Swimming Pools: Do They Increase Or Decrease a Home's Value?

Having a pool may not always speed a property's sale, but in some parts of the country, not having one may turn away buyers. If you are thinking about purchasing a house with a pool, here are some tips to consider before taking the plunge.

Above-ground pools traditionally don't add any value to a home come resale time, according to research from the National Association of Realtors. They also aren't much of a deterrent to buyers because they can be easily removed, said Wallace Perry, Coldwell Banker United, Realtors' president and chief operating officer for the Carolinas region.

"It's not enough of an economic factor to influence it (the sale) either way," he said. A seller might even take the pool down and bring it to their new home.

In-ground pools have a different story.

They do tend to add value to a home -- about 7.7%, according to National Association of Realtors statistics. Regionally, in-ground pools will add about 5% to the value of a home in the Northeast part of the country, about 6% in the Midwest and 7.5% in the Southeast and West. In the Southwest, a swimming pool will add nearly 11% to the home's value.

Link: RealEstateJournal | Swimming Pools: Do They Increase Or Decrease a Home's Value?.