Close up pool or not: house for sale? (real estate, insurance)

[Barefoot Daisy]

When we bought our house, the pool was closed up for the winter. We've always closed it each winter. Now the house is for sale, and we'd prefer to go ahead and close it. (Tree leaves would be a huge problem if we don't). I'm taking photos and will print them with an explanation/description of the sport pool, and why we close it.

Realtors/buyers, what do you think? Would it make that much of a difference to have a well-cared for closed up pool or one with leaves, because it would extremely hard to keep up with?

[escanlan]

Speaking from a Professional Real Estate Inspector's standpoint a closed up pool would obviously not be fully inspected. If you receive an offer on the home how long would it take you to open the pool again, shock as needed, etc., etc. so that it can be fully inspected?

Another potential is the Appraiser's work. Banks have been getting crazy lately and a closed pool might not be a welcome addition to the appraisal report. Also, various loan programs (i.e. FHA, VA, etc.) would potentially require an operational pool before funding.

There is the potential you could lose offers as a result. Then there is the other side of winter being the slower home selling season anyhow.

[Barefoot Daisy]

Hmm .. that wasn't an issue when we bought, but I can see that it could be. We don't drain it, but clean, add chemicals, lower the water level below the skimmer, winterize the pump and cover. Guess I'd better do what I should've done in the first place -- call my Realtor!

Thank you.

[CptnRn]

If you are in an area where freezing temperatures are a big concern, then it probably needs to be closed.

From a buyers perspective, I'd find a pool with water in it more attractive then a closed up pool. With the closed up pool I'd have all sorts of worries, does it hold water, is there something wrong with it, does everything work? Even if you have to pay someone for weekly pool maintenance, I think it would make your house more attractive to sell.

[nsumner]

If you are taking the pool into consideration when pricing the house, then I would say leave it open. We don't leave in an area where we have to worry constantly about freezing pipes etc. I think that if I showed the house and it was covered up I would think that may be it's in poor shape and may need resurfacing etc.

Pools are always a plus down here. We have many days even during winter where we can enjoy the backyard and have a pleasant view of the pool.

Naima

[loves2read]

if you want a good price for the house--get a maintenance company to take care of your pool

an unsighly pool usually brings concerns that it was not maintained properly and probably will need money to bring up to proper standards--
that is one of the first things we checked when we were looking for a house--and we looked in winter/summer
even when an owner was not living in a home there were houses where the pools were maintained during the winter---yes--it is more of an expense--but you can probably find a reasonable service to handle it--
You also need to ask your insurance company what you need to do regarding liability if you are not living in the home--what are you expected to do in case someone might enter w/o permission--not that many people are likely to be swimming at this time of the year--but a pool is ALWAYS a liability issue for homeowner...