This week we are hitting some steamy days. Some home buyers love thought of buying a home with a pool and the hot days bring out the daydream of a house with a beautiful in-ground pool, impeccably landscaped.
In other parts of the country pools can drastically increase the value of a home. Not so in New England because of the very short season you have to use a pool in thee region. What you will find her in Massachusetts is a mixed bag. I am talking about in-ground pools here and not above ground pools which have no value to subtracting value if it needs to be removed.
You will find a variety of factors that will go into the value of a pool here in Massachusetts.
If your pool is rundown, the landscaping is poor and the maintenance has not been kept up, potential home buyers are going to subtract $5-10,000 to have it removed filled in and seeded. It becomes a liability in a home buyers eyes. If it is well landscaped, well maintained and properly fenced it could add $10-15,000 or more…..
Consider have a pool company come out and inspect the pool along with your regular home inspection. This will be a good time to also ask about the expenses that can be expected with owning a pool as far as repair and ongoing maintenance. Call your insurance company as well to make sure you understand the additional insurance cost. Another smart move, is to make sure you check a years worth of utility bills from the seller to make sure you can handle the extra energy costs, especially if the pool is heated.
Ask you some of your friends who have pools how much work it is and if they feel the work is worth the enjoyment. They can also give you an idea of yearly costs of maintaining a pool.
Lastly, if you know nothing about pools, make sure the pool is operational and running at the home inspection so you can bring a pool inspector in. Don’t rely on the sellers word. Make sure it is fully operational and understand what you are getting into.
This post, Homes with Pools for Sale in Essex County and Middlesex County was provided by Kevin Vitali of EXIT Group One Real Estate. Kevin, Your Massachusetts Realtor, can help make the most of your next home purchase. From assessing your needs, to viewing homes, no negotiating an offer to a successful close Kevin is a Buyer’s Agent that can help you with your next purchase.