re: What's the most that you would spend on pool/spa/outdoor kitchen?

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There's almost nothing you can do to a home where you get a 1 to 1 return. Maybe adding square footage to the living areas (bedroom/bathroom addition) gets closer, but even then.

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A kitchen remodel in a nice hot can add nearly 1 to 1 return on investment if done well. An outdoor area can add a lot of value in the right situation, but yes, you are correct that 1 to 1 is not likely.

My first pool was in '79. Learned a lot since... two pools later, the most I've spent was $32,000.... BUT, that was in 1985. I was shocked to see the "inflation calculator" shows $32,000 in 1985 to be the equivalent of $75,000 in 2017!!!

It was a Ewing Aquatech pool back when Sandy Ewing was building extravagant pools for the finest homes in Baton Rouge. I saw many $100,000+ pools he built before '85. That would make money spent well over $300,000 today...some over half a mil... I was lucky and 18 yrs. later was able to sell that home to a job transfer who was specifically shopping for house w/pool. A lot of people aren't so lucky and a pool can wipe out a large percentage of your potential buyers. In my case, even if I would have lost on the sale, I feel like my kids / family got every penny's worth I spent. It was the center of our activities and for two decades, hardly a day passed without using the pool.

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If I knew I'd be there for a long time (15+ years), I could see myself spending 75-100k. I would be spending the money for my enjoyment of the space, not to get 100% back at resale.

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This (above) is a good way to look at it. Some (few) areas will allow a small increase for a pool, in many areas the biggest downside of a pool is you can lose almost half your market because a lot of buyers just don't want what they think is "the hassle" of a pool. Also, check INSURANCE CO's and RATES!!!, some won't even touch it. In some cases it will increase your property taxes, too. In my case, it was one of the best investments I ever made. Like the "quote" above says, if you project a stay of 15+ years with an active family w/kids, you may find it "priceless" for your family and not regret one penny spent. If it's 2-3 years and move, you can potentially lose big.

Pool was $25K, Outdoor Kitchen was $ 15K, and Spa Deck with Spa was $ 12K......I'm $ 52K all in

I spent 75K just for my outside kitchen but I had to extend my roofline and pour a huge slab. Plus, I went with cypress cabinets and slate tile. I don't know if I will ever get my investment back but I love it! I spend a lot of time out there!

Just spent about $16k upgrading our patio. We live in a small neighborhood with a pool already. rest of the family loves the pool but I hate it, so I wasn't willing to put one in with access to a pool we've already paid for and pay to maintain less than a 1/4 mile away.. I guess it just depends on what you value. We could join a decent club around here for $2,500 a year and have access to pool, tennis, and golf. I'd do that before I spent $100k on a pool/patio setup, but that's just me.

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Know how I know you're poor IRL?

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How?

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that's an argument for those that can't afford a pool. you buy a car, use it for 5 years, and it has minimal resale value

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Uh, you drive a car every day and need it to make a living

And after 5 years its prob stil worth 50% or so of what you paid

You dont need a pool to make a living

$45-%50k.