On this page
Buyers tend to feel strongly about buying a house with a pool, one way or the other. Desare Kohn-Laski has the next best thing to owning her own pool. She can take her family to two neighborhood pools anytime.
But she is also the broker-owner at Skye Louis Realty in Coconut Creek, Fla. In that job, she runs into buyers who definitely want a pool and buyers who definitely don’t want one.
“There is no in between for people,” she says.
Before jumping into buying a house with a pool or building your own in-ground pool, consider these points:
Social life and exercise increased
If you have a pool, your kids and grandkids always have something to do to be active, Kohn-Laski adds.
“They can burn calories and have fun with friends. And in areas like Florida, you can basically use them year-round if you have a heater,” she explains.
On the other hand, a backyard pool makes you the hot spot for all the neighbors and relatives. Depending on your point of view, that could be a good thing or a bad thing.
Make sure to have lots of towels, sunscreen and snacks for the number of people who will be stopping by.
Maintenance maintained
“If you have a pool, something will break,” Kohn-Laski says.
Although her regular home does not have a pool, her family owns a vacation beach house with a pool. They have had to resurface that pool. She estimates that most pools need resurfacing every 10 years or so.
A pool filter, heater, liner or automatic vacuum system can also need repair or replacement from time to time. As a result, the expenses add up.
You also need chemicals, filters and cleaning throughout the time the pool is open. Those costs vary by region and pool type, and they rise if you hire someone to do the work.
Click to check current mortgage rates.
Safety secured
Florida law requires a new residential pool to have at least one safety feature. Options include a fence or other barrier around the pool, an approved safety cover, exit alarms, self-latching doors or a pool alarm. Many other towns also require fences or other barriers.
Contact your municipality to learn those local standards and building codes. According to the Insurance Information Institute (iii), these can include a certain size fence, locks, decks and pool safety equipment.
If you have little kids, you might even go a step farther with motion detectors and cameras for the swimming area.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 4,000 people die from unintentional drowning in the U.S. each year, based on 2012 to 2021 data. In addition, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that an average of 376 children under 15 drowned in pools or spas each year from 2021 to 2023.
The CDC also reports that drowning kills more U.S. children ages 1 to 4 than any other cause. For ages 5 to 14, it is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death. So, yes, safety is a big concern if you have a pool, and that can cost money.
Insuring a house with a pool
The insurance industry labels a pool an “attractive nuisance,” notes the iii. A pool increases your liability risk. For this reason, the institute suggests you contact your insurance agent if you have a pool or plan to install one.
Pool owners should consider raising the liability portion of their homeowners policy to at least $300,000 or $500,000. Depending on your assets, you may want more. Ask your insurer about raising your liability limits or adding an umbrella policy.
Underwriters may also have their own requirements, such as a fence, before they will write the policy.
Taxes taxed
Some areas of the country will increase your property taxes when you add a pool. It also makes sense to keep your pool’s building cost in proportion to what you paid for the house.
Does a pool add value to a house?
Picture two identical homes for sale in Kohn-Laski’s area of the county, one with a pool. She says the house with the pool would sell for more. But in Florida, it’s warm 10 months of the year. The bad thing is that a pool can cost the owners a lot to put in, she says.
A pool fits best in a neighborhood where most nearby homes have one. Even there, don’t count on getting the full cost back when you sell. A pool in poor condition, or one whose style doesn’t fit the neighborhood, can work against you.
Whatever you decide about buying a house with a pool, remember that a pool has its good and bad sides. So does any other amenity at your house. It takes money to insure it and keep it running well. It takes time (for cleaning and maintaining it). But for those who truly enjoy it, all those costs and efforts are worth it.
