Pools - Pro or Con

Sandi, your buyer must want the pool plain and simple. The deal can be made or broken with the pool. When Jeremy and I bought a SFR, which I now live in the pool didn't enter into the equation. I thought it would be nice to have a pool but knew nothing of the upkeep and maint. 2 yrs later we are enjoying it when we can but I also spend a few hours a week maintaining it.
The long and short of it is, it could help you sell the house or hinder you. You have to think long and hard, it's your money...Jan

Sandi, my take on a pool is if your going to flip it could be a great addition. As a rental property for your buy and hold portfolio I would avoid it. The liabilities associated with it is not worth the headache and up keeping.
Ray

When Jill & I moved to Florida & started doing flips here in the "Sunshine State" we assumed that everyone wanted a pool here so we would have new ones installed...big mistake because about 40% of our retail buyer
"pool" was lost because of the addition time, cost, maintenance & safety issues with pools. For the elderly too much work & cost; for the young couples
with very small kids it was a safety issue as well.
As for rentals it is very difficult to get homeowners insurance with a pool (at least here) because of liability.
We have filled in pools on houses & they have sold much faster.

a money pit and time-consuming, and can be dangerous for children. This is why some people do not want a pool and it can break a sale, however, many people want a pool even people with small children. I, myself, like pools and see it as a selling feature, but Jan is right, if people don't want the hassle it could be a deal breaker. That said I know people who have loved a house but did not want the pool that came with it, so they covered it with dirt. Hey people you may have a gem in your backyard. Well it would probably be disclosed at selling.

Sandi
The folks offering advice are from all different areas of the country, so it seems like the answer is the same no matter where you are. If you have a buyer that wants a pool and the pool and equipment are in good condition then great, but otherwise could be a hindrance. I live in California where there are lots of pools. I was trying to wholesale a house with a pool that needed work, I got no bites until I had an option of filling the pool in, then the house went in a couple days.

Good advice from everyone....good question is how much cost are you passing along to buyer? Do they just need to clean and fill pool then enjoy and maintain it or do they need to dump over $10K into to be able to use it.

Judi

you are Judi. I once looked at a home because it had a pool I wanted, but it looked terrible, and so I didn't buy. People wanting to sell should also make sure everything is functioning and looks good.

It's a foreclosure in FL (I'm in TX), 4/2 ranch built in 1958. Have no idea when the pool was put in or what condition it is in. It's in the 'Cove' area on St. Andrews Bay a block or so from the water...looking at arial photos there appears to be a slough or canal along the back of the property. Lots of potential there. Filling in the pool is a great idea - and maybe putting down paver and creating a nice sitting area.

I once lived in the area. Not many pools. The Cove was an affluent neighborhood. It has aged and some parts not so gracefully, but it's seeing a revival. I think I will go ahead and make my offer, see what happens.

Thanks again y'all.

Sandi C.