Swimming Pool A Plus to Home’s Value

December 23, 2006 – There you, the house hunter, are – scurryingfrom home to home trying to weigh the positives of this one or thenegatives of that one. You find yourself strolling from one room toanother in yet another house that really hasn’t’ done much to rev upyour excitement,

Until…. suddenly, the real estate agent nonchalantly cracks open adoor off of the kitchen to reveal something that catches your eye -- tothe point that it almost takes your breath away. And there itgrandly appears, staring you squarely in the face – a gorgeouskey-shaped in-ground swimming pool with crystal-clear blue-tinted water– lapping against the sides in a kind of soothing cadence.

Almostto a person, the homebuyer’s response tends to range from Oooohhhh andAaaahhhhh to forceful WOW’s upon first gaze of a home’s in-groundpool. In fact, Realtors say this kind of response is commonplace-- even when the potential buyer already is aware that the homeincludes an in-ground pool.

Realtors also tell us that of allthe characteristics a home can feature, there is perhaps none otherthat can stimulate the buyer’s imagination more than the presence of anin-ground swimming pool When the buyer realizes thatsomething representing such pure fun and relaxation – a luxury oncereserved only for the wealthy -- is actually within reach, theexcitement level is elevated even further. In fact, manyhomebuyers view a home, featuring – by its mere presence -- anin-ground pool, as being more prestigious than an identical home, sanspool.

Realtors note that homebuyers, as they view a home’spool, are likely to immediately start conjuring up a variety ofpleasant imagery – imagining different ways to enjoy this uniqueamenity. Realtors say that – based on responses elicitedfrom prospective buyers, it’s much easier for them to picturethemselves spending time in the home’s pool area than inside any of thehome’s rooms or other locations of the property. For some, beingrefreshed in the pool’s cool, invigorating waters holds the promise ofbeing the perfect antidote to a stressful day at the office. Forothers, scenes of laughter and frolicking good times with friends orfamily -- complete with splashing and swimming contests -- are broughtto mind. And for still others, images of warm, invitingsummer nights -- beckoning them to lounge casually in the company ofone’s spouse within the intimate privacy of the pool’s confines –provide the possibility of convenient romantic getaways without thenecessity of even leaving the property.

And while there aredivergent opinions among real estate experts regarding the exact valuean in-ground swimming pool adds to home, most are in agreement that itdoes, indeed, have the effect of increasing the selling price of ahome. However, to what extent depends in large part to the regionone lives in. Nonetheless, Realtors concur that there really isno negatives impact of a pool on the selling price of a home, and infact, is usually a nice positive.

According to some studies,a pool tends to have the least impact on a home’s value in theNortheast and Midwest, where a home’s value is increased by 4 to 6percent, on average, when an in-ground pool is present. On theother hand, the increase to a home’s value ranging between 5 percentand 10 percent was evident in the Southeast. There, a pool’simpact on a home’s selling price compared to its northern counterpartscomes as no surprise, due to the region’s warmer climate.

However, the Southwest appears to be the champion in the pool-adding-value-to-a-home contest. Studies have shown that an in-ground pool there increases a home’svalue by a minimum of 8 percent, and tops out at a whopping 13percent. Again, this can be seen attributed to the climate, whichis oftentimes hot and dry. In addition, the West – perhaps owingto its variety of climate types – from downright frigid to scorchinghot and arid, shows the widest range The low end is 5percent , but ranges upward to 13 percent, which mimics portions of allthe other regions of the nation.