Easy To Install And Maintain
Installing a pool can take time. However, above ground pools can be installed within the shortest time possible. It is, therefore, suitable if you urgently need a pool. It involves less construction and digging, which makes it easy to install. Additionally, it requires fewer chemicals to maintain, which saves you money. Various factors that delay pool installation are the status of the installation area. If the place is not leveled and covered with trees, expect the process to be lengthier.
How Long Do Above Ground Pools Last
2018. A high-quality above ground pool from Valley Pool & Spa should last between 10 and 20 years depending on how well you care for it. However, your pool liner will not last as long as your pool. Contact a pool expert at our store to see if you need a new liner before you decide to replace your entire pool.
Does A Pool Add Value
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to dangle your toes over a basin of sparkling water on a hot afternoon in the privacy of your own backyard, you are not alone.
Many homeowners are tantalized by the thought of installing a swimming pool. It promises to add luxury, attractiveness, and fun to your property.
We all know that installing a pool is an investment, and the costs do not end after a pristine blue watering hole is safely ensconced in your yard. But does a pool add value to a home? Lets take a look.
Look to the Future.
On average, a pool improves your home value 4-6%, and it can be much as 7% in some cases. So, if your home is worth $600,000, installing a pool can push its worth up to $642,000.
Installing a pool can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $60,000, including the pool itself, installation, and maintenance. If you live in a climate where your pool will not be open year-round, keep in mind that pool openings and closings will cost you $150-$300 each. These appointments include filling or draining the water, testing and cleaning the water, and removing or securing the pool cover.
If most of the homes in your neighborhood come equipped with swimming pools, yours may seem like a poor value if you dont have one.
Older pools will be harder to sell than new ones. If you install an in-ground vinyl pool, the liner should be replaced if it is more than ten years old before you put it on the market.
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Shoddy Diy Home Improvements
Do it yourself projects can be fun and rewarding, but they can also affect the value of your home negatively. Crooked tiles in the bathroom and unreliable wiring in the finished basement would not be selling points, even if they were learning experiences for you.
Most of the time it pays to bring in a professional to do your renovations. This way the additions you make to your home will add value.
Dont think this matters and nobody will figure it out? This is one of the first things a good home inspector will observe.
Most home inspectors will immediately be able to notice do it yourself work from that of a professional.
It is an obvious mistake to make home improvements you are not qualified to do. Poor, quality workmanship on intended enhancements can easily decrease a homes value!
Should You Buy A Home With A Pool
If you are in the market for buying a house, a pre-existing pool is a neat way to reduce labor. However, it may not be the best option depending on your available time and energy.
First, as someone who didnt build the pool, you have no idea about the level of effort behind the swimming pool. Check to see if the structure has a permit behind it, which standardizes it for certain building practices.
Next, ask yourself if you have the time and effort to manage to pool. If that doesnt work, move on to ask if you can afford to hire someone to maintain it. Maintaining a pool can take a great deal of effort.
Finally, ask yourself how much you like to swim. Because the pool will be primarily for you and your family, it doesnt make sense to own one if you guys prefer public pools or dont swim a lot.
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Cost To Insure A Pool
One thing that people often dont think about when they are considering getting a pool is that it will likely raise their homeowners insurance premiums. It is common for policies to cover up to 10% of the replacement cost of pools and other external structures. They also typically cover at least part of most accidents related to swimming pools.
Liability is still something you will want to think about when getting a pool. If you werent providing a safe swimming environment, you can be held legally accountable if someone is injured or dies.
Most homeowners insurance policies require that you dont have a diving board and that you install a fence around the pool to help prevent accidents.
Keep Up With Regular Pool Maintenance
Naturally, when a potential buyer walks into a backyard to see your swimming pool, they want to see clear water and a well-maintained area. It signals they wont have to make an immediate investment to make the area usable.
If they see this kind of immediate area where they can relax, they can envision themselves spending time there enjoying it, says Feeney. Thats going to make your house more marketable.
Make sure the pool has been cleaned of both top and bottom debris and the water chemistry is balanced. If you have a regular maintenance service for your pool, keep it going until closing.
If you havent had the pool cleaned professionally for a few months, have someone come in and do the required service. Costs can range from $150 to $600, according to HomeLight.
