Pool Homes - Maintenance? (real estate, hoa fees, upkeep)

[ThePolyPrincess]

A lot of homes have their own pools, a lot of homes have a community pool, and then some homes have both!

Living in a neighborhood with a community pool is definitely understandable. You pay your dues and you get to swim while someone else deals with the maintenance. Love that!

I don't really understand having your own pool while living in a neighborhood that has a community pool. Perhaps someone could explain that to me.

But ultimately I am wondering about the maintenance of having your own pool. Is it easy to take care of? Expensive? A pain in the butt? What are the pros and cons?

My parents had a pool and it was SUCH A BIG PAIN because the heater was always going out or the automatic cover (which I know you don't need in FL) was breaking, etc. That pool cost them a lot more money above the regular service/maintenance fees. But I'm guessing that 1) those pools in FL probably aren't heated (are they?) and 2) you don't need to mess with covers (especially if you have a screened-in area) so what is the cost of regular maintenance?

Anyone have some pool talk to share? Thanks.

[cfIfan]

The biggest difference is personal preference. Some people dont want to lay in the sun in public and would rather do it in the privacy of their own back yard. Also there is a hygene issue with young children using a pool. Whilst community pools are pretty well maintained, some people prefer to use a pool where other children whose parents dont have any consideration about personal hygene dont use, for example children may have verucas, urinate in the pool. Not everyone inparts decency to children or even uses pool diapers on young children.

Is there additional costs involved, absolutly, but if you know how to maintain your own pool yourself with the proper chemicals then this can be greatly reduced. My in-laws have a gas heated pool and find they never need to heat it except for the hot-tub. And they only have someone to come out to service it once a year.

It is all down to personal preference. A pool typically wont add value to a home, but you cant put a price on the enjoyment you and your family will get from your own private pool.

[jemelb]

Originally Posted by cfIfan

A pool typically wont add value to a home, but you cant put a price on the enjoyment you and your family will get from your own private pool.

I have to applaud your pool value observation. Not many Real Estate Agents
are able to grasp that...

[right-here-i-say]

I had both. I prefer having my own pool in my backyard for the following reasons:

1. I could go outside, throw down beers, without caring if somebody would tell on me for drinking at the pool.
2. I could hop in the pool after mowing the lawn. (Wouldn't have to walk to a community pool)
3. My wife and I could do the hippity dippity in the pool without anyone ever knowing. We could also go au naturel.
4. The pool added great atmosphere when looking out from our family room. It was nice to see that water.
5. Many times in the summer, you just need cooled off. Just jump in and out.
6. You could lie out and get sun, without caring how you looked.
And last but not least, you don't have to swim in someone elses pee.

As for adding value to a home, in Florida, it definitely adds value. It doesn't add up to what you paid for the pool, but it definitely adds value. Many people in Florida will not even look at a home unless it has a pool.

[ThePolyPrincess]

Thanks for the replies. I think r-h-i-s really spelled it out nicely.

Here in Idaho a pool adds no value to a home. A lot of people do not want a pool because of our cold/freezing winters. We have a short pool season.

I think I want a pool in FL. Because like cfIfan mentioned the personal enjoyment speaks volumes for us.

[pianogal]

Originally Posted by ThePolyPrincess

A lot of homes have their own pools, a lot of homes have a community pool, and then some homes have both!

Living in a neighborhood with a community pool is definitely understandable. You pay your dues and you get to swim while someone else deals with the maintenance. Love that!

I don't really understand having your own pool while living in a neighborhood that has a community pool. Perhaps someone could explain that to me.

But ultimately I am wondering about the maintenance of having your own pool. Is it easy to take care of? Expensive? A pain in the butt? What are the pros and cons?

My parents had a pool and it was SUCH A BIG PAIN because the heater was always going out or the automatic cover (which I know you don't need in FL) was breaking, etc. That pool cost them a lot more money above the regular service/maintenance fees. But I'm guessing that 1) those pools in FL probably aren't heated (are they?) and 2) you don't need to mess with covers (especially if you have a screened-in area) so what is the cost of regular maintenance?

Anyone have some pool talk to share? Thanks.

I lived in Florida for many years without a pool....now that I have one...I can't imagine living here without it. It's mere presence seems to make the backyard cooler. I love sitting around it even in the winter time when it's too cold to swim. We haven't heated ours yet. We do have a newer pool with a salt chlorination system. It's a piece of cake to maintain. Take a bottle of water down to the local pool store every couple of weeks in warm weather. They'll test it for you and tell you if you need to add salt or acid. Most of the time, we need neither. We average about $40 a YEAR in chemicals for the pool. Even if I never swam in it, it's worth it for the ambience it adds. Of course, DH loves it after he's cut the grass.

[AONE]

I guess I am of the mindset I like my own. I know what the level of hygene is. If I want to swim au natural I can. I dont find them terribly expensive. maybe 20-40/ month if you do your own maintenance. A guy that I know does pool care and I think he charges about $125/ month. If you go with a salt system there is less thought to the chemical process. It seems if you have a community pool it is more of an ordeal to go than opening the door and jumping.
I think a pool is a nice addition here in FL. as to it adding value. I must disagree. If you find 2 similar homes the pool home will have smaller square footage to stay at the same price as the home without the pool. This is a consistent search experience for me. Seems most can recoup the bulk of the installation price after a few years.
Pools have become very expensive to install now. They are often small and shallow.
I like the large and deep but that is a preference.

[jemelb]

Adjustments for pools are extracted out of the market. In some markets it's easy to extract and in
others it is almost impossible. There are specific neighborhoods (short term rentals) near Disney
were homes without pool will not sell/rent. In my experience most pool Owners only get back 10k-15k
adjusted from their 40k+/- investment.

[cfIfan]

Originally Posted by jemelb

I have to applaud your pool value observation. Not many Real Estate Agents
are able to grasp that...

Its true, whilst some people only want to look at homes with pools, they wont neccessarily pay extra for it. The value you get by having a pool wont translate into an increase in price simply because whilst it is nice to have and with great pool landscaping it may add a slight value, the reality of it is that a pool is a drain on resources and while some may want it, others dont. If you have a pool with great landscaping which cost $60,000, the reality of it is that you would be lucky to see a $5,000 increase in value. If you want to add value to a home, convert a den into a bedroom or renovate a kitchen, dont add a pool.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

My community has a pool, our HOA fees pay for the upkeep as well as other things. It is nice to go and make use of it, not have to take care of one at home AND talk to the neighbors and catch up.

HOWEVER, if I had the money I would definetly LOVE to have my own. I would love to lay out naked, have parties out there, maybe build an outdoor kitchen out there. I would probably spend alot of time out by the pool.

Of course the money needed to build a pool is part of the consideration but I should imagine the monthly upkeep would be a pain. Some of my neighbors have their own well that they use for their pool and lawn rather then city water to offset the cost.

From what I have seen, it looks cheaper to buy a house that already has a pool, rather then buy a house and build the pool. Maybe the realtors could chime in on that.