Dickerson & Nieman Blog
RSS Feed
Subscribe and receive email notifications of new blog posts.
RSS Feed
- 2026 | 5 Posts
- 2025 | 24 Posts
- 2024 | 24 Posts
- 2023 | 24 Posts
- 2022 | 24 Posts
- 2021 | 9 Posts
- 2020 | 26 Posts
- 2019 | 30 Posts
- 2018 | 43 Posts
- 2017 | 55 Posts
- 2016 | 64 Posts
- 2015 | 100 Posts
- 2014 | 108 Posts
- 2013 | 97 Posts
About Our Agents | 81 Posts
Articles | 2 Posts
Belvidere | 1 Posts
Buy a House | 7 Posts
Community Events | 30 Posts
Dickerson Nieman | 40 Posts
Dickerson Nieman Education | 2 Posts
Home Buying Tips | 3 Posts
Home Improvement | 13 Posts
Homeownership | 22 Posts
Hot Sheet | 9 Posts
Mortgage | 1 Posts
Moving Tips | 2 Posts
Mt. Morris | 1 Posts
OCI'S Blog | 4 Posts
ONLINE MAGAZINE | 27 Posts
Open Houses | 4 Posts
Oregon Real Estate | 1 Posts
Poplar Grove | 1 Posts
Real Estate Buying Tips | 7 Posts
Real Estate Career | 1 Posts
Real Estate News | 2 Posts
Rock River Valley | 4 Posts
Rock River Valley Schools | 1 Posts
Rockford | 26 Posts
Rockford Community Events | 21 Posts
Rockford Community News | 8 Posts
Rockford Jobs | 1 Posts
Rockford Public Schools | 4 Posts
Rockford Real Estate | 28 Posts
Rockford Realtors | 42 Posts
Rockford Youth | 4 Posts
Rockford, IL | 35 Posts
Rockton | 9 Posts
Roscoe Office | 9 Posts
Roscoe Real Estate | 6 Posts
Sell a Home | 6 Posts
Sunday Open Houses | 11 Posts
Top Producers | 8 Posts
Uncategorized | 141 Posts
Welcome New Agents | 7 Posts
Young Professionals Network | 1 Posts
April
24
24
Pros and Cons of Adding a Pool to Your Rockford Home
April 29Â is National Pool Opening Day, the perfect time to get your swimming pool in shape for the summer months. There are plenty of Rockford homes for sale with pools in the backyard. But what if your home doesn't have a pool? Is it worthwhile to install one? There are pros and cons.
- Pro: It's a Great Social Magnet. If you love hosting parties and having people over, a swimming pool is a must-have. Invite friends, neighbors, and relatives over for pool parties throughout the summer, and your home will be the social hub of the neighborhood.
- Con: Safety Issues. Pools have an increased risk of serious injury. Because of this, if you want the pool included in your homeowners' insurance, it will likely cost extra and require additional safety precautions, such as a fence around the pool. Even then, you may not be able to get coverage for certain elements, such as a diving board, as the safety risks are too great.
- Pro: It's Healthy. Regular swimming is one of the best forms of exercise you can get. It works all the muscles in your body, and the resistance of the water makes it more effective than running, biking, and other land activities. It also burns calories, improves heart health, and lowers the risk of stroke and diabetes.
- Con: It's Expensive. In Illinois, installing an in-ground swimming pool ranges from $40,000 to $50,000. An above-ground pool is cheaper, starting at around $2,000, though if you want something good quality that will last, expect to pay $10,000 or more. Either way, it's a significant investment.
- Pro: It Adds Value to Your Home. Any major improvement you make to your home increases the resale value. Adding a swimming pool can increase it by an average of 5%; up to 8%, depending on the type of pool. Even if you're not thinking of selling for a long time to come, upgrades like this are an investment in the future.
- Con: Maintenance and Repairs. Installation isn't the only cost of having a pool. It needs to be skimmed regularly to remove debris, as well as vacuumed, chlorinated, and more. This can take up to 10 hours a week if you do it yourself or cost between $150 and $500 per month if you hire a professional. Repairs can cost a lot, too: Replacing the pump can cost $400 or more, while fixing a leak in the lining can be over $2,000. Even replacing a light bulb in the pool can cost upwards of $100, as the pool needs to be partially drained to do it.
- Pro: It Reduces Stress. A swimming pool is great not just for your physical health, but your mental well-being as well. Just 30 minutes of swimming three times a week reduces stress levels, alleviates depression and anxiety, improves your sleep patterns, and gives you an overall more positive mental outlook.
- Con: High Utility Bills. A pool uses a lot of electricity. To keep the pump running is an average of $300 per year in energy bills. If the pool is heated, it's an additional $500-$800 on top of that, depending on the size of the pool.
Whether you decide you want a pool or no pool, our real estate agents can help you find the perfect home to meet your needs. Contact us, and we can help you start the search for your dream home today.