Swimming Pools?

[stevew]

Anyone have one? Our new house previously had a 25' above ground pool installed in the back yard, the deck is basically cut out to accomodate a pool of this size. However since the house was vacant for 6 months before we bought it, the pool had to be removed, so we didn't get it(insurance reasons). My wife really wants a pool this summer, but I think it's going to be a major pain in the ass. Especially since we live in PA and will probably only get 3-4 months use out of it(max). I'm not adverse to getting one, but was interested if anyone else had any experiences with one.

[DaddyTorgo]

Anyone have one? Our new house previously had a 25' above ground pool installed in the back yard, the deck is basically cut out to accomodate a pool of this size. However since the house was vacant for 6 months before we bought it, the pool had to be removed, so we didn't get it(insurance reasons). My wife really wants a pool this summer, but I think it's going to be a major pain in the ass. Especially since we live in PA and will probably only get 3-4 months use out of it(max). I'm not adverse to getting one, but was interested if anyone else had any experiences with one.

could you put one of those huge trampolines there instead? that'd ROCK.

not to threadjack though. but no, no experience with pools, or home ownership for that matter

[hukarez]

When we first moved into this house, we got a pool put in place. I can't recall how long it took, the general completion of the pool was a bit considerable, since we had to do the deck and all - along with the whole plaster stuff.

Still use it every now and then (think it's really boosted our property value) and it sure came in handy last summer when it was sweltering down here for sure. Definitely not as big as 25' though!

[Lathum]

are you looking above ground or in ground?

[stevew]

are you looking above ground or in ground?

Above ground.

[Lathum]

Above ground.

ahh, can't help you, sorry. We had an inground.

[FrogMan]

what kind of information are you looking for? We have an inground pool but have always been around a house where an above ground pool was present so maybe I could be of help. And just so you know, I live in Quebec, so we get maybe 2-3 months of real use out of it, so your 3-4 months would be nice :)

FM

[21C]

I have an inground pool and the best advice I would give is to get some kind of pool heating. We have solar heating which is great on those spring or fall days when the sun is out but the water is still pretty cold.

The pool is great if you have small kids. My kids used to live in the pool when they were little. You had to call them in for dinner several times and then they'd be straight out there when they finished. Now that they are teenagers, they are not in it as much.

Pools can take a lot of maintenance - well mine does since there are a lot trees close by. I'm forever scooping leaves out and sucking all the other shit that blows in there.

But they are great for all of the obvious reasons - entertaining, exercising and just lazing around. But I like the pool best when it is a stinking hot day and I just jump in. If I've been bike riding or it's been a scorcher of a day, the pool can drop my body temp in an instant.

[flere-imsaho]

And just so you know, I live in Quebec, so we get maybe 2-3 months of real use out of it, so your 3-4 months would be nice :)

Does that include the amount of time you skate on it?

[FrogMan]

Does that include the amount of time you skate on it?

yes, so we effectively get a week and a half of swimmable time... :p

FM

[Eaglesfan27]

Still use it every now and then (think it's really boosted our property value) and it sure came in handy last summer when it was sweltering down here for sure. Definitely not as big as 25' though!


Mrs. Eaglesfan and I have been contemplating getting a pool and have been told by some real estate agents that a pool can actually lower real estate value, particularly if the buyer doesn't want a hassle of a pool. Anyone else ever heard of this?

We plan on getting a pool in the next year or two as Mrs. Eaglesfan really wants one and I'd love to see her in a bathing suit more, but I don't have enough information to help out at this point except to say they are quite a bit more expensive than I would have guessed before we started pricing them.

[hukarez]

Mrs. Eaglesfan and I have been contemplating getting a pool and have been told by some real estate agents that a pool can actually lower real estate value, particularly if the buyer doesn't want a hassle of a pool. Anyone else ever heard of this?

We plan on getting a pool in the next year or two as Mrs. Eaglesfan really wants one and I'd love to see her in a bathing suit more, but I don't have enough information to help out at this point except to say they are quite a bit more expensive than I would have guessed before we started pricing them.

Honestly, I don't think I've ever heard of that happening. Quite a few of my friends are in real estate though, so I could probably ask them the same question...

For us, getting the pool finished was more relief than anything. My other friend, however, when he bought his house, it had a pool that was setup from sometime in the early 90s, late 80s. The condition of it wasn't that great to begin with, however, and they're busy trying to get it either 'replaced' or 'taken out', which seems to be much more of a cost for them than anything else. Oddly enough, for the same price of having that pool of his removed, would equate to the same price of just buying a new pool.

FYI - both our setups are 'in ground' so to speak.

[Toddiec]

Eaglesfan27 - In my past experiences with Real Estate I have not heard of it reducing the value of the land, but instead it just makes the land harder to sell if that makes any sense. Theoretically if you put in a pool and the other houses around you don't have one you would assume that it makes your house more attractive to a buyer. But that is only the case if the buyer WANTS a pool. If you have a buyer looking at your house and compares it to a bunch of other houses that don't have a pool and therefore are 10 grand less it could be more difficult to sell until you find that buyer that says "A pool? Cool! I have always wanted one and I can afford the extra 10 grand on the purchase price so this could be my dream home!" Does that make sense?

I see it more often here in Kansas applied to things like farms with several outbuildings and barns. When the farmer tries to sell it the buildings drive up the price according to the perceived value of the buildings by the farmer. However, if a family comes along that doesn't farm, they don't want to spend all that extra cash for buildings that will just become the home for snakes and other fun creatures so they will move on. The farmer usually has to wait to find another farmer type person looking to buy (which is rarer and rarer these days) or he just keeps lowering the price until it becomes feasible to that family that doesn't farm (which happens more often than not).

So, to make a boring long story short.... the pool will not cause your property to lose value, but it probably will not increase it too much either.