How Much Does a Pool Add to the Value of My Home?

by Jay Thompson on February 12, 2006

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We get this question all the time. Here’s the bottom line…

Having a swimming pool built is not cheap. If you spend $20,000 on a pool, it will not add $20,000 to the value of your home. Sadly, it may add nothing to the value of your home. Don’t add a pool to your home if you expect to recoup the cost upon sale. It just doesn’t work that way. Add a pool to your home because you want a pool. A pool is an outstanding investment in terms of recreation, fun, enjoyment, enhancing the appearance of your back yard and it provides great exercise. (In Phoenix, having a pool may mean being able to survive the summers comfortably!) There are dozens of great reasons to have a pool, but adding value to your home isn’t one of them.

(I should note that what I say above pertains to the Phoenix area. The reason it’s this way here is because so many homes have pools. In some parts of the country, a pool is rare and does add a premium to a home.)

What a pool can do is help you sell the home when the time comes. MANY people home shopping in Phoenix want a pool. We’ve had clients look at homes they loved but didn’t buy because there wasn’t a pool. Having an existing pool appeals to many home buyers. But note that there are some who don’t want a pool and won’t look at your house because it has one.

This question is currently the most viewed question on our Real Estate FAQ site.

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michael699

Well i just sold my house in Darwin Aus and adding a pool worth $20,000 added $40,000 to the sale price! But everyone wants a pool in Drawin

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Pool Table

@Dallas: What does "overbuilt" even mean? I would think that the more you put in the more you get out of it. Just having some trouble comprehending the logic behind that.

**Pool Table´s last blog post..Venom’s Shots #44</abbr></abbr>

Find Home Value

This is one of the great misperceptions home sellers have, so no wonder it is so popular in your Real Estate FAQ.

In the northeast, pools are a polarizing issue for home buyers. They either want one, or they don't want to handle all the maintenance involved in owning something they're only going to use for 4 months. We've been advising home sellers for years to temper their expectations when they say things like, "but I have a pool," etc.