Pools · ROI

Pool ROI and resale value

A pool usually returns 40% to 60% of what it cost to build, according to Opendoor's analysis — so a $60,000 pool typically adds around $24,000 to $36,000 in home value, not $60,000. Nationally that is roughly a 5% to 8% lift, rising to 10-15% or more in Sun Belt markets and falling to flat or negative in cold climates. Build a pool because you want to swim, not as an investment.

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Sellers and builders quote value-add figures constantly. The honest version: Opendoor reports a typical ROI of 40–60% of installation cost, and an inground pool adding somewhere between $11,000 and $90,000 or more depending on location, size, type and condition. That is a range wide enough to be useless as a financial plan.

Geography decides most of it. In Florida, Arizona, Texas, California and Nevada, Opendoor notes pools can add 10–15% or more, and in parts of Texas homes without a pool may sell at a discount. In cold-climate markets with a three-to-four-month season, the lift is often flat to negative, because buyers price in the maintenance. Above-ground pools rarely add appraised value at all and are often treated as personal property.

Condition swings the number hard in both directions. A clean, current pool adds value; a cracked or neglected one subtracts it. And the running cost is real — This Old House puts ten-year maintenance at $5,000–$15,000 for fiberglass and $27,000–$40,000 for concrete. Add that to a 40–60% recovery rate and the arithmetic is clear: this is a lifestyle purchase.

How to choose

Check your own market first: Ask a local agent what pool and non-pool comparables sold for in your neighborhood in the last year. National averages will not tell you whether your buyers want one.
Do not over-build for the block: A $120,000 concrete pool on a street of $350,000 homes will not be appraised at cost. Pool spend should stay proportionate to your home's value.
Cold climate? Assume no return: Opendoor describes cold-market lift as flat to negative. If you are in one, plan for the pool to cost you money on both ends and decide if the summers are worth it.
Maintenance is part of the ROI math: Ten years of concrete pool upkeep can run $27,000–$40,000 per This Old House. Subtract that before you call anything a return.
Fiberglass and concrete beat above-ground for resale: Inground pools consistently carry more appraised value; above-ground pools usually add little or none.

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All pools roi

Pool ROI

Pool Cost vs Home Value

Pool Operating Cost Impact

FAQ

Pools roi — common questions

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Does a pool increase home value?

Usually yes, but by less than it cost. Opendoor puts the national lift at roughly 5-8% of home value and ROI at 40-60% of build cost, with wide regional variation.

Will a pool make my house harder to sell?

It can. In cold-climate markets Opendoor notes buyers actively filter out pool homes, and a neglected pool reduces value. In Sun Belt markets the opposite is often true.

Do appraisers value a pool at what I paid?

No. Appraisers do not credit pools at replacement cost; they look at what pool homes actually sold for locally.

Is an above-ground pool a good investment?

Not financially. Above-ground pools rarely add appraised resale value and are frequently treated as removable personal property.

Sources

Where these figures come from

Opendoor — Does a Pool Add Value to Your Home? What the Data Actually Shows · retrieved 2026-07-25
This Old House — Inground Pool Cost (2026 Guide) · retrieved 2026-07-25