Purchasing and selling a home with a pool requires some market savvy.

At Aquajoy Spa And Pool, we often get asked “will a pool add to or diminish  the value of my home?”  There is no simple answer!

Some basic facts that affect the purchase of a home with a pool.

  • Families with young children will consider pools a drowning risk, and may not consider buying a home with a pool.
  • The perceived cost of pool ownership may be overwhelming to some buyers.
  • First-time buyers looking for a starter or mid-range homes often do not want a pool.
  • High-end buyers are more likely to want a pool than a starter or mid-range buyers.
  • Middle-aged buyers with teenage kids often find a pool an attractive feature.
  • Health enthusiasts may welcome the idea of a pool for convenient daily exercise.

Location, Location, Location has a major factor in a swimming pool’s effect on home sales.

  • If the neighborhood has many homes with pools, a backyard pool is an asset when selling a home.
  • Pools are attractive selling points in warm climates that have longer swimming seasons.
  • In cooler climates with a shorter warm season, pools generally don’t help sell homes.
  • A Community pool in the neighborhood, or a public pool close by will make it more difficult to sell.

The swimming pools own unique set of characteristics will either help or hinder a house from selling!Keep it loced

  • For a pool to be an asset:  it needs to be well maintained and in pristine condition. No visible leaks at the pump pad.  In Illinois, a heater is a must.
  • The ratio of Backyard to Poola pool that takes up most of your available land will likely make your home more difficult to sell. One that has lots of surrounding land may help in the sale of your home.
  • Type of  Pool:  Gunite and fiberglass pools are durable choices that are often appealing to home buyers. The ease and care of vinyl pools may make them attractive.
  • Landscaping: A pool with attractive surrounding landscaping is more likely to help your house sale.
  • Safety featuresA well-maintained fence, an automatic cover and door alarms will give prospective buyers peace of mind.  Safety winter covers are an attractive selling point also.

Statistics reveal the effects swimming pools can have on home sales:

  • According to the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP), 4.7 million American homes have in-ground pools.
  • The National Association of Realtors reports that on average an in-ground pool adds about 7.7 percent to a home’s market value. This increase in value may be as high as 11 percent in the southwest.
  • In colder climates, however, a swimming pool may not increase home value at all.
  • According to SafeKids, USA, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children ages one through four, a fact that makes swimming pools unappealing to families with young children.

Pool Tips for Buyers and Sellers

  • Be sure the pool and surrounding area are clean and well maintained.
  • The pool area is secured with a self-locking fence to reduce drowning risk.
  • Choose landscaping features that blend attractively with the pool.
  • Have a pool inspection performed. For the seller this is a selling point, potential buyers will be impressed.  For buyers, you wouldn’t buy a home or car without having it checked! 

    New liner=new pool look

 Whether a pool has a positive or negative effect on the sale of a home is a complex question!

However, a well-maintained pool can still be an attractive feature. In the end, a pool’s appeal is a matter of personal choice. If you and your family love to spend time in the water, your investment in a pool will pay off in the immeasurable joy that outweighs any gains you may or may not see when you sell your home. If you find owning a pool overwhelming or frightening, it’s not a good enough investment to justify your discomfort.

“There are many, many things – including pools – which people choose to buy because it makes their lives better. A pool or a hot tub may or may not be a financial investment, but they are most assuredly a quality-of-life investment.” (from the APSP website)

Aquajoy Spa And Pool offers swimming pool inspections.  We examine every aspect of the pool and give you a comprehensive analysis of it.

 

Aquajoy Spa and Pool is not affiliated with all of the linked sites on this page.  The information they provide make them worthy of a mention

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