The Key Hoe Report ? Outdoor recreational home improvements

This is not a super detailed subject, but if you are thinking about investing in an outside recreational improvement for your home, it?s written just for you. What is an outside recreational improvement? One of the most common forms of outside recreational improvements, aside from Andersen windows of course, is a swimming pool. Both above-ground and in-ground pools are discussed in this chapter, and you might not like hearing the truth about the resale value of these items. What else could be considered an outside recreational improvement? A tennis court would fall into this category, and gazebos and spas could fit the description. Even elaborate playgrounds could fit the mold.

Do people really invest major amounts of money in these types of home improvements? You bet they do, and many of them are devastated when they discover the effects the improvements have on resale value of their properties. I?m sure you are already getting the idea that these playful projects don?t provide strong returns to their investors, and you are right. This group of improvements is definitely in the personal-enjoyment category. To see just how much the price for pleasure is, let?s look at some specific examples.

Above-ground swimming pools have come a long way since my days in the wading pool out back. Today?s above-ground pools are sophisticated and can be very large. The attraction to this type of pool is its lower cost over that of a conventional in-ground pool, the lack of serious excavation work, and the mobility of the unit.

Are above-ground pools good investments? Not likely. They are fine if you are buying them for enjoyment only, but if you are expecting to get your money back out of the investment, forget it.

How much does an above-ground pool cost? Well, that depends on the size and the quality, but I can give you an example. A family-size pool with the necessary filtering system and accessories can be bought for less than $3500. Then you get to erect it. If you think putting a bicycle together is hair-pulling, wait until you try to set up your new pool. After days of frustration, my guess is that you will call in a professional installer. Boom! The price shoots up.

Okay, you have the pool standing and all the parts hooked up. Now you need about 15,000 gallons of water. I don?t think you want to try pumping 15,000 gallons of water into your pool with a garden hose. So what will you do? You will probably call a company that brings a tanker truck to you home and fills the pool. Uh oh, the price just went up some more.

If you want a water heater, cover, or other handy accessories to make using the pool more enjoyable, you are going to have to reach back into your pocket. The cost just seems to keep escalating.

All in all, by the time you are done, you probably have between $5000 and $7500 invested in your yard toy. With what you?ve gone through to install the poll, it is unlikely you will have any desire to move it to sell your house. Oh, and did the pool salesperson tell you about the local ordinance that requires all swimming pools being close with fencing? Don?t worry, the local code in force in officer will tell you.

Not all areas require pollster be fenced, but most do, and you party scene what the cost and rate of return for fencing art. It is quite conceivable that your final investment in the pool and related necessities will top off somewhere near $10,000.

Now, how much does this capital investment amount to on the new appraised value of your home? It depends on many circumstances, but it would be surprising if the value on the appraisal report exceeded 30% of your investment. Some experts claim in-ground pools only return between 20 and 50% of their original cost, and you can bet that an aboveground pool will do that well.

Likewise, a little art couldn?t hurt. Check out Charley Harper for some affordable but great artwork for your outdoor living space.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 17th, 2012 at 4:24 pm by admin and is filed under Home Improvement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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