The typical home with a pool in April 2025 was priced at $599,000 and spanned 2,450 square feet, compared
to $389,000 and 1,850 square feet for
a home without a pool
AUSTIN,
Texas, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As Memorial
Day kicks off the summer season, a new analysis
of Realtor.com® listing data finds that while the
pandemic-driven surge in swimming pool premiums has subsided, pools
still command a significant price advantage, and the share of
listings featuring pools reached an all-time high this April.
As of April 2025, the price
premium for a home with a pool stands at 54%, and the share of
listings with pools reached an all-time high of 24.4%, with 333,000
homes featuring a pool, the highest number since March 2019. While this premium is down from the
peak in January 2022, when the
typical home with a pool boasted a 61% price premium, it is still a
significant advantage.
"During the pandemic, people were looking for ways to get more
enjoyment out of their homes, and this surge in demand for features
like pools, translated into a substantial 'pool premium,' where
homes featuring a pool commanded significantly higher asking prices
compared to their pool-less counterparts," said Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst,
Realtor.com®. "This trend peaked in January 2022, and although price premiums have
normalized, the presence of a pool continues to drive a premium and
be a popular item to include in listings as a home or community
feature."
Do Pools Drive Higher Listing Prices?
Both homes with
and without pools have seen substantial price increases since 2019.
In 2019, the typical listing price for a home with a pool was
$415,000. So far in 2025, the typical
home with a pool was listed for $599,000, shy of the June
2024 peak of $599,900, but
paving the way for near-record-high prices for homes with a pool
later this summer when prices typically hit their annual peak. This
upward trajectory underscores the overall appreciation of home
values. Homes without a pool saw prices climb from $274,000 in 2019 to $389,000 in April
2025 (+42.0%), just lagging the appreciation of homes with a
pool (+44.3%).
Some of this trend may be attributed to the fact that homes with
pools are generally larger than those without. Currently, the
typical for-sale home with a pool is about 32.4%, or 600 square
feet, larger than one without. In April
2025, the median price- per-square- foot of a home with a
pool was $247, compared to
$204 for a home without a pool. In
April 2019, pool price- per-square-
foot for a home with a pool was $162
and without a pool was $135.
While prices have climbed across the board, the price gap
between homes with and without pools, in percentage terms, has
narrowed from its pandemic highs. According to Jones, "This doesn't
necessarily mean pools are less valuable, but rather that the
market's premium specifically for this amenity has softened."
The shift in market dynamics from a hyper-competitive seller's
market in 2022 to a more buyer-friendly environment in 2025 is a
crucial factor influencing the pool premium. In 2022, buyers were
often willing to pay a premium for desirable amenities in a market
characterized by limited inventory and intense competition. Today,
with more options available, buyers are likely to be more
discerning and less willing to pay as much of a premium for a home
with a pool. Consequently, sellers are adjusting their pricing
expectations for homes with this feature.
Where Are Pools Most Common?
Pools tend to be most
popular in hot climates like the South and the West, where
inventory levels have picked up more significantly than in their
cooler counterparts, which could be driving the share of listings
with a pool higher, as well.
This year, Miami, Phoenix, Orlando,
Fla., Austin, Texas and
Tampa, Fla., boast the highest
share of homes listed with a swimming pool. Las Vegas, Houston, Nashville,
Tenn., Indianapolis and
Miami have seen the biggest
increases in pool listings since 2019. Many of the metros that have
seen the biggest increases in pool listings also have seen
substantial new construction activity over the past six years,
suggesting strong correlation between new development and the
increasing availability of homes with pools, either private or
within community amenity packages.
Metros With Highest
Share of Homes with Pool Listings in
2025
|
Percent
|
Miami-Fort
Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Fla.
|
61.8 %
|
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler,
Ariz.
|
58.4 %
|
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla
|
55.3 %
|
Austin-Round Rock-San
Marcos, Texas
|
51.9 %
|
Tampa-St.
Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.
|
47.6 %
|
Las
Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, N.V.
|
43.1 %
|
Riverside-San
Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.
|
41.0 %
|
Houston-Pasadena-The
Woodlands, Texas
|
38.8 %
|
San Diego-Chula
Vista-Carlsbad, Calif.
|
37.7 %
|
Los Angeles-Long
Beach-Anaheim, Calif.
|
36.0 %
|
Metros with Biggest
Increase in Share of Pool
Listings Since 2019
|
% in
2019
|
% in
2025
|
Vs 2019
(ppt inc)
|
Las
Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, N.V.
|
16.2 %
|
43.1 %
|
+26.9 %
|
Houston-Pasadena-The
Woodlands, Texas
|
20.5 %
|
38.8 %
|
+18.3 %
|
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin,
Tenn.
|
7.2 %
|
25.5 %
|
+18.3 %
|
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, Ind.
|
1.7 %
|
16.4 %
|
+14.7 %
|
Miami-Fort
Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Fla.
|
49.5 %
|
61.8 %
|
+12.3 %
|
Raleigh-Cary,
N.C.
|
26.3 %
|
35.9 %
|
+9.6 %
|
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, Colo.
|
15.9 %
|
24.9 %
|
+9.0 %
|
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Penn.
|
8.5 %
|
17.0 %
|
+8.5 %
|
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler,
Ariz.
|
50.0 %
|
58.4 %
|
+8.4 %
|
Cincinnati,
Ohio
|
5.0 %
|
12.7 %
|
+7.7 %
|
2025 and Beyond - Pools Remain an Asset, But Strategic
Pricing is Key
While the extraordinary price premiums
associated with swimming pools during the pandemic have softened,
pools continue to be a valuable asset in the housing market. Homes
with pools still command a significant price advantage over those
without, both in absolute terms and on a price-per-square-foot
basis.
"Sellers should be mindful of the evolving market dynamics and
avoid overpricing their properties based solely on the presence of
a pool," said Jones. "The market is more sensitive to value today,
and buyers have more choices. A strategic pricing approach that
considers the current, more moderate pool premium, the size and
overall condition of the home, and the specific characteristics of
the local market is essential for a successful sale."
Methodology
This analysis is based on
Realtor.com® listing data for homes that indicate a
swimming pool versus homes that do not.
About Realtor.com®
Realtor.com®
pioneered online real estate and has been at the forefront for over
25 years, connecting buyers, sellers, and renters with trusted
insights, professional guidance and powerful tools to help them
find their perfect home. Recognized as the No. 1 site trusted by
real estate professionals, Realtor.com® is a valued
partner, delivering consumer connections and a robust suite of
marketing tools to support business growth. Realtor.com®
is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV]
subsidiary Move, Inc.
Media contact: Mallory
Micetich, press@realtor.com
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SOURCE Realtor.com