Check for cracks in the pools cement, consider having repairs done prior to showing the home. Costs can vary by region but can start at $100 for minor cracks to over $1,000 for something more serious.
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Play Up The Pool With Landscaping
Invest in attractive landscaping around the pool to increase its value. Depending on your budget and timeline, you can make any of the following investments to improve the sophistication of your above-ground pool:
- Add some gravel or rock around the perimeter of the pool, like these Rainforest Beach Landscaping Rocks.
- Build a concrete or paver patio for a more custom, permanent look.
- Plant trees or shrubs around the pool for added privacy.
- Place some around the pool to add seasonal color and warmth.
How To Pay For A New Pool
If you’re looking to buy a home and install a hot tub or pool, consider a renovation loan. This flexible loan program allows you to buy a home – or refinance your current mortgage – and get the extra funds you need to cover the costs of renovations and upgrades – and pay for it with just one monthly mortgage payment.
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But Will A Pool Add To Your Homes Value
One of the important things to remember: swimming pools arent for everyone. So just by the mere fact that a pool is on the property, there will be a group of potential home buyers that will not be interested. However, the bottom-line answer is: it depends. For some geographic areas , a swimming pool can certainly increase appeal- and value. However, in areas like Michigan or Northern states, they may have less desirability and the pool could appraise for less than the install price. However, a recent study by LendingTree shows that homes with a pool are valued at 54% higher than those without one.
Can You Write Off A Swimming Pool On Your Taxes
As weve seen, your swimming pool can increase property taxes. But, is there any way of reducing the amount of taxes that you will be expected to pay? Can you write off a swimming pool on your taxes?
For most people, you wont be able to write off your swimming pool. However, there are a few specific times where you might be able to take advantage of tax breaks to write off your pool.
In most cases, installing a pool counts as a leisure purchase. As a result, you will need to pay taxes on it.
However, this might not be the case for all people. For some, a pool could count as a health expense. For example, you might need it to do a form of aquatic therapy to help you heal after an injury. However, this can be very difficult for you to prove.
To claim a tax break, you will need to show that the pool is used for health and no other reason. As a result, you might want to hire a tax law expert to help you prove your case.
Frustrated by adding chemicals and trying to keep your pool clear all the time?
This guide cuts out all the confusion of pool maintenance in this easy-to-read illustrated ebook and video course. Itll help you save $100 right away on pool care!
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Pool Surrounded By Garden
This swimming pool feels enchanted, surrounded by bright flowers and greenery, but will it add overall value to the home? Read on to find out.
Heather Knapp
This swimming pool feels enchanted, surrounded by bright flowers and greenery, but will it add overall value to the home? Read on to find out.
If youre thinking of adding an inground swimming pool, you’re probably wondering if a pool adds value to your home. In other words: If you sell your home, will the selling price cover most or all of the costs of a pool, or will you take a bath on your investment?
First, some intangibles. It may be that you and your family get so much enjoyment and satisfaction from your pool that recouping your investment is a moot point. Hard to put a price on summertime splashes and smiles.
That said, there are several factors that can help you determine if a swimming pool will add positive value to your home:
- If you live in a neighborhood where many of your neighbors have swimming pools, your investment is probably solid. In fact, in those circumstances not having a pool might decrease your homes marketability.
- In warm climates, such as Arizona or Florida, a pool can be an attractive feature for potential buyers.
- If youre in a real estate market where houses sell quickly, a pool might not be a deterrent to a prospective buyer.
The Cost Of Maintaining A Pool Can Outweigh The Value
As great as an inground pool might be, it takes a lot of time and money to maintain. Think heating, cleaning, and any repairs that may come up. Annual costs of pool maintenance are between $1,200 and $1,800, says Arnold Long, general ops manager at Mr. Blue Plumbing. Opening and closing your pool in the summer and winter comes with additional costs, tooaround $150 to $300, depending on how clean your pool is. So is the cost of a pool worth the value it adds?
“No, and it’s not even close,” says Long. “In the best-case scenario, in which you got a deal on pool installation and don’t own the property for too long, you’ll lose $23,000 on your investment. But this is if everything goes right, you get lucky, and the pool doesn’t require any repairs.”
The cost of installing an inground pool and maintaining it does vary based on the type of pool and other factors, but the it’s still an expensive add to your home . It’s important to consider all the costs and whether it would be a worthwhile investment for you.
