There has been some discussion as of late surrounding the issue of hot tubs. This was precipitated, of course, by the recent drowning death of popular actor Matthew Perry, age 54, at his home in Los Angeles. While the details surrounding the cause of his drowning are still pending, the event has certainly prompted a need for discussion on both the extrinsic and intrinsic costs and benefits of this swirling vat of aerated water.

This is not the first time I have heard word of someone experiencing death by hot tub. I recalled listening to a Dateline podcast episode detailing a woman’s “mysterious” death caused by an “accidental” slip and fall in a hot tub. As a side note, the husband had just taken out an $800,000 life insurance policy on her, but he proclaimed his innocence. Either way, there is rarely a need to subject yourself to an entire Dateline episode ever again as I will solve them all for you right now … it was the spouse.

For the record, we have a hot tub. Although it is not something I have ever had on my wish list, as the thought of swimming around in a soup of my own filth, let alone someone else’s, has ever appealed to me, the rest of my family loved the idea. Thus, at the height of COVID, just when everyone else on the planet decided to install a hot tub, we jumped on that bandwagon. As the apparent waiting list at the more reputable pool and spa stores became longer and longer, we opted to go outside of the tradition and shop locally. We found an unmarked outlet in a less than savory part of town that happened to have the exact spa we wanted for nearly half the price. Although the gentleman who helped us acted very surprised that we were there for a hot tub, which was somewhat confusing since hot tubs and spas were their business, he assisted us with our purchase and quickly got us out of there. We didn’t ask if they were selling anything else, as we likely were not interested in any other “products.”

Before purchasing the hot tub, I reminded my husband that the return on investment is negligible. In fact, it is less than that once you figure the $600-$1,200 yearly maintenance costs for chemicals, cleaning, inevitable repairs and so forth. Throw in a lawsuit if the neighbor’s kid jumps in and bonks his head and you have a veritable money pit. Although hot tubs are great for relaxing, improving sleep, better circulation, increased range of motion and anxiety reduction, they can also cause skin irritation, dehydration, overheating and apparently death if used incorrectly. Statistically, one of the main causes of death by hot tub is alcohol consumption or drug use. It is simple to fall asleep after having had one too many and sink into the warm depths of soothing comfort, forgetting that breathing air is essential to life. Slips and falls happen more commonly as well.

Last week, I met with a client who was preparing to get his house on the market. When deciding what he should include and exclude in the sale, he asked about the hot tub. “Do we get anything more if we include it?” he asked.

“Since it is nearly 10 years old and it needs some electrical work done to be fully functional, it absolutely won’t add any value,” I informed him. In fact, this particular hot tub won’t increase sellability either. It is not a super attractive piece, so it doesn’t even have aesthetic value. It detracts from the general beauty of the landscape on this large lot. I went on to explain that, in some cases, I have had buyers ask the sellers to take the hot tub with them or dispose of it, even if it were an included item. They don’t want the maintenance or the liability.

They decided to sell it separately. This won’t amount to much, as even hot tubs that are less than a year old are only worth about 25%-33% of the original value, however, it will move it off the property, so they don’t have to when the time comes. This is a wise choice, even if they give it away for free. It will save them the responsibility and cost of having to haul it away. I have practiced this same concept with office furniture.

As for our own hot tub, my husband is emphatic about keeping it clean; however, I will likely still refrain from taking a swim in a pool of my own swill.

Jen Fischer is an associate broker and Realtor. She can be reached at 801-645-2134 or jen@jen-fischer.com.

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