Wondering If Installing a Swimming Pool Will Increase the Value of Your Home?

Swimming pools, long associated with the so-called lifestyles of the rich and famous, may seem like an obvious way to increase the value of a house. The truth of the matter is that a swimming pool costs a lot to install (upwards of $40,000 for an in-ground pool) and a lot to maintain. Though a swimming pool can raise the appraised value of a property, chances are you won't get back as much as you spend on the installation. A swimming pool can actually be a negative feature for parents of young children, especially if it is not properly fenced and monitoring by pool alarms. Even home shoppers that don't have to watch out for young ones may think twice about spending extra for a feature that is generally only usable a few months out of the year, especially in northern latitudes. According to 101 Cost-Effective Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home, "In most cases, the only way an investment in a pool can be justified is if the home is located in a predominantly warmer climate, such as in the South, and in a more expensive neighborhood where swimming pools tend to be the norm."

So, as far as increasing the value of your home, a swimming pool is not the best project you can take on. If you want a swimming pool, make sure you build it because it's what you and your family want, not with some potential payoff in mind. If you don't think you'll be staying in your current home long enough to make the building of an in-ground swimming pool feasible, check into aboveground pools. While once they were somewhat on the kitsch side, aboveground swimming pools have come a long way. Not only are there very classy models available today, but building decks around them can make them feel like in-ground pools. And the plus of an aboveground swimming pool is that you can take it with you when you move.