designspongeonline.com

Top 5 Friday appears every Friday on Style Sheet.

Related: 

• Top 5 (and a Few More) Friday: Now THIS is Creative Storage! 
• Pure Design Project: Built-In Parson's Desk
• 3 Desks That Aren't Too "Desk-y"
  

Live Blogging time! I'm back this week to watch and dish about Holmes Inspection tonight at 8pm EST. Last week we had a great crew, lots of discussion. Check out what we had to say!

On tonight's episode, Tricia and Mike’s home inspector told them the house they wanted to buy was worth an eight out of ten. (Cue foreboding music...) Young and enthusiastic, they bought it. When the pipes in their main floor laundry room froze and the drain backed up, they called Mike Holmes. Of course, his Holmes Inspection brought them a few more unpleasant surprises.

Join me and the community in the chat tonight. Simply post your comments in the embedded window below by clicking on "Make a comment" at the top of the dialogue box as we watch. Or, you can log in to your Twitter account and send us a tweet (@hgtvcanada). Looking forward to seeing you all here!

Related:

• All About Holmes Inspection
  
• Holmes on Holmes

We’re kicking off a new feature called: Ask an Agent here on Style Sheet.

I don’t know about you but it seems most dinner party conversations I go to inevitably turn to real estate. It might be me since it’s the first section I flip to in the Saturday paper. But having met the real estate/home editors at The Globe and Mail and National Post recently, they assure me that we are a nation of real estate obsessed!  So in our bi-monthly Ask an Agent feature we’re giving you the opportunity to ask a real real (not a typo) estate agent any questions you may have about buying and selling.

Our gal of expertise is Avryll McNair of Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage. She’s been selling and buying condos, houses in Toronto for over five years. She has a background in home furnishing and lifestyle (she helped design the Ikea store in Etobicoke). That means she can help buyers see beyond the smoke and mirrors of staging but conversely knows how to make a home look their best for sellers.

The first question comes from Julian who wanted to know: How old is too old when buying a condo?

Avryll: The age of a condominium is less relevant than how well it's been maintained.  There is a predictable serviceable lifespan for structural and mechanical building components, such as elevators, ventilation systems, balconies and roofing.  

Most jurisdictions require that condominiums maintain a reserve fund, paid for by monthly condominium fees.  Buildings that have been well maintained will have replaced or budgeted for the repair and replacement of these items through their reserve funds.  

Effective maintenance and planning by a strong board of directors and a professional property manager will certainly minimize risk.  A well maintained building with a small reserve fund that has replaced components along the way may be in better physical and financial standing than a building with a large reserve fund awaiting several repairs.  

The status certificate and other condo documents should be reviewed by your lawyer as a condition of any condo purchase, as these documents will detail budgets and assessments that are related to building maintenance.   

Although older buildings typically have higher maintenance fees due to the replacement costs required to maintain the property, they tend to have unique features and generally offer more spacious units than modern buildings.  

Providing you are well informed, your personal preferences will guide you.  As with houses, some consumers are loyal to new developments and virgin spaces with modern finishes, while others prefer the character and charm of historical homes.

Do you have a burning question about real estate for our Ask an Agent feature? Please post them below and we’ll get around to them.

Related:  Design Dilemma with Cheryl Torrenueva: Decor Ideas for a Generic Fireplace