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Don't want a pool. Should it be a deal-breaker?

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sssrobbins

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My husband and I don't want a pool.  We live in New England and would hardly use it.  We don't want to pay for the upkeep and would rather have the extra yard space.  However, we found a great house that is perfect except that it has a pool.  I would like to know if (and how much) a pool adds to the value of the home.  If it does not add any value, we would consider buying the house and filling it in.  Any thoughts?
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May 14 - Smithfield
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Pasadenan

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If you don't want a pool, you shouldn't be looking at properties that have them; the pool is a liability.

If you want a pool and you swim everyday (or even 40 days per year), you should not be looking at properties that don't have a pool as the cost of your swiming will be substantually higher having to go elsewhere and pay membership or access fees.


Costs of adding or removing pools make it impractical; and most pools don't get removed properly, thus it still could be a liability.

With the huge volume of inventory and even more foreclosures still to come, why would anyone chose something that requires more work and expense than one wants to put in?

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May 14
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wetdawgs

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Whether or not a pool adds value depends on the buyers and locations.   In many locations, on average, a pool detracts from the value.     Therefore, if you love the house besides the pool, I'd make an offer than take into account at least part of the costs of removing or filling in the pool.

We purchased a house with a pool in the Bay Area, CA.  We didn't want a pool, but were in your shoes.  We never got around to filling it in and actually did use it two months of the year.      It was a negative for selling the house when we fortunately had the opportunity to escape to green pastures.
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May 14
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Nathan Wolf, "natewolf"

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Many buyers share your sentiment. If it's not a selling feature to you, then do as you suggested. Fill it in. You could potentially leave the equipment if it is in good condition, but if it's of no value to you, then consider the other merits of the home. A beautiful garden with a founain, spa or water feature instead of a pool? Those sell just as well in many cases. I'm with you, I don't prefer a pool because of the expense of upkeep.
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May 14
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Michael Emery, "MikeEmery"

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Outdoor in-ground pools tend to be valued negatively in states where the summer season is short (as compared to Florida and California where a pool is almost an essential with many homes).

In Minnesota, a pool is a huge liability unless it's a indoor pool (which is still pretty rare up here, and only reserved for the most expensive homes). The upkeep coupled with the short summer season doesn't justify the cost.
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May 14
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nvchaz

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In Reno, a pool actually decreases a home's value. I passed on a house because it had a pool. I considered filling it in and decided that it would be a huge hassle bringing in that much earth.

I suppose it depends on the weather. If I lived in Phoenix I would think a pool would add value. In Reno, we have hard freezes here in the winter which makes maintenance a problem.

I'm not sure if you can fill a pool with sand and then retrieve it later. Seems like filters and so on would be ruined.
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May 14
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akoi

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If you love the home, buy it and get rid of the pool.

I grew up in New England. When the summer months got muggy and unbearably hot, we would have loved to have a pool. Here's the problem, a pool is either yes or no, there is no grey area.

In SF Bay area I have seen back yards that once had a pool and now the yard has been expanded because the homeowners "filled" or got rid of the pool. It looks great.
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May 14
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Paula Biello, "Paula Biello"

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Hi,
A pool does not add dollar value to a property. It may be more appealing to a buyer that wants a pool or in your case not so appealing. But a buyer should not pay anymore for a property or any less for the property for the pool. Hope I helped your decision.

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May 14
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BMFPitt

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An in-ground pool would add value for a lot of people.  Maybe you could fill it in with sand or something else that could leave it undamaged and easy to dig up for some future owner, then top it off with a foot or two of dirt for a graden if that's something you'd like to have.
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May 14
 

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