Selling a House with a Pool? Do These 3 Things First

Most people view pools as a luxury—especially when it comes to selling a home. However, selling a home with a pool doesn’t automatically mean an easy sale. Yes, they raise the value of your home, but they also require a lot of time and money to maintain.

So if you’re selling a home with a pool, do these three things first.

Fix the pool before selling

Before listing your home on the market, make sure your pool is in proper working condition. Most buyers will view a pool as an unnecessary expense, especially if it’s not in the best condition. 

They’ll already be thinking of how much it costs to maintain, so adding repairs on top of that will only deter them more. 

Even if you find an interested buyer, they’ll request repairs before moving forward if it has cracks or damages. This will wind up costing you both time and money, and it can even cause the deal to fall through. 

It’s better to just fix the pool before selling your home. If you plan on selling, have it inspected before listing it to guarantee it’s in marketable condition. 

However, be prepared to pay as much as $3,500.00 to make repairs. There are quick fixes you can do yourself for as little as $10.00, like patching a small leak in a vinyl pool, but most problems will cost at least a few hundred dollars. 

Review your state’s guidelines

Safety should be your top priority when it comes to selling a house with a pool. 

Every state has its guidelines when it comes to pool safety standards. You must review your state’s guidelines before listing your house. Doing so will ensure that you’re making all the right updates and properly maintaining your pool, which can make it easier to close the sale. 

Some states require fences around pools, and others specify how close a pool can be to the house. Some other features that states regulate for homeowners with pools include:

• Depth
• Length
• Pool shape
• Steps and ladders
• Surrounding pool decks

If your pool is missing the mark on any of these features, you’ll need to repair them before listing your home. Failure to meet your state’s requirements can lead to lenders choosing not to finance buyers for your property. 

Still, repairing critical design and safety issues for pools doesn’t always come cheap. Some repairs can cost as little as $100, but others, like replacing a pool filter, can cost at least $2,000!

Don’t underestimate poolscaping 

As much as having a safe, properly working pool helps, it’s not enough to make it more marketable. You have to make it appealing to potential buyers, which is why poolscaping is something worth considering. 

Since a pool isn’t a necessity, it’s important to market the lifestyle and experience it creates. You can enhance the appearance by replacing tiles, purchasing patio furniture, adding umbrellas, and even investing in landscaping. 

All of these elements might seem frivolous, but they help buyers envision themselves relaxing by the pool. Still, cosmetic updates like these can cost you hundreds—even thousands—of dollars. 

There’s another option

These are three essentials that make selling a house with a pool easier. However, it’s still more difficult than selling a property without one. Most homebuyers will consider it an unnecessary expense, no matter how well it’s maintained. 

This kind of hesitancy in buyers can lead to a drawn-out selling process—depending on your market. On top of that, there’s the added expense that it creates for you, the seller.

Sometimes you don’t have time to prepare for a house sale like this. There are situations like divorce, moving for work, or inheriting a property from a loved one that requires a quick solution. When things like this come up, you might not have the finances to invest in pool maintenance, repairs, and appearance. 

If this all sounds like a hassle, then a traditional home sale might not be for you. Luckily, there’s another option, and that’s selling your property for cash. 

With cash sales, you’re selling your home as-is. That means that you don’t have to spend money trying to get it market-ready. Instead, you can work with a property investor who will personally inspect the property and make you a cash office right on the spot. 

Cash offers are easier than you think

Cash offers take the stress, time, and money out of selling your property. You can sell your home fast without dealing with closing periods, lenders, home inspections, or repairs—and Simply makes it even easier!

It only takes us 30 seconds to determine if a cash sale is right for you, and what we can offer. Get started now.