Swimming Pools and Property Values

pool at 14614 e camino galanteI am asked quite frequently if installing a swimming pool will increase the value of a home. 

Personally, I’m not a big fan of the swimming pool because I hate to maintain the thing.  Most Buyers are fairly sharply divided on the issue.  I’d say 45% of Buyers absolutely do not want  a pool, 45% absolutely must have one, and 10% don’t really care either way.

The cost to have a pool installed starts around $17,000 and goes up quickly from there, but your typical Tucson home with an average pool may only gain an additional $5000-7000 on an appraisal for having a swimming pool (in my experience).  So if you really want a pool, and will enjoy having and using it, then go install one.  But don’t expect to recoup your installation costs!

For high end properties, the million plus crowd, pools are almost universally expected, and a nice one at that.  For that type of property, NOT having a pool could be the difference between your home selling and it sitting on the market forever.

There are other aspects to consider as well.  If you’ve got a small lot, and put in a big pool, then most Buyers aren’t going to like that.  If you put a tiny pool on a tiny lot, well, that may just be a waste, as most people who want a pool are going to want something more than 4 people can be in at the same time without running into each other.

Placing a pool in a side yard where it isn’t visible from the patio or main living area of the house can be the kiss of death for a home sale as well.  This one I know from experience!

Also, families with young children are usually very concerned with pool fencing while home buyers without kids may not want to see tall iron fences around the pool.  So even among the pool-wanting-buyer crowd, there will be very different concerns.

In the end, I think the choice to install a swimming pool is a personal one, and not a question of improving the home’s value, unless you’re dealing with a luxury home. 

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