“A pool should only be added to a home if the homeowner plans on using it for years. Otherwise a pool should be considered a bad investment,” says realtor Jason Gelios.
However, if you live in an area where having a pool in the backyard is par for the course, it may be a major boost to your home’s value when it does come time to sell. It’s your gamble.
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Is Your Pool Covered Under Homeowners Insurance
A swimming pool, whether above-ground or in-ground, is eligible for homeowners insurance coverage as a scheduled structure or under other structures blanket coverage. In other words, because it is a detached structure, like a shed, its not covered under your homeowners policy unless you specifically add coverage
Does A Pool Increase The Value Of Your Home
Installing a swimming pool can be an enticing thought to a homeowner during the sweltering summer months. Once a pool is up and running, it can provide endless hours of fun and enjoyment. A pool is a big investment, through, and even a small in-ground pool can cost thousands of dollars. It’s also debatable whether or not a pool increases a home’s value enough to recapture its full cost.
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Youre Investing In Your Own Enjoyment
While some pools add more value than others, most appraisers agree that the addition of an above-ground pool should be based on the homeowners personal enjoyment rather than a means of driving up the homes price. According to HouseLogic, even a pool that checks all the smart investment boxes would still only bring a maximum 7% increase in value.
The key takeaway, according to Limbird: Some buyers will see an above-ground pool as a great addition, but others will want it to be removed. In cases where the pool doesnt have a deck or has not been well-maintained and is more of an eyesore than an amenity she suggests that the seller offer to leave it, but be willing to remove it at the buyers request.
Where Do You Live
It’s also worth mentioning that the value-add to your home greatly depends on where you are.
For example, if you live somewhere where you could swim all year, a pool could add significantly more value to your home than in areas where the swimming season lasts just a few months. In other words, a $30,000 pool might make more financial sense in Miami than it does in New Jersey.
Finally, it’s also worth noting that while a pool might not necessarily add tremendous value to your home, it could certainly make it easier to sell, especially in warmer climates. As my real estate agent put it when I lived in Key West, Florida, “buyers here want pools.” On the other side of the equation, a pool can actually be a negative when it comes time to sell your home in areas where pools aren’t really expected.
That said, if adding a pool is not likely to add value to your property, this doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t do it. It just means that you shouldn’t add a pool if adding value is your only motivation. If you want a pool and think you and your family will use it often, there’s nothing wrong with that.
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Pools Aren’t Cheap To Build
The average cost in the U.S. to install, equip, and fill a 600-sq.-ft. concrete pool starts at $30,000.
Add in details like safety fences , waterfalls, lighting, landscaping, and perhaps a spa, and youre easily looking at totals approaching $100,000.
Costs also depend on the type of pool you choose.
Gunite is the most popular in-ground pool. Gunite is a mixture of cement and sand, which can be poured into almost any shape. It has replaced concrete pools as the sought-after standard.
Fiberglass shells and those with vinyl liners fall on the lower end of the budget scale, but the liners typically need replacing every 10 or so years. Changing the liner requires draining the pool and replacing the edging , so over time, costs add up. Most homebuyers will insist that you replace a vinyl liner, even if its only a few years old.
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How Much Value Does A Pool Really Add To Your Home
A pool can be a fun, attractive addition to a house and usually increases its value. But are the costs of installing and maintaining a pool worth it? Here are some things to consider before you take the plunge.
In certain climatestemperate to hot ones, mostlyhouses with pools are pretty idyllic. When summer lasts five or six months and temperatures are easily 100 degrees or higher on the hottest days, relaxing in or around a pool in your own backyard is a dream come true. If your home doesn’t already have an in-ground pool, though, adding one is no small project.
Installing an in-ground poolthe kind of permanent structure you can enjoy for years to comecan take months and cost tens of thousands of dollars. According to HomeAdvisor, the average in-ground pool cost is almost $50,000, and larger pools or pools with special features can have even higher price tags.
As with any costly home upgrade, you’ll want to make sure adding a pool will pay you back in more than just summer memories. Just as getting the timing right for the best time to sell a house and picking the right house paint colors can increase your home’s value, adding a pool can bring a lot of added value to your home. But that might not always be the case.
Here are some things to consider about how much value a pool really adds to your home and whether the cost is worth it.
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