Swimming Pools

There may be nothing more enticing in the heat of a sizzling summer than the crystal blue waters of a well-maintained swimming pool. When the temperature and the humidity both push the century mark, a quick dip can take all of that hot sticky feeling away like a flash. And at times like those, the idea of actually having your own backyard pool for unlimited summer fun can suddenly seem like a really good thought.

Depending on where you live, having your own pool at home can be a really great asset – or a real drain on both your wallet and the value of your home.

In some areas, such as California, Arizona and Florida, which enjoy warm climates year-round, owning a pool is almost a given. But even in those places, pools are really de rigueur only in higher-end neighborhoods, and even then, there are homebuyers who won’t even think of buying a home with a pool.

But who wouldn’t want a pool? Well, buyers with small children, for one. According to safekids.org, drowning is the leading cause of death among children under the age of 5. And that fact alone causes liability issues for pool owners. If you do own a pool, you need to take precautions to make sure outsiders can’t get in, and your home insurance bills may be higher no matter what you do.

Pools can also be an enormous expense to heat, to clean, and to maintain. If you don’t heat your water, it may limit the amount of time you can use the pool, and if you do heat your pool, it could raise your utility bills by hundreds of dollars a month. And then there are chemicals needed to clean the water, and repairs that must be made. There’s no getting around the fact that owning a pool can be an expensive proposition.

The most expensive type of in-ground pool is also the sturdiest and most versatile to layout. Those are pools made from a material called Gunite, a mixture of concrete and sand that is sprayed into a hole in the ground. Gunite pools can last for many years.

Pools with vinyl linings are less expensive, but they typically need to be replaced every 10 years or so, and they are generally rectangular in shape. These pools are more popular in areas where temperatures dip below freezing in the winter, and where pools are drained each season.

And then there are above-ground pools, which are the least expensive, but also often the least attractive option, aesthetically. In fact, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® say above-ground pool typically do not add to a home’s value at all.

And that brings up the larger issue. How much does an in-ground pool add to a home’s re-sale value? Well, we wish we could give you a solid answer. The National Association of Realtors estimates a pool could increase values by nearly 8 percent, but again, that all depends on where the home is. A two million dollar home in Beverly Hills will likely lose value if it doesn’t have a pool, but a 200-thousand dollar rambler in Minnesota might be tough to sell if it does have one.

Now, don’t get us wrong. We are certainly not here to bury pools. They can provide therapeutic health benefits for many owners, and are a great exercise opportunity. They are magnets for teenagers, and have enormous entertainment value for families. In times like these, when many families have neither the time nor the money for long summer vacations, a backyard pool can be a daily getaway. And, of course, they can also provide instant relief from the summer sizzle.

The bottom line is this. If you’re thinking about buying a home with a pool, or installing one in your backyard, do your homework and find out exactly how much it will cost you to build and maintain. Be honest and ask yourself whether you’ll use the pool enough to justify the cost. Don’t install a pool as an investment to increase your home’s eventual resale value. Build it because you will enjoy it with your family for years to come. And feel free to invite us over any time!

from REAL ESTATE TODAY - presented by the National Association of Realtors and Its Realtor Members in Your Neighborhood