Does A Hot Tub Add Value to Your Property?
After a long day, a relaxing soak in your hot tub with a cold beverage in hand is the most comfortable experience. While this may be of appeal to you, it might not be the same for all the potential buyers who are looking into your home. Now that you are ready to sell your home, you are probably wondering, does a hot tub raise property value?
You cannot consider a hot tub as an investment or an asset to add value to your property. To many, it is a neutral factor. However, it can add to the value depending on a few things. A hot tub may add value if it is built-in and has landscaping or fancy brickwork around it. But if it is a free-standing or a portable hot tub, it won’t add any value at all.
There are no written rules that determine whether installing a hot tub will add or not to your property value. But it depends on many factors that you should be aware of. There are several ways you can maximize the value of your hot tub as well. I will be discussing all these and more in this article. So without further ado, let’s get right to it.
Do the Buyers Love Or Hate the Idea of A Hot Tub?
It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love to spend their evening relaxing in a heated pool. So when you buy a hot tub, you are most probably thinking more about your comfort rather than adding value to your home. It may be of appeal to you. But when you are getting ready to sell off the entire property, the potential buyers may not share the same feeling.
When buyers see a hot tub on the lot, they tend to have mixed reactions. There’s no guarantee whether they will love it or hate it. Such mixed reactions come because hot tubs are considered a luxury to most. Many love this certain trait and will be willing to take it in. Especially so if it is aesthetically designed to make it seem like a permanent fixture.
But there will also be others who feel afraid of the same trait because of the maintenance costs that come with it. The hot tub can seem nothing but a burden to them. Many also feel that it is hazardous to keep one because of all the chemicals involved.
Then again, to most people, a used hot tub is something they would rather not use because of the obvious health and hygiene issues involved. If someone wanted a hot tub, they’d just buy a new one themselves. After all, it doesn’t cost much to remove it from the property.
When Does A Hot Tub Add Value to Your Property?
It can happen only if your hot tub is built-in or an in-ground one. You can say that it has to be a fixed part of the house instead of just an add on that can be removed or replaced.
So when you are selling off your home, only a permanent hot tub will be taken into the factor of your property’s value. To any potential buyer, if the spa is built into your patio or deck and is directly linked to the house’s water supply, it seems more valuable.
To most people, a hot tub is an object of luxury, comfort, and style. Many people desire such luxury items on their new property. So having a hot tub by itself gives you the advantage to attract more buyers.
A huge boost to your property’s value can come from attractive landscaping around your hot tub. You can build around your spa to make it feel like a permanent fixture and blend in with the whole property in a visually attractive way. Undoubtedly, how attractive the hot tub looks and the condition can play a huge role to raise the value by a lot.
For instance, you could make a pad or patio built specifically for your hot tub specifications, build a deck all around, add a flight of stairs or add a gazebo or a pergola to the area to add some extra value.
The climate of where you live can add to your property’s value as well. If you live in a place with a colder climate, a hot tub is a huge selling point. Seasonal vacation destinations also count since people are more interested in outdoor activities there.
When Does A Hot Tub Not Add Value to Your Property?
A hot tub will not add any value to your property when it is portable or isn’t built in there. Since they are not a permanent fixture to the property, they can be removed easily without any extra hassle like remodeling or construction. So it is only expected that it should leave when its owners do.
Cheap hot tub models will also fail to add any value. Most don’t tend to last for a long time even if you give it the utmost care. Who would want to fix the spa as soon as they move in? Most buyers would rather just choose to get rid of it or not move in at all.
A hot tub can only add value if it looks appealing to potential buyers. If you maintain it poorly, it affects the entire home’s appeal and brings down the value by a lot. So unless the hot tub is properly maintained and clean, it can devalue your property instead.
Everything A Buyer Might Want to Know About Your Hot Tub
When you are preparing to sell the hot tub along with your property, there is much information the buyers might be curious about. You want to include them in the sale description of your property to pique the interest of any potential buyers. Everything you want to add is:
The age, size, and how much water it uses: These are the basic information about your hot tub that you must include. You can find all this information in your hot tub manual.
Additional homeowner’s insurance: Taking care of a hot tub is no easy task. It comes with its own set of liabilities and many safety concerns. So a homeowner will need extra insurance coverage for this.
Upkeep costs: Based on various factors of the hot tub such as – the model, age, and the climate of your area, the cost of maintenance of a hot tub can be anywhere between $500-$1000 annually. You need to add the estimated costs of maintenance for the hot tub.
Electricity usage: This can vary heavily depending on the owner’s daily usage and the age of the hot tub. But as an estimate, you can expect to pay at least $20-$40 a month for the electricity usage.
How Can You Maximize the Value of Your Hot Tub?
If you want to increase your property’s value by adding a hot tub, there are a few things you can do to maximize it.
You cannot be done with it by bringing in the old one or buying a new one. If it doesn’t seem appealing to the potential buyers, there’s no use. So a couple of ways you can maximize the value and make all efforts worthwhile are:
Invest in Attractive Landscaping
The best way you can add value to your property with a hot tub is by using it to increase the aesthetic appeal of your entire backyard. You can go for an overall attractive backyard look by incorporating the hot tub. It adds to the appeal of your whole property. Thus, the value will get a huge boost as well.
To achieve this you might have to invest a bit into landscaping the backyard. But aesthetic appeal works best at maximizing the overall value.
Maintenance Matters
When you are showing off your hot tub to any potential buyers, you don’t want to show them any unclean, worn-out, or broken parts. Nobody wants to buy a property with an unhygienic or broken hot tub. You can only lose value by showing off such a hot tub.
So remember to keep the maintenance of the hot tub in check. Make sure to replace the filters, any worn-out or broken parts and components, and all the other things needed.
Perform a Deep Clean Thoroughly
You can’t expect the hot tub to attract any buyers if you don’t properly clean the insides and outsides regularly. Make sure to deep clean the hot tub every three to four months or so.
For a successful deep clean of the inside, you will need to add a “line flush” product and clean up according to the instructions. Then you drain out the hot tub, wipe down the inside exterior properly and remove or replace the filters. Finally, you will use a hose to give a final rinse and refill the hot tub.
Then move on to clean the outside as well. With a rag and all-purpose cleaner, give the shell a proper scrub. Use a hose to spray the cover with to remove all the dirt and other build-ups. With cleaning products or baking soda paste scrub the cover to remove any grime on it. Give it a final rinse and wipe it dry with a towel.
Make it Look Attractive During Showings
When you are showing off your property to any potential buyers, the hot tub needs to look appealing to them. Keep a tray of artfully folded white towels next to the hot tub for aesthetic purposes.
For extra points, you can keep the hot tub open. Show off its beauty with the water bubbling, the jets running and all the interior lighting glowing.
Hot tubs are all the rage these days. To increase your lot’s value, you might be wondering, does a hot tub raise property value. I take a look at why a hot tub may or may not bring value to your house in this article.
So, I hope this article has helped you understand how you can add certain elements to your hot tub to increase your property’s value. Thanks for stopping by and good luck with selling your property.
