Pools are a hard home feature to pin down as far as value. While many real estate professionals will tell you how much buyers love them, just as many will tell you the opposite. Below is some food for thought when it comes to buying or selling a home with a pool.

Pools are a hard sell when it comes to getting a fair price for your home. Pools are also an extremely personal home investment, and people have a myriad of reasons for wanting vs. not wanting them— not the least of which is the inherent expense.

Even though you were the one who paid the hefty initial up- front cost, the educated buyer is well aware of the maintenance expenses that go into owning a home with a pool. Pools cost on average $1k per year to maintain not to mention the utility bills to run the pump and heater every month.

However, industry experts say that a well-marketed pool could increase your home’s value by as much as 7%.

Places with warmer climates will always be the ideal marketplaces for pools, as will places that get uncomfortably hot certain months during the year. If a pool is quality of life-enhancing rather than hindering, you’re that much more likely to have interested buyers.

The caveat here is that not all families with kids will be interested in pools. The majority of young families with young children don’t want pools. Most see it as a safety hazard.

If your are selling your home with a pool it’s important to realize in advance that this will inevitably shrink your buyer pool and it might end up taking a bit longer to sell.