Don’t Forget the Pool in Connecticut Real Estate Buying or Selling

July 21st, 2008 categories: Home Buyers

In Connecticut, a pool is generally considered to have no effect on a home’s value. For some people it’s a positive, but for others it’s a big negative.

Whatever your view, a pool may not impact value but it can impact the sale.

Sellers - Open the Pool, Please

If your pool is nice, open it up. Not only might it help convince skeptical buyers but you’re going to have to open it up anyway for the inevitable pool inspection. If your pool is covered, you can guarantee an inspection or at least setting aside some money in an escrow account to pay for possible repairs.

If your pool looks something like this, do everyone a favor and sell the pool “as is.” Leave the cover on and have your agent get some estimates to have the pool filled in or fixed and be prepared to give some money to the buyer for the task.

Buyers - Get it Inspected

For 8 months of the year, buyers can’t have pools inspected because pool season really only lasts 4 months - from the end of May to September. But during those 4 months, if a seller has the pool closed, your buyer radar should go up. Why hasn’t the seller opened it? Start imagining the photo immediately above.

In two recent purchases I was involved in, a seller chose not to have the pool opened but professed the pool’s perfection. “We used it last year!” After inspection, though, each pool was found to have problems. One had to be replaced entirely, for a cost of $4,000.

In both cases, the seller refused to address any problems with the pool but at least the buyers knew what they were getting themselves into.

Pool inspections run about $150 - $200.