Before You Fill In the Pool: A Realtor’s Options Playbook

When a seller says, “Let’s fill the pool in before we list,” they’re usually trying to remove uncertainty. They’ve heard stories about leaks, upkeep, safety worries, or buyers asking for huge credits. So they reach for the most final-sounding solution.

But permanent changes can create new problems:

• A fill-in can trigger disclosure questions, permits, inspections, and long timelines.
• Permanent choices can narrow your buyer pool (some buyers still want a pool).
• If the work drags, it can delay listing season and weaken momentum.

That’s why the smartest approach isn’t “pool vs. no pool.” It’s presenting alternatives to filling in an inground pool that preserve optionality while still solving the buyer’s core fear: “This is going to become my problem.”

The Buyer Reality: They Don’t Fear Pools, They Fear Unknown Outcomes

In most markets, buyers split into groups:

1. Pool lovers: they want it functional and safe.
2. Pool neutral: they’ll accept it if the home is right.
3. Pool avoiders:  they see cost, maintenance, or risk.

Pool avoiders immediately start thinking in searches like:

• How much does it cost to fill in a pool
• Pool removal cost
• How much does it cost to close a pool permanently
  

Your goal as the agent is to turn “unknown outcome” into “clear menu of options.”

A Simple Decision Tree You Can Use With Any Seller

Before you recommend anything, walk the seller through these four questions:

1. What is the real problem: function, safety, or aesthetics?

• Function: equipment failing, resurfacing needed, leaks.
• Safety: kids/grandkids/pets, parties, liability anxiety.
• Aesthetics: it’s an eyesore, feels like wasted space.

2. How important is flexibility for resale?

If the seller wants the home to appeal to both pool lovers and pool avoiders, permanent removal may not be the best first move.

3. What’s the listing timeline?

A solution that takes days or weeks matters when you’re trying to hit a specific season.

4. Do they want to delete the pool or pause it?

A lot of owners don’t want to “erase” the pool forever. They just want to stop paying for it and stop worrying about it.

This is where solutions like a pool to deck conversion can change the entire conversation.

The 4 Most Common Alternatives

Below is the “menu” you can explain without sounding like a contractor.

Option A: Make it presentable and market it as a pool

Best when the pool is structurally sound and your comps show pool demand.

Use this language:

• “We’ll position it as a lifestyle feature.”
• “We’ll verify safety basics and present it clean, clear, and maintained.”

Option B: A cover solution (safety-first)

Buyers with kids often search pool cover safety before they even make an offer.

This option can help when the pool works, but buyers want risk reduced. Just be careful not to overpromise: many cover types reduce risk but don’t remove the emotional reaction some buyers have to open water.

Option C: Permanent closure or removal (final choice)

This is the path sellers mean when they say “fill it in.” Buyers think of:

• Pool demolition cost
  
• Pool removal cost
  

It can work for the right property—but it’s not the only path that solves buyer objections.

Option D: Convert the space into usable patio (flexibility-first)

This is where covering pool with deck becomes a seller-friendly story:

• The backyard becomes usable daily space.
• The pool is no longer an open-water worry.
• A removable deck over pool preserves future choice for a later owner.

In listing terms, this reframes the pool from “liability” to “outdoor living.”

The One Script That Keeps You Neutral

When sellers ask what you recommend, stay in “advisor mode”:

This helps sellers feel supported without feeling pushed.

Cost talk without guessing numbers”

You’ll get asked, “What will this cost?” a hundred times. The safest, most effective answer is a framework, not a figure.

Here’s how to explain it:

• Permanent projects vary widely because they depend on access, haul-away, drainage, and scope.
• A pool to deck conversion cost also depends on pool size, layout, access, and finish level.
• Even within deck options, deck over pool cost can change based on materials and design.

A strong line to keep it clean:

Quick comparison table

The Listing Advantage of Flexibility

If your seller permanently deletes the pool, you’ve locked in one buyer profile: “no pool.” That can be great—unless your best buyers in that neighborhood still want a pool.

With a conversion approach, you can market two lifestyles:

• “Outdoor living patio now”
• “Future option preserved”

That’s a powerful differentiator when inventory is tight and attention spans are short.

If you want a client-friendly free guide of this topic, 20 FAQs About Freedom Decks: The Flexible Alternative to Pool Fill-Ins is a great handout. 

Key Takeaways for Your Next Listing

If you remember only three things, make them these:

1. Don’t let “fill it in” be the default. Start with alternatives to filling in an inground pool so the seller chooses with clarity, not stress.
2. Buyers don’t fear pools—they fear uncertainty. Give them options and a clean decision path.
3. A pool to deck conversion can reposition the backyard as usable outdoor space, and a removable deck over pool can preserve resale flexibility.

Frequently Asked Questions