MAKING A SPLASH
FOR many in the market for a new home, an in-ground swimming pool is a box that must be ticked, but for others, the lure of a summer dip is not worth the added cost or upkeep.
But what is the cost of buying with a pool and what is the potential return on buying without a pool and putting one in?
Marsh Property Cairns principal Chris Marsh said buyers who wanted a pool would be financially better off buying a property with an existing feature rather than installing one and expecting to recoup the investment when on-selling the house.
“Homebuyers are more attracted to properties with a pool existing,” he said.
“You look at between $30,000 and $50,000 to put a pool in place and then another $15,000 in landscaping.
“You have an inherent value in a property that has a pool already in place.
“As much as it would cost $50,000 to put a pool in, we can’t take $50,000 off the list price of a property that doesn’t have a pool.
“It does value add to the property but it won’t immediately give you the $50,000 you spent.”
For Mr Marsh, a good-sized swimming pool at the family home is a must and he treasures the memories created with the kids on a hot summer’s day in the water.
“I am sure when we bought our place I paid 50 grand more than I needed to buy the house, but we have been there for 14 years and have never regretted it for one minute,” he said. “We are now seeing our grandkids enjoying it and it has just brought back a whole bunch of memories.”
Often a pool can be the difference between a buyer taking the plunge and signing on the dotted line or choosing to give the property a wide berth.
“Every single person buys a property for a totally different reason,” he said.
“Sometimes it’s because it has a pool; sometimes it’s because it doesn’t have a pool.
“There are those that just don’t want a pool; they have had them in the past and don’t want one again, but a young couple planning a family would love to have a pool.”
If you are in the market for a home with a pool, the ongoing maintenance cost is also something that needs consideration, Mr Marsh says.
“If you are considering buying a property with a pool, you would have to allow $100 a month for cleaning and chemicals as a minimum,” he said.
PETER CARRUTHERS peter.carruthers@news.com.au