Pools and property value in Southwest America

This common question pops up at barbecues, baseball games, and family gatherings: Does your pool increase your home's resale value? The answer can be complicated. Let's explore some aspects of reality and check out some pool facts to put this question to rest.

Location, location, location
Firstly, the location of your house matters. This doesn't only mean the state, but it can also refer to your neighborhood or city.

Porch.com compiled a list of the top 10 pool loving states, and they put Arizona at number one. They have 1 pool for every 8,628 people. If we compare this to Texas, Arizona has a lot of pools. Texas ranks number six on the list with 1 pool per 27,723 people. California is right behind Texas with 1 pool among every 28,000 people.

According to Better Home & Garden, pools increase the desirability of a property if it's in a neighborhood with a large number of pools. This is good news for homeowners with pools in areas like Fort Worth, Texas and San Diego, California, but even better for residents around Phoenix, Arizona. To be exact, a pool adds more than 11 percent of the property's value in the Southwest region of the U.S.

The national average value of a property with a pool is about 7.7 percent. Those in the Southwest can rest assured knowing that their pool does add value to their home when reselling.

The condition of the pool matters
Now, let's look at the pool itself and how you can maximize its value. SFGate.com suggests that a pool in poor shape may decrease your property value. The lesson here: Maintain the quality of your pool. This means repairing pumps, filters, and heaters can increase the value of your property before you decide to sell. Of course, you don't need to do the maintenance yourself. In Phoenix, pool remodeling is fairly common and Fort Worth pool services are quite easy to find. Furthermore, pools with a salt system can increase the value a bit more as this is a common trend nowadays.

SFGate.com also claims that above-ground pools can be easier to maintain, so don't worry if you have an above-ground pool. As long as you insist on regular maintenance, it too should increase your property value.

A pool should increase your property value if you live in Texas, California, or Arizona and your neighbors also have pools. Make sure you keep your pool in good condition, follow this advice and your property value could increase by as much as 11 percent.