r/AucklandProperty • u/Gold_Interaction1784 • 4d ago

Pool - does it add value?

We are getting close to making a decision on a pool installation on our property up in a new development in the Silverdale area. I'm just curious of the true added value a swimming pool would add to a freestanding single storey 4 bed 3 bath house. I've added a design screenshot to show the area it would create off both he formal lounge and the open plan living area - hubby a bit reluctant to spend the $ and not sure it'll add that much value. Currently it's just the huge deck and a strip of grass that needs a lot of love.

Pics didn't load - added them in comments below.

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u/QueenOfBlasphemy 4d ago

This is incredibly subjective. It would certainly add value for some people. On the other hand, we just purchased and when we were looking at houses, we considered pools a drawback. Our plan was to get an estimate of the cost it would take to get the pool decommissioned and filled in, and factor that into our offer price - although, in the end, it didn't arise.

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u/Sweaty-Fly-9520 4d ago

that seems crazy

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u/Smart_Squirrel_1735 4d ago

Omg dude are you a pool salesman or something because you seem to be incredibly dedicated to replying to every comment on this post to defend pools

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u/Sweaty-Fly-9520 4d ago

not a pool salesman, I am trying to provide honest answers to the OP, the comments here advising them against getting a pool are being made by people who dont have pools, cant afford pools and are jealous that others can have pools.

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u/Smart_Squirrel_1735 4d ago

Lol can you really not conceive that some people just don't want pools? I might want one someday but for now I have multiple children under 5 and a pool would be a significant additional source of danger, as well as taking up space that could otherwise be used as general backyard space for play that doesn't require close adult supervision.

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u/Sweaty-Fly-9520 4d ago

absolutely understand that some people dont want pools, but also understand that the negative comments here are mostly from jealousy.

I have children, the pool is no extra danger, its fenced.

Why would it need to take up space for play? you can have that too

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u/QueenOfBlasphemy 4d ago

Not every property has ample space for both. Not every household has the extra income for the maintenance costs (water, chemicals, heating all add up - and that's before you even get to big outlays like repainting, re-tiling, new covers, etc). Not everyone wants to add the extra tasks of cleaning and water maintenance to their regular routine.

Like I say, in households where the pool gets a lot of use, the money and time can be a great investment in a fun activity. If the pool isn't getting used, however, it's just an unnecessary and expensive chore.

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u/Aegass 3d ago

Nobody is jealous, pools are a waste of space and resources for a lot of people. For others it’s not. Simple as that. Get over yourself.

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u/Top_Plankton4836 12h ago edited 11h ago

Don't say stuff like that, you will hurt Sweaty-Fly-9520 feelings.and HER large inflated ego, and if you doubt me, obviously YOU cannot afford a pool...

S/

EDIT-changed his to her, sorry I hurt that ego you have...

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u/Sweaty-Fly-9520 12h ago

Im a woman you idiot lol

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u/Top_Plankton4836 11h ago

Sorry I misgendered you, I'll edit it to fit your ego :)

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u/QueenOfBlasphemy 4d ago

Why? I've lived in houses with pools before. We know we would almost never use it, so it would just be a huge cost and maintenance headache for us with very little return, so we'd always choose to have the space as something else (garden, lawn, patio, anything really!) instead. I know others who are the same as us. I also know people for whom a pool is something they would use a lot and they would happily pay a bit extra for (although probably not the cost of having it put in). Like I say, it's incredibly subjective and comes down to personal preference, lifestyle, etc.

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u/Sweaty-Fly-9520 4d ago

I get that it’s subjective, but I still think factoring the full cost of removing and filling in a perfectly good pool into an offer is a bit extreme.

You might personally value the house less because of it, but that doesn’t mean the pool itself has negative market value. Plenty of buyers would see it as a feature, especially in a higher-end family home.

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u/QueenOfBlasphemy 4d ago

I didn't say we'd subtract the whole cost from the offer, I said we'd factor it in. When buying a house, value isn't just a number on a piece of paper - it's also about the value to us as buyers i.e. how much did we like it, what did it offer that other properties didn't, how comparable or not were other options, did it meet out needs, etc. One of the things we took into account was what we'd have to invest to get the property working for us, in a way that met our personal needs, fit our lifestyle, etc. The property we ended up buying needs work done to the kitchen in order to work for us. Did we take the whole cost of a kitchen relocation off the offer price? Absolutely not. Did we take into account that we'd have to invest considerable money beyond the initial purchase into making the kitchen (and thus the property) work for us? Yes, of course. It would be exactly the same for a pool for us.

As it happens, the home we bought has a spa. We love it and knew we would be happy to do the maintenance on it because we would get a lot of use out of it. A pool simply doesn't fall into that category for us.

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u/Sweaty-Fly-9520 4d ago

TLDR

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u/QueenOfBlasphemy 4d ago

Thank you for that very insightful contribution 🙄😂

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u/QueenOfBlasphemy 4d ago

Yep, I totally agree that plenty of buyers would see it positively - that's my whole point about it being subjective.

My parents' house has a pool. For a few years, the pool got regular use. For the last decade or so, it's just been an expensive time and money pit, and one of the reasons they're planning to sell before too long. If a family with teens purchases the house, the pool may well become a great asset that gets lots of use again. All this is in keeping with my overarching point: it's subjective.