More Bad News for Swimming Pools

Brett Arends at the Wall Street Journal calculates the cost of a backyard pool and advises prospective pool-owners to tread carefully. Arends estimates that installation costs run from $25,000-$50,000, and ongoing costs can easily hit $3,000 a year. Financial experts agree: “It’s definitely not an investment. It’s a big liability, if anything,” says Jim Holtzman, a financial planner. “I question whether it adds anything to the [sale price],” says Ed Rose, a financial planner in Florida. “It may contribute something, but you’ll never get your money out of it on the resale.” Plus there’s that pesky safety issue. (HT: Planet Money) [%comments]