Perhaps one of the greatest deliberations neophyte real estate rehabbers tend to go through is deciding if they need to install a swimming pool in the property. So, do you really need a pool when flipping a house?

But instead of asking if you need a pool, the better question to ask is where the fix and flip project is located.

Because really, the presence of a pool is not a guarantee of an increase in property value. If you invested $8,000 to build a small pool, it doesn’t mean that you’ll get back that investment. You see, flipping a house does not work that way. First of all, a fix and flip project should not involve major improvements and a swimming pool is a major upgrade. It takes time and eats a lot of money.

So perhaps as a general rule, constructing a pool is a no-no. You are not in the business of construction and development, you are merely rehabbing homes. But if you’re flipping a house in areas where pools are a very attractive feature (think of Florida, California, and other hot states), you may include it in the upgrades. You can perhaps consider building an above the ground mini pool. Think of big, round Jacuzzi tubs. Children will enjoy this feature as a swimming pool and adults will like it as a Jacuzzi.

Now, if you’re flipping a house in Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, the place in continental U.S. with the most number of “freezing” days in a year, you won’t find an outdoor pool appealing, right? You get the point now.

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