Will a pool increase the value of your home?

If you put an in-ground pool, you can add some value to your home, but the conventional wisom is that swimming pools are not a good upgrade in terms of return on investment.

The National Association of Realtors says that adding a pool can increase your home value by about 7%. But 7% might not begin to cover the cost of a $30,000 in-ground pool. You might find it harder to sell your home, especially to parents of small children.

Above-ground pools may actually decrease the value of a home, but they are relatively easy to remove.

In the Phoenix metro area, that $30-$35K pebble-tec pool you put in may be wroth $12-$15K in re-sale value, at least accourding to most appraisers. Plaster pools are even less.
35% or more of the buying market don’t even want to have a pool for one reason or another.

SURPRISE - Besides being a hot investment prospect, Surprise is ranked among the best places in the U.S. to move to, according to a national real estate Web site, Relocate-America.com.

The site’s editorial team made its choices from more than 2,000 nominated cities and towns.

Winning criteria included neighborhoods, beauty of the area, schools, economic development, crime rates, employment and home construction.

The site has selected the best places to relocate since 1998, but this is the first time Surprise was selected, said Steve Nickerson, president and chief executive of HomeRoute.

Based in Howell, Mich., the company owns Relocate-America.com and provides real estate services for people looking to move. More than 250,000 real estate consumers a year use HomeRoute, the company reports.

Surprise was one of four Arizona cities to make the top 100, released April 19. Kingman, Lake Havasu City and Sierra Vista also were recognized.

Tony Lombardo
The Arizona Republic
May. 1, 2007 12:00 AM

What is important to you in the sale of your home?

Please rank the following needs in order of importance to you in the sale of your home, 1 to 10 (1 = not important to 10 = important). e-mail me at brigitte@bmazhomes.com

* Home pricing.
* Net proceeds.
* Marketing and home promotion.
* Time on market.
* Security of your home.
* Communications, staying informed.
* Home enhancement advice.
* Broker’s credentials.
* Negotiation plan.
* Handling the details and paperwork.
* Convenience.
* Other