To hot tub or not to hot tub…? That is the new home buying question.
February 2, 2018 – Last month, I posted an entry on our blog about tips on readying your hot tub for the sale of your home to improve its curb appeal. Over the past week, I’ve come across two entirely different trains of thought online on home buyers and their desire to have a hot tub.
Thought Stream #1: Home buyers don’t want a hot tub. I find this fascinating, because nearly every survey on one of the first things people would love to own if they had a new house, won the lottery, or got a windfall of cash is to have a hot tub. In fact, Olympic was contacted by the Washington State Lottery several years ago to do a photo shoot in our Seattle showroom. Why? Because they heard over and over from winners that they planned to get a hot tub, and they wanted to incorporate a hot tub into their “Department of Imagination” campaign”. In 2016, one lottery winner’s plan posted on the Washington Lottery site: “After popping a bottle of champagne to celebrate his win, the man plans to use the prize money to pay off some bills, repair portions of his house and potentially buy a new hot tub.”
It would seem to me that the folks who want to steer clear of having a hot tub at home have heard too many stories about safety related to commercial hot tubs that don’t apply to a hot tub you can own at home. Still others have friends who had a hot tub that was deemed too difficult to maintain, and even more simply have incorrect perceptions on operating cost. None of those objections have merit, IF you invest correctly and buy the right hot tub.
Thought Stream #2: Up and coming homeowners think a hot tub is a must. Today, I came across a new survey regarding younger folks who have had success and find themselves in the financial position to buy a home. What do they want? Homes with a large amount of square feet, nice finishes, commercial kitchen appliances, security systems and proximity to good restaurants and family. And—you guessed it—the list included hot tubs. In fact, 45% of the consumers aged between 25 and 49 years old expected a hot tub to be part of the home buying landscape.
Well, you can imagine which side we’re on: the one of hot tub ownership. Over the nearly 23 years I’ve been in the industry, I’ve sold a significant number of hot tubs. In a lot of those cases, they were to people buying their first home that always wanted a hot tub. A good number, however, were people that planned to buy a hot tub with their new home, but let other things take priority on their new home wish list. When they finally got to me and got their long-awaited tub, guess what they all say? “This is one of the best things I’ve ever done—I wish I hadn’t waited so long!”
If you’re one of those folks who’s been waiting, stop! It’s time for you to join the Wellness Generation and take better care of yourself. I’m sure you deserve it. Drop by one of our showrooms to see our terrific line of Hot Spring Spas. We think you’ll be thrilled at what you see and ready to soak every night in no